Aberconwy MP Robin Millar has welcomed cross party support in Parliament for his Private Members’ Bill.
On Friday 24th February Robin’s Veterans’ Advisory Pensions Committees Bill received its second reading in Parliament. His Bill received support from across the House and passed this key stage unopposed to progress to the Committee stage.
The Bill seeks to extend the remit of Veterans’ Advisory Pensions Committees and to expand the cohort of veterans that they can assist.
Friday marked the one year anniversary of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and, introducing his Bill in Parliament for its second reading, Robin began by paying tribute to the courage of the people of Ukraine and of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He said:
“I want to make clear my own admiration and support for the people of Ukraine for their stubborn resistance that I think has inspired all in the free world and has put fear into the hearts of their would-be conquerors.
“The grim spectacle of a return of war in Europe must serve as a reminder, if indeed we needed one, that the privileges of our world, the freedoms that we enjoy, have been hard won. In many ways they are a gift offered by those willing to stand guard over our nation and democracy and – when required – fight to protect it.”
Introducing his Bill, Robin said:
“For service personnel, the last twenty five years have been defined by relentless conflict, with deployments to conflicts and wars in Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria and Mali.
“These former service men and women, to whom we owe so much, represent about 1 in 25 of our fellow citizens – or 1.9 million people.
“Since World War II, they have seen their colleagues fall in twenty-nine conflict zones across the world. They have provided vital aid, disaster relief and peacekeeping in dozens more. And today, as I stand in this place, British forces are deployed to support our allies across seventeen nations. They continue to ensure safe passage of world’s oceans.
“And, of course, they watch and stand ready in the defence of our own borders. They are that vital deterrent against those who would threaten our freedoms, our borders and our way of life. I know that the whole House will agree that we owe a great debt to these men and women.”
Continuing, Robin highlighted that:
“Conwy has the highest proportion of veterans of any county in Wales. I must say it has been a privilege when I have met them, to discuss life after service and also, on occasion, hear from them about their time in the Armed Forces.
“In Aberconwy I have been impressed by the work of established institutions like Blind Veterans, which operate their principal facility serving veterans from across the UK – and even overseas – from their hospital overlooking Llandudno.
“And I have been moved by the spontaneous emergence of groups and initiatives from within the community in Aberconwy, such as Military Minds FC and the Troop Café. These are the organic and dynamic organisations – a network of Burke’s little platoons – which need encouragement and enabling in their work of support for veterans, more than any direction and regulation.
“And it is to enable the spirit of these volunteers that the bill is intended.”
Concluding the debate The Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families, Dr Andrew Murrison MP, said:
"I offer my congratulations to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberconwy, both on the content of the Bill and the manner in which he has presented it.
"This Government continue to uphold the covenant between our nation and our armed forces. As part of that, we will do all we can to ensure my hon. Friend’s Bill becomes statute. It is fully supported by the Government."
The Bill passed unopposed and will now proceed to its committee stage.
Robin yn croesawu cefnogaeth seneddol i’w Fil Aelod Preifat yn cefnogi cyn-filwyr
Mae AS Aberconwy, Robin Millar, wedi croesawu cefnogaeth drawsbleidiol yn y Senedd i’w Fil Aelod Preifat yn cefnogi cyn-filwyr.
Ddydd Gwener, 24ain Chwefror, cafodd Bil Robin ar Bwyllgorau Cynghori a Phensiynau Cyn-filwyr ei ail ddarlleniad yn y Senedd. Cafodd ei Fil gefnogaeth ar draws y Tŷ a phasiodd y cyfnod allweddol hwn yn ddiwrthwynebiad, gan symud ymlaen i’r cyfnod Pwyllgor.
Mae’r Bil yn ceisio ymestyn cylch gwaith y Pwyllgorau Cynghori a Phensiynau Cyn-filwyr ac ehangu’r garfan o gyn-filwyr y gallant eu helpu.
Roedd dydd Gwener yn dynodi blwyddyn ers i Putin ymosod ar Wcráin ac wrth gyflwyno’i Fil yn y Senedd ar gyfer yr ail ddarlleniad, dechreuodd Robin drwy dalu teyrnged i ddewrder pobl Wcráin a Lluoedd Arfog Wcráin. Dywedodd:
“Rydw i eisiau gwneud yn glir gymaint f’edmygedd i o bobl Wcráin a’m cefnogaeth iddynt am eu gwrthsafiad di-ildio sydd, rwy’n meddwl, wedi ysbrydoli pawb yn y byd rhydd ac wedi ennyn ofn yng nghalonnau’r rhai a fynnai eu gorchfygu.
“Rhaid i’r golygfeydd brawychus o ryfel ar dir Ewrop eto ein hatgoffa ni, os oes angen hynny, fod breintiau ein byd, y rhyddid rydyn ni’n ei fwynhau, wedi’u hennill ar gost uchel. Mewn llawer ffordd maen nhw’n rhodd gan y rhai sy’n barod i amddiffyn ein cenedl a’n democratiaeth a – phan fydd angen – i ymladd i’w gwarchod.”
Wrth gyflwyno ei Fil, dywedodd Robin:
“I’r rhai sy’n gwasanaethu yn y lluoedd arfog, mae'r ugain mlynedd diwethaf wedi cael eu diffinio gan ryfela di-baid, gyda milwyr wedi’u hanfon i ryfeloedd a gwrthdaro yn Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Irac, Affganistan, Libya, Syria a Mali.
“Mae’r cyn ŵyr a gwragedd hyn sydd wedi gwasanaethu, y mae ein dyled mor fawr iddynt, yn cynrychioli tua 1 ym mhob 25 o’n cyd-ddinasyddion - neu 1.9 miliwn o bobl.
“Ers yr Ail Ryfel Byd, maen nhw wedi gweld eu cyd-filwyr yn disgyn mewn naw ar hugain o ardaloedd o ryfel ar draws y byd. Maen nhw wedi darparu cymorth hanfodol, wedi helpu i leddfu effeithiau trychinebau ac wedi cadw’r heddwch mewn dwsinau yn rhagor o ardaloedd. Ac heddiw, wrth i mi sefyll yma, mae lluoedd Prydain wrthi yn cefnogi ein cynghreiriaid ar draws dwy genedl ar bymtheg. Maen nhw’n parhau i sicrhau y gellir mordwyo’n ddiogel ar gefnforoedd y byd.
“Ac, wrth gwrs, maen nhw’n gwylio ac yn sefyll yn barod i amddiffyn ein ffiniau ni. Nhw yw’r cyfrwng hollbwysig hwnnw sy’n atal y rhai a fyddai’n bygwth ein rhyddid, ein ffiniau a’n ffordd o fyw. Rwy’n gwybod y bydd y Tŷ cyfan yn cytuno fod arnom ni ddyled fawr i’r dynion a’r menywod hyn.”
Gan barhau, aeth Robin ymlaen:
“Conwy sydd â'r ganran uchaf o gyn-filwyr o holl siroedd Cymru. Rhaid i mi ddweud y bu hi’n fraint, pan wyf wedi cwrdd â nhw, i drafod bywyd ar ôl gwasanaethu a hefyd, ar adegau, i glywed ganddynt am eu cyfnod yn y Lluoedd Arfog.
“Yn Aberconwy, mae gwaith sefydliadau fel Blind Veterans, sydd wedi hen ennill eu plwyf, wedi gwneud argraff arnaf. Maen nhw’n rhedeg eu prif gyfleuster ar gyfer cyn-filwyr o bob rhan o’r Deyrnas Unedig - a hyd yn oed dramor - o’u hysbyty sy’n edrych dros Landudno.
“Ac mae ymddangosiad grwpiau a chynlluniau sydd wedi datblygu’n naturiol allan o’r gymuned yn Aberconwy, megis Military Minds FC a chaffi Troop, wedi fy nghyffwrdd. Mae’r rhain yn fudiadau organig a deinamig - rhwydwaith o blatwnau bach Burke - ac mae angen anogaeth arnynt a’u galluogi yn ei gwaith i gefnogi cyn-filwyr, yn fwy nag unrhyw gyfarwyddyd a rheoleiddio.
“Ac mae’r bil hwn wedi’i fwriadu i alluogi ysbryd y gwirfoddolwyr hyn.”
Wrth gloi’r ddadl, dywedodd y Gweinidog dros Amddiffyn, Pobl, Cyn-filwyr a Theuluoedd y Gwasanaethau, Dr Andrew Murrison AS:
“Hoffwn longyfarch f’anrhydeddus Ffrind, yr Aelod dros Aberconwy, ar gynnwys y Bil a’r modd y mae wedi’i gyflwyno.
“Bydd y Llywodraeth hon yn parhau i gynnal y cyfamod rhwng ein cenedl a’n lluoedd arfog. Fel rhan o hynny, byddwn yn gwneud popeth a allwn i sicrhau bod Bil f’anrhydeddus Ffrind yn dod yn statud. Fe’i cefnogir yn llwyr gan y Llywodraeth.”
Pasiwyd y Bil yn ddiwrthwynebiad a bydd bellach yn symud ymlaen i’r cyfnod pwyllgor.