Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Whilst we on this side of the Chamber see merit in the original motion, we can't accept it in its entirety, and so we've tabled an amendment to set out the current position of the Welsh Conservative group. Therefore, I move the amendment tabled in the name of my colleague Darren Millar.

The leader of Plaid Cymru is right: since 1999, the National Assembly for Wales has grown at a rapid pace, continually gaining powers over some of the most important aspects of people's lives in Wales. Devolution has certainly brought decision making closer to the people of Wales, and, over that time, the responsibility and financial accountability of this institution has strengthened significantly. This April saw the devolution of income tax to Wales, heralding yet another step on the devolution journey, cementing the fact that the Welsh Government is not just a spending authority but is now responsible for raising money too. Whilst these steps are welcome and strengthen the devolution settlement, with these powers comes the need for greater scrutiny in monitoring the Welsh Government's actions. Therefore, we on this side of the Chamber fully accept the need to increase the number of Assembly Members so that every action of the Welsh Government is appropriately scrutinised and given the attention it deserves. The people of Wales deserve no less.

It's crucial that the Assembly has the appropriate resources and capacity to effectively scrutinise Government policy and legislation, and it's fair to say that the increasing workload has made it difficult for the Assembly to operate as effectively as it possibly can. Whilst I believe the Assembly is punching above its weight, the introduction of tax-raising powers coupled with Brexit will put an immeasurable strain on the Assembly Commission and its representatives, and it's the people of Wales who will suffer as a result. But, in order to persuade the people of Wales that this place requires more Members, I would suggest that further work is required and further outreach work across Wales must take place to communicate the need for change and the impact that having more Assembly Members would have on people's lives in Wales. The people of Wales—