Estimates of Expenditure for the Financial Year 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025
Summary
This statement concerns the commencement of the Committee of Supply for the Main and Development Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year beginning 1 April 2024. The Chairman, Mr Speaker, noted that 598 amendments were submitted and outlined the guillotine times established under Standing Order 92(7)(a) to manage the proceedings. He urged all Members to strictly adhere to their allotted speech times, which include front-bench replies, given the adjustments made for extended sitting times. The Chairman emphasized that he would be stringent in time-keeping with the assistance of the Chamber's digital timer to ensure all scheduled Heads of Expenditure are discussed. Discussion officially opened with Head U relating to the Prime Minister's Office, starting with an amendment by Ms Poh Li San.
Transcript
Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [1st Allotted Day].
[Mr Speaker in the Chair]
2.45 pm
The Chairman: Main and Development Estimates of Expenditure of Singapore for the financial year 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 contained in Paper Cmd 27 of 2024. 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 FY2024 on pages 6 and 7 respectively of the Command Paper.
A total of 598 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 respective amendments. I would urge hon Members from both the front and back benches to adhere to their time limits as I will be 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. Ms Poh Li San.