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Government of Wales Bill

I apologise, Mr. Deputy Speaker. When I am out and about, I deal with questions such as those I outlined and I hope that all Members do so. We need to convince people that the measure is workable and that it is important for them. Questions are always asked about regionality and I spend much time on the doorstep and at surgeries trying to explain it. People also want to know about accountability and responsibility, but as my right hon. Friend the Member for Torfaen (Mr. Murphy) said, we need clarity about regionality. Sometimes, I feel that I must have been in a different country from other Members and that I have been dealing with completely different people. People who ask me questions are tired of hearing negativity on the doorstep; they are tired of people saying this, that and the other. They want us to work in a unified way to deliver things for Wales. They want us to work in partnership, so we need to take logical, forward steps, not backward steps. What we do in this place affects many people. We have heard much today about what the Electoral Reform Society is attempting to do, but I can assure the House that it has carried out no specific research into the confusion between regional list Members and constituency Members. Perhaps the society should ask specific questions. Perhaps it should go to constituencies such as Swansea, East and ask people in my constituency. I am tired of going to events and falling over regional Members. In Swansea, there are many opportunities to mix and mingle and I constantly fall over regional Assembly Members who introduce themselves as ““the Member for this area””.