Revised Supplementary Supply (FY 2020) Bill
Ministry of FinanceBill Summary
Purpose: The Bill provides for supplementary provision to meet additional expenditure for the 2020 financial year to fund enhanced support measures for workers, enterprises, and households affected by heightened COVID-19 safe distancing measures.
Responses: Second Minister for Finance Ms Indranee Rajah justified the urgency of passing the Bill through three readings in a single sitting by emphasizing the need for financial assistance to reach affected parties as quickly as possible.
Members Involved
Transcripts
First Reading (7 April 2020)
First Reading.
The Second Minister for Finance (Ms Indranee Rajah): Mr Speaker, I have a Certificate of Urgency signed by the President in respect of the Revised Supplementary Supply (FY 2020) Bill, to be laid upon the Table.
Certificate of Urgency signed by the President in respect of the Bill, laid upon the Table by the Minister.
Mr Speaker: The Certificate is in order. Minister, please proceed.
Ms Indranee Rajah: Mr Speaker, I have the President's recommendation for the introduction of this Bill. I beg to introduce a Bill intituled "An Act to make Supplementary Provision to meet Additional Expenditure for the Financial Year, 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021".
Bill read the First time.
Ms Indranee Rajah: Mr Speaker, copies of the Bill have been provided to the Clerk, who will distribute it to Members now. [Handouts were to hon Members.]
Mr Speaker: Minister, Second Reading when?
Ms Indranee Rajah: Now, Sir.
Mr Speaker: So be it. Please proceed.
Second Reading (7 April 2020)
Order for Second Reading read.
3.17 pm
The Second Minister for Finance (Ms Indranee Rajah): Mr Speaker, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a second time."
The Revised Supplementary Supply (FY 2020) Bill will have its three readings done in a single Parliament Sitting today. We adopt this approach because of the urgency of implementing the additional support measures announced in the Deputy Prime Minister's Ministerial Statement on 6 April 2020. All of us will be affected by the necessary heightened safe distancing measures – some more than others. The enhanced support measures hence need to reach our workers, enterprises and households as fast as possible.
In order to read the Bill three times in a single Parliamentary Sitting, I have sought and obtained the President's certification that the urgency exists for this Bill, under Standing Order 86 of the Standing Orders of the Parliament of Singapore.
This Bill provides for the Estimates as approved in the Committee of Supply earlier today. Mr Speaker, I beg to move.
Question put, and agreed to.
Bill accordingly read a Second time.
Bill accordingly read a Third time and passed.