Dear Remuneration Board I understand you are consulting on whether AMs should be allowed to claim maximum accommodation expenses in Cardiff if they live outside Wales. I feel that any public funding for AMs to commute from their homes in England would effectively endorse AMs living outside their regions and also outside the country. This is utterly absurd. Do you think that Westminster would pay for an MP to commute from France to London? Or course not. I fear such a move would make the Assembly look like a laughing stock and willing to tolerate any kind of behaviour and bending of the rules by certain AMs (who, by the way, made promises to the electors that they would indeed move to their respective regions if elected). People are understandably cynical about well-paid politicians claiming expenses, even when they are legitimate. I strongly urge you to ensure that these illegitimate claims are not met

The outstanding example is Mr Hamilton AM