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Party investigates AM's night out Party investigates AM's night out
(about 2 hours later)
Liberal Democrats are investigating allegations about the behaviour of a senior member of the Welsh assembly after a night out in Cardiff. Liberal Democrats are investigating allegations about the behaviour of a senior member of the Welsh assembly in hospital after a night out in Cardiff.
The party, which is holding its Welsh spring conference in Swansea, is looking into newspaper claims about Mick Bates, the AM for Montgomeryshire. Welsh party leader Kirsty Williams said they were trying to establish the facts about the claims relating to the Montgomeryshire AM Mick Bates.
The party said it took the Wales on Sunday allegations about behaviour at a hospital last month "very seriously". She understood he had apologised "if his behaviour caused any offence".
Mr Bates, 62, announced last year he will stand down at the next election. The party said it took the allegations in Wales on Sunday about his behaviour last month "very seriously".
A spokesperson for the Welsh Liberal Democrats said: "We take these allegations very seriously and we would not condone this sort of alleged behaviour. BBC Wales parliamentary correspondent David Cornock has spoken to Mr Bates, who told him he could not remember what had happened on the night.
Mr Bates has also spoken to Ms Williams, who said the party needed to talk to the hospital trust concerned "to establish exactly what happened".
We will be contacting the relevant authorities and once we have got further information and established the facts in this case we will be making a further statement then Kirsty Williams, leader, Welsh Liberal Democrats
She added: "We will be contacting the relevant authorities and once we have got further information and established the facts in this case we will be making a further statement then.
"At the moment we simply only have the newspaper allegations. We don't have any further allegations.
'Head injury'
"My understanding is that Mick sustained a head injury and doesn't remember what happened after that."
Earlier, a spokesperson for the Welsh Liberal Democrats said: "We take these allegations very seriously and we would not condone this sort of alleged behaviour.
"We have already begun an investigation to establish the facts and we will return with a further statement once our investigations are concluded.""We have already begun an investigation to establish the facts and we will return with a further statement once our investigations are concluded."
Mr Bates, who has represented Montgomeryshire since the assembly began in 1999, has been chairman of its sustainability committee since 2007. Mr Bates, 62, who has represented Montgomeryshire since the assembly was founded in 1999, has been chairman of its sustainability committee since 2007.
A former teacher who became a farmer, he said last year that his wife, a headmistress, was retiring in 2011, and that it was an "ideal time" for him to stand down.A former teacher who became a farmer, he said last year that his wife, a headmistress, was retiring in 2011, and that it was an "ideal time" for him to stand down.
Mr Bates is also a former county chairman of the National Farmers' Union, and became a local councillor in 1994.Mr Bates is also a former county chairman of the National Farmers' Union, and became a local councillor in 1994.
He held his assembly seat at the 2007 election with a majority of just over 2,000 ahead of the Conservatives.He held his assembly seat at the 2007 election with a majority of just over 2,000 ahead of the Conservatives.
BBC Wales has been unable to contact Mr Bates.