Estimates of Expenditure for the Financial Year 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019
Summary
This statement concerns the commencement of the Committee of Supply to consider the Main and Development Estimates of Expenditure for the 2018/2019 financial year. The Chairman notes that 530 amendments were submitted and explains that guillotine times have been adjusted to account for extended sitting hours. Both backbenchers and the front bench are urged to strictly adhere to speech time limits, as the Chairman will enforce time-keeping stringently using digital timers. These allocated time limits for each Head of Expenditure are inclusive of all replies from the front bench throughout the allotted days. Proceedings officially begin with the consideration of Head U – Prime Minister’s Office, starting with an amendment by Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef.
Transcript
Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [1st Allotted Day].
[Mr Speaker in the Chair]
1.09 pm
The Chairman: Main and Development Estimates of Expenditure of Singapore for the financial year 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019, contained in Paper Cmd 13 of 2018. 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 financial year (FY) 2017 on pages 6 and 7 respectively of the Command Paper.
A total of 530 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 the extension of 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, 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 time-keeping.
I shall deal first with the Heads of Expenditure in respect of which amendments stand on the Order Paper Supplement. Head U – Prime Minister's Office. Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef.