The next item is the motion to elect a Member to the Assembly Commission, and I call on a member of the Business Committee to move the motion. Gareth Bennett.

Motion NDM6744 Elin Jones

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales, in accordance with Standing Order 7.9, appoints Neil Hamilton (United Kingdom Independence Party) as a member of the Assembly Commission in place of Caroline Jones (United Kingdom Independence Party).

Motion moved.

Formally.

To speak, Mandy Jones.

Yes, I object.

You're not speaking in the debate.

Yes, I will speak.

I'm calling you to speak now, if you want to speak.

Thank you. Sorry. I object on the motion to call Neil Hamilton for the Commission. The role of a Commissioner goes to the core of this place—how it is run, how it plans for the future, and how it is perceived by the public. The Commission—and I quote from our website—

'has responsibility for the provision of property, staff and services to support the Assembly Members'.

One of the key words there is 'staff'. Staff are our main support. They make this place work, and, frankly, none of this would happen without them. We should value them in the way that they deserve. In fact, we should value each other in the same way.

There are many reasons why I would object to Neil Hamilton becoming a Commissioner. However, the reason I wish to put on record is that, on 16 May, Neil Hamilton abstained on the vote in support of the emerging dignity and respect policy. The main crux of his argument appeared to be that it should only apply part of the time. Becoming an Assembly Member is an honour, and it should be respected as such. It is not a part-time job. The Nolan principles and the code of conduct, which we all promised to abide by when we were sworn in, do not get shrugged off like a wet coat when they become too uncomfortable. I do not see how his position is compatible with the role of Assembly Commissioner. Thank you.

Do you want to speak? Neil Hamilton.

Thank you, Llywydd. I wasn't anticipating having to make this speech, as no notice had been given to me by Mandy Jones of her objection, but having said that, I will now take the opportunity to respond.

I made my arguments in the debate on the dignity and respect policy, and I made the point that all people in public life should be entitled to a private life and, in the context of that debate, referred in particular to Michelle Brown's case, where she found herself before the standards committee because of a conversation that she had on the telephone, which was secretly recorded and then was maliciously published by a former employee. I don't seek to defend the words that were complained of, but I did think, in the context of our dignity and respect policy, that there ought to be a test of reasonableness and a test of proportionality in the sanction applied if someone was found to be in breach of the rules. That said, that was the point of view that I put in the debate. The Assembly took a different view. And just as, over many, many years, I voted in the House of Commons and, indeed, in this Assembly on proposed laws of the land, if I was on the losing side, of course I accepted that I lost the argument, or at least lost the vote, and therefore I would faithfully uphold the rules that had been voted through, and that applies in this instance too. We disagree honourably amongst each other in a democratic Assembly, and we're entitled to take different views on the desirability of proposed courses of action. That doesn't mean that any of us condones the kind of conduct, behaviour or words that are reprehensible or opprobrious and are likely to cause egregious offence, and still less those that are racist or whatever.

All I will say is that if the Assembly approves this appointment this afternoon, I will perform the obligations of a Commissioner to the best of my ability, with the kind of professionalness, honesty and integrity that I think I have displayed in the two years that I have been here. I think there are enough Members who have worked with me in committees, as well as in Plenary sessions, to know that I have always done my best to uphold the principles upon which this place is based. My party, which opposed its creation in the first place, has accepted the result of the people, and the will of the people is all. I would take the same view of the will of the Assembly in respect of the rules that it adopts in respect of the conduct of its own Members. So, that, I think, is a brief statement of my position—that I will uphold the dignity and respect policy, as it has been approved by this Assembly.

The proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? [Objection.] I will defer voting on this motion until voting time.

Voting deferred until voting time.