Welcome to today's sitting. Before we commence, I intend to make some personal remarks, and I ask for your indulgence as I will remain seated for this and other items of business.

This is the sixth occasion on which I have sat in this Chair in the capacity of Acting Speaker at a session of the Assembly convened for the purpose of attempting to elect a permanent Speaker. It has been a personal privilege and an honour to have performed that duty on your behalf. I concede that it has taken me some time to help, in a small way, to deliver a successful outcome. However, I am confident that today will be the day that I can finally pick up my P45

[Laughter]

and end my career as Acting Speaker. Given the budgetary constraints, I am not expecting a retirement gift of a gold watch.

I understand that I may have made a bit of Assembly history by setting an unwanted record for the number of attempts by an Acting Speaker to complete the task of actually electing a Speaker. My personal hope is that that unwanted record will remain unbroken in the future, as breaking it would mean that, once again, we had deprived the people whom we represent of the governance that they entrust us to deliver in this place. I place on record my thanks to you all for your cooperation and patience with me during this lengthy process and for the assistance and support that I have received from Assembly staff in performing this duty.

The Speaker has summoned the Assembly to meet today, and I welcome him in the Chamber this afternoon as we come together to elect his successor. Mr Speaker, you exercised your authority in the Chamber with integrity, impartiality and more patience than we often deserved. We wish you well for your retirement.