Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. The pandemic has had a dramatic effect upon our lives, bringing with it restrictions on many of the rights and freedoms we cherish. In May, the people of Wales will be exercising their right to voice their opinions on their elected representatives when they head to the polls in the Senedd election. It is the Government's firm view that the election should take place as planned on 6 May. We believe that we need a Senedd and a Welsh Government with a fresh mandate. However, it would be irresponsible of us not to prepare for a scenario where it is unsafe for the election to run as planned due to the impact of the pandemic. This Bill enables contingency plans to be agreed for the postponement of the election only as a last resort, should the pandemic pose a serious threat to the safe and fair running of the election.

The Bill we are debating today seeks to protect one of our most fundamental rights—the right to vote—by enabling the people of Wales to participate in the Senedd election. If the election does indeed take place on 6 May as planned, then it will be safe to vote at polling stations, with all the measures you would expect around hygiene and physical distancing. If the election can't take place, then we need this Bill. This Bill's provisions are prudent contingency measures to ensure that the election can be delivered by returning officers in the context of the unfolding pandemic. There is a risk that voters may be prevented from voting, not only for reasons of ill health or the need to comply with requirements to self-isolate, but also due to fears that they may have about the safety of voting in person at a polling station. Equally, high levels of sickness also bring the risk of not having enough staff available to administer the poll, with a consequential risk to the integrity of the election itself.