Procedure and House Affairs committee  In relation to our chamber, there are no criteria. It's a matter for an individual member as to whether to participate in a physical or virtual form. The expectation is that they're treated equitably regardless of whether they're in the chamber physically or coming in electronically.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Currently, no. It would just show that a member has participated, spoken and voted. With committees there would be a record to show in what medium the committee was meeting, so they'd be tagged as in person, virtual or hybrid, but it would be very transparent to anybody who was watching the broadcast or watching our Senedd TV to see the medium by which the member was participating.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  There are no concerns. We have adequate interpreters to undertake the work. We're able to meet our requirements without any issues of industrial relations. In fact, our recent—

Procedure and House Affairs committee  For sure. I was answering to say that we've not had any issues in terms of our resource capabilities for interpretation. We've managed to meet our statutory requirements and we have a very happy workforce in our translation service. I was just pointing out that in a well-being survey that we undertake every few months, recently our translation service came out at the top in terms of their satisfaction and well-being in the workforce.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  We haven't had any issues with connectivity. We've had the periodic issue, as I think you did recently, of the Internet dropping out altogether, and then there's a suspension of proceedings. However, that's been very rare. In relation to how our interpreters function, if we're having physical or hybrid meetings, they are present in the interpretation booths around the chamber and the committees.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes, it has. To some extent, I think we might say it's even enhanced its ability to do so, particularly with regard to committees and diversity of witnesses. We're able to reach out to people who perhaps would not have the time to attend physical meetings or indeed, as we're doing today, reach out to witnesses who might be in other countries.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  —which is why we've retained the hybrid.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I'm very pleased to report that no, we have not had any problems at all. When I spoke to the head of translation prior to this session, she wanted me to report that it was a seamless transition here, that we've had no issues at all, and that we've maintained the capability to provide simultaneous interpretation throughout our virtual and hybrid proceedings while at the same time providing our written translation—because, obviously, our documentation is also available bilingually.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I certainly can.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Good afternoon, everybody, from Cardiff, Wales. Since my last appearance at the committee was in 2020, I'm going to outline the experience of the Senedd in virtual proceedings in terms of what we currently do, how we do it and why. In terms of what the Senedd is doing, the chamber proceedings are now fully hybrid—that's a permanent position going forward—and voting is by a remote voting app that was designed in-house.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  We had changes made to our Standing Orders to enable weighted voting. That means that for each party group, one person is nominated to cast the votes of the entire group on the members' behalf. In the case of the government, it includes the Labour Party and the one independent and one Liberal Democrat member who make up the government.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I might be brave enough to go first. From our experience in Wales, albeit the participation is virtual, the members are being asked questions they didn't know of in advance and the ministers themselves are answering. Therefore, I think it isn't any different from being in the chamber.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  We have the ability to vote through our virtual proceedings, but it's not an electronic voting system. It's weighted voting and casting the votes on behalf of their party group. They are orally being asked. There's a roll call, and they're stating that they're casting their votes in a certain way.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I'm happy to go first and to say yes, we did. Our business committee, which has representation from all of the parties, did agree to this.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I think to begin with that members were keen to continue proceedings. When other legislatures were not meeting at all and were suspended or adjourned, we continued to meet. Now that it has proved to work technologically and procedurally, there is increased pressure from members to meet, and as I mentioned earlier, as a response we are now having meetings of committees and plenary, not just plenary.