Point of Order

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:35 pm on 13 December 2017.

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Photo of Mr Neil Hamilton Mr Neil Hamilton UKIP 3:35, 13 December 2017

Further to that point of order, Llywydd, I'm concerned about your ruling today, because I also have read what Gareth Bennett said yesterday—I wasn't in the Chamber for the speech—and it seems to me that this is a point of argument and debate rather than a point of order. The remarks that Gareth made yesterday seem to be related to a proposed Bill in the House of Commons, the gender recognition Bill, which is going to be introduced, apparently, by the Government for the autumn of next year. If we cannot in this Chamber debate the matters that are contained in a Bill that is proposed to be introduced in the House of Commons, then I think that's a very serious diminution of the democratic rights of the Welsh people as represented by those that they elect to this place. Now, it may well be that what Members say in speeches can cause outrage in certain parts of the community, but that is what democratic debate often entails.

I would like you, if you will, to identify exactly what it was in Gareth's speech yesterday, which precise words, to which you take objection in terms of the Standing Orders of the Assembly.