Thank you, acting Presiding Officer. I'd like to start by thanking the Business Committee for scheduling this debate today, because within the context of the COVID pandemic, of course, it's been right that the majority of the Senedd business is focused on how we can support our people, our communities and our economy in these unprecedented times. Nevertheless, the constitutional issues addressed in our report are central to democracy in Wales, and our ability, as Members of the Senedd, to carry out our representative, legislative and scrutiny roles. I therefore welcome the chance to debate these issues with Members.

In July last year, we debated the question of how many Members this legislature should have and how they should be elected. The Senedd resolved, by a clear majority, that more Members were needed, but agreed that further work was required to consider how that could be achieved. The Committee on Senedd Electoral Reform was subsequently set up in September 2019. We were asked by the Senedd to examine the recommendations made by the expert panel on Assembly electoral reform.

During our work, we heard clear and compelling evidence that the Senedd is currently undersized, that its membership should be more diverse, that the current electoral system constrains voter choice and Member accountability and that it is inappropriate that there is no mechanism for reviewing the Senedd's boundaries. There is not time today for me to outline all of the recommendations, which include, for example, that there should be between 80 and 90 Members of the Senedd elected by the single transferrable vote, that arrangements should be put in place to review the Senedd's boundaries on an ongoing basis, that voluntary and legislative interventions should be put in place to overcome the structural inequalities and societal barriers that stand in the way of a more diverse Senedd, and that we need to do more to increase levels of public awareness and understanding of what the Senedd does and how its work makes a difference to the issues that matter to people.

Investing in our democracy has a cost attached to it and those costs would have to be carefully scrutinised as the Senedd considered any reform Bill. But on the basis of the estimates that the Llywydd has prepared for us and the evidence that we've received, we believe that the additional cost is not only a price worth paying, but it's a necessary investment in our democratic processes and institutions. On the basis of the evidence we've heard, we believe that a larger Senedd would be cost-effective. It would improve the governance of Wales, enhance the scrutiny and oversight of Welsh Government and lead to more effective policy, more efficient spending and better legislation.

Even marginal improvements in spending or value could offset the cost of a larger legislature. But we won't see these improvements, and the Senedd elected in 2026 will not have the appropriate number of Members to carry out its important responsibilities unless political parties are able to reach consensus on reform proposals and agree to take legislative action early in the sixth Senedd.

In 2017 the expert panel acknowledged that there was no perfect moment for constitutional or electoral changes, but posed the question: if not now, then when? It challenged the Senedd to be bold and to take this opportunity to reform the institution, to invigorate Welsh democracy and to enthuse and energise voters so that the 2021 election delivers a legislature with the capacity to represent the people and communities it serves and becomes a Welsh Parliament that truly works for the people of Wales.

The powers to reform our Senedd have been in our hands since 2018. The first steps in the reform process have already been taken, with the result that 16 and 17-year-olds will be able to vote for the first time in next year's election. However, we have further to go before we can say that we have fully empowered our Senedd to meet the needs of those it represents—the people of Wales. We believe that our report offers a road map to guide the sixth Senedd as it takes the next steps in that reform process. We are, however, realistic; we know that there is more to be done to engage the public on these issues, and we know that Members and parties across the Chamber have different views. And we know that these are politically sensitive matters on which it is difficult to reach consensus.

However, as legislators and elected Members, we all have a responsibility to work together to invest in and strengthen our democracy in Wales. The evidence is clear: unless legislation is brought forward early in the sixth Senedd, we risk failing to ensure that our legislature can continue to deliver effectively for the people of Wales. We risk missing the chance to make sure that the scrutiny of policy, legislation, spending and taxation is informed by the perspectives of people from a diverse range of backgrounds. And we risk losing the opportunity to empower and engage voters through the introduction of an electoral system that maximises voter choice, clarifies Member accountability and delivers fairer and more proportional outcomes.

In publishing our report, I urge all Members and political parties to reflect on the evidence and to fully consider our conclusions and recommendations. I believe that the sixth Senedd can work together to reach agreement on the next steps for Senedd reform and to make sure that our Senedd remains at the heart of a flourishing democracy in Wales. Diolch yn fawr.