Estimates Of Expenditure For The Financial Year 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020
Summary
This statement concerns the commencement of the Committee of Supply for the consideration of the 2019/2020 Main and Development Estimates of Expenditure under Command Paper Cmd 19 of 2019. The Chairman highlights that 505 amendments have been submitted and details the adjustment of "guillotine times" to allow for extended sitting durations and earlier commencement times. He issues a reminder that time limits include front bench replies and stresses that strict time-keeping will be enforced via the Chamber’s digital timer. The procedure for taking expenditure totals is clarified to ensure a streamlined discussion of the schedules appearing in the estimates. The session concludes its introductory phase by moving to the first Head of Expenditure for the Prime Minister’s Office, starting with Mr Patrick Tay.
Transcript
Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [1st Allotted Day].
[Mr Speaker in the Chair]
1.17 pm
The Chairman: Main and Development Estimates Of Expenditure Singapore For The Financial Year 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020, contained in Paper Cmd 19 of 2019. 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 Estimate outlays for FY 2019 on pages 6 and 7 respectively of the Command Paper.
A total of 505 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. Mr Patrick Tay.