Ar 16 Mawrth, cyhoeddodd Swyddfa Gartref y DU na fyddai’n cyflwyno cais cynllunio i ymestyn y defnydd o wersyll Penalun ar gyfer ceiswyr lloches. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn croesawu’r penderfyniad hwn ar sail foesol a synnwyr cyffredin. Rydym wedi codi sawl pryder ynghylch diogelwch ac addasrwydd safle gwersyll milwrol ar gyfer pobl sydd wedi ffoi rhag rhyfel ac erledigaeth, yn ogystal ag annigonolrwydd trefniant sy’n eu gosod mewn ardal wledig heb wasanaethau cymorth arbenigol hanfodol. Fe wnaethom fynegi ein pryder hefyd nad oedd y gwersyll yn amgylchedd oedd yn cydymffurfio â gofynion cyfyngiadau Covid-19 – er gwaethaf honiadau’r Swyddfa Gartref fel arall – a oedd yn risg i’r ceiswyr lloches eu hunain a’r gymuned leol ehangach. Ymddengys fod Prif Arolygydd Annibynnol Ffiniau a Mewnfudo wedi cadarnhau ein honiadau i raddau helaeth yn dilyn ei arolygiad ym mis Chwefror.
On 16 March, the Home Office announced that it would not submit a planning application to extend the use of the Penally camp to house asylum seekers. The Welsh Government welcomes this decision, which is one of both moral imperative and common sense. We have frequently raised our concerns about the safety and suitability of utilising a military camp site for those who have fled war and persecution, as well as the inadequacy of placing the site in a rural location without vital specialised services of support. We also expressed our concern that the camp was not a Covid-19 compliant environment – despite Home Office claims to the contrary – which posed an inherent risk to the occupants and wider local community. It appears that the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration has largely vindicated our claims following his inspection which took place in February.