Diolch yn fawr, Lywydd. Could I firstly congratulate you on your election to the post of Presiding Officer, and also add my appreciation to the work of Rosemary Butler, the former Presiding Officer, who I think everybody in this Chamber would agree did a great deal of good work over the previous five years and provides a very fine example to follow?

In that vein, could I also say that, if I am to become Deputy Presiding Officer, it will be a great challenge to follow the role set out and fulfilled by David Melding, who I think, again, everybody in this Chamber would agree fulfilled his duties as Deputy—[Applause.]—fulfilled his role as Deputy with great distinction, Llywydd?

Llywydd, many of us have been on a long journey with devolution. I’ve been here since the beginning in 1999 and it’s been a tremendous privilege to watch devolution grow and develop and this institution grow and develop—develop its powers, develop its role and increase its standing with the people of Wales. The future, the next five years, will see a further increase in those powers and I hope a further increase in the standing of the National Assembly for Wales. I believe it’s a very exciting time with the Wales Act and electoral arrangements to be decided here offering new possibilities in terms of the way we organise ourselves and engage with the people of Wales.

If I were to become Deputy Presiding Officer, I would be very keen to play a role in taking that very, very important work forward. I do believe that I have important experience, having been here since 1999 and also having been leader of the legislative programme and Counsel General, as well as, of course, a backbencher in more recent times. So, I do believe I have a good deal of relevant experience and I also believe I have the abilities to fulfil this role effectively.

Llywydd, can I say, finally, it’s obviously very important to strike the right balance between the Government and opposition and, I believe, more crucial to ensure that the rights of backbenchers are not just protected but enhanced? So, what I would say in conclusion is that, if I were to become Deputy Presiding Officer, my utmost priority would be to be impartial and fair to all, and I ask for your support on that basis.