Estimates of Expenditure for the Financial Year 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017
Summary
This statement concerns the commencement of the Committee of Supply for the consideration of the 2016 financial year’s Main and Development Estimates of Expenditure. Mdm Speaker notes that 499 amendments were submitted and explains that guillotine times have been adjusted to account for extended sitting hours and reduced Question Time. She reminds Members that the total time for each Head of Expenditure includes replies from the Front Bench and urges strict adherence to speech limits. Mdm Speaker indicates that a digital timer will assist in her stringent timekeeping to ensure the efficient processing of the schedules of estimated expenditure. The proceedings begin with the discussion of Head P regarding the Ministry of Home Affairs, starting with an amendment by Mr Christopher de Souza.
Transcript
Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [1st Allotted Day].
[Mdm Speaker in the Chair]
The Chairman: Main and Development Estimates of Expenditure of Singapore for the financial year 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017, contained in Paper Cmd 2 of 2016. For convenience, I shall take the totals for each Head of Expenditure in the Main and Development Estimates as they appear in the last columns of the schedules of estimated expenditure under the Main and Development Estimates Outlays for FY 2016 on pages 6 and 7 respectively of the Command Paper.
A total of 499 amendments to the Estimates of Expenditure have been submitted this year. The guillotine times to the discussion of the Heads of Expenditure under Standing Order 92(7)(a) have taken into consideration the earlier commencement time of a sitting, the reduction of Question Time and Parliament's resolution to extend sitting times of the Committee of Supply for each allotted day.
I must remind hon Members that the total time for discussion of each Head of Expenditure includes the replies from the Front Bench. With the assistance of the digital timer in the Chamber – which some of you have observed has actually grown bigger – I trust that hon Members will be able to keep to the speech times indicated against their amendments. I would urge hon Members, both from the back and front benches, to adhere to their time limits, as I will be very stringent in my timekeeping.
I shall deal first with the Heads of Expenditure in respect of which amendments stand on the Order Paper Supplement. Head P – Ministry of Home Affairs. Mr Christopher de Souza.