Suspension of Standing Orders
Speakers
Summary
This motion concerns the suspension of Standing Orders to address administrative omissions and procedural requirements for specific parliamentary business. Leader of the House Ms Indranee Rajah moved to allow six Parliamentary Questions by Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Ms Hazel Poa, which were omitted due to an IT issue, to be listed above her usual quota. She noted that the Parliament Secretariat has since strengthened system processes and clarified that standard question limits would resume following the next available sitting. Furthermore, Leader of the House Ms Indranee Rajah sought an exemption to enable Senior Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu Mahzam to speak more than once during a specific response on the Order Paper. Both requests received the general assent of the House, ensuring that administrative oversights did not penalize Members and that debate proceedings were effectively facilitated.
Transcript
11.10 am
The Leader of the House (Ms Indranee Rajah): Mr Speaker, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to move a Motion to allow certain Parliamentary Questions (PQs), that were filed by Non-Constituency Member of Parliament, Ms Hazel Poa, in February 2024, but which were inadvertently omitted from the Order Papers for the February and March 2024 Sittings, to be listed on the Order Paper for the next available Sitting, on or after 13 March 2024, over and above her usual quota of five PQs for that Sitting?
Ms Poa had filed three PQs for Oral Answer and three PQs for Written Answer in February 2024. Ordinarily, notice of these PQs would have been given to Members and they would have been listed on the Order Papers for the relevant Sittings during the Committee of Supply period. However, due to an IT system issue that was not picked up, the six PQs were inadvertently omitted from such notice and listing.
The Parliament Secretariat has since issued notices for the omitted PQs on 1 and 5 March, respectively. However, under Standing Order 20(3), each Member has a quota of five PQs, of which up to three, may be for oral answer, for each Sitting day.
The omitted PQs, therefore, cannot be listed on the Order Paper for the next available Sitting, unless Standing Order 20(3) is suspended to allow such listing. The next available Sitting will be on or after 13 March 2024, taking into account the requisite notice period for the PQs.
You have invited me to move a Motion to suspend Standing Order 20(3) to allow the omitted PQs to be listed for the next available Sitting. I am in agreement to do so, to ensure that Ms Poa's allocation of PQs is not affected. I am therefore seeking your consent and the general assent of Members to so move.
Mr Speaker: I give my consent. Does the Leader of the House have the general assent of Hon Members' present to so move?
Hon Members indicated assent.
Mr Speaker: Leader, please proceed.
Ms Indranee Rajah: Mr Speaker, I beg to move, "That, notwithstanding Standing Order 20(3), the three questions for Oral Answer and three questions for Written Answer, which Non-Constituency Member of Parliament, Ms Hazel Poa, had filed for Sittings in February and March 2024, but which were inadvertently omitted from being listed in any Order Paper, be set down in the Order Paper for the next available Sitting, on or after 13 March 2024, over and above her usual quota under the Standing Orders for that Sitting day."
The reasons I am moving this Motion were explained to Members earlier. For avoidance of doubt, I should clarify that after the omitted PQs are listed on the Order Paper for the next available Sitting, on or after 13 March 2024, the usual limit of five questions on the Order Paper will apply as per Standing Order 20(3) for any subsequent Sittings.
Ms Poa should take this into account, should she wish to postpone any of her questions on the Order Paper for the next available Sitting to a later Sitting date. I understand that the Parliament Secretariat has taken steps to tighten the IT system and strengthen the processes for the receipt of questions.
With the consent of Mr Speaker and the general assent of Members present, question put and agreed to.
Resolved, "That, notwithstanding Standing Order 20(3), the three questions for Oral Answer and three questions for Written Answer, which Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Ms Hazel Poa had filed for Sittings in February and March 2024, but which were inadvertently omitted from being listed in any Order Paper, be set down in the Order Paper for the next available Sitting on or after 13 March 2024, over and above her usual quota under the Standing Orders for that Sitting day." – [Ms Indranee Rajah]
Mr Speaker: Order. The Clerk will now proceed to read the Orders of the Day.
4.26 pm
The Leader of the House (Ms Indranee Rajah): Mr Speaker, I understand that Senior Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu Mahzam is doing the response to the speeches. As such, Speaker, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to move that the proceedings on item No 5 in the Order Paper for today be exempted from the provisions of Standing Order No 48(3) so far as it is necessary to enable Senior Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu Mahzam to speak more than once?
Mr Speaker: I give my consent. Does the Leader of the House have the general assent of the hon Members present to so move?
Hon Members indicated assent.
With the consent of Mr Speaker, and the general assent of Members present, question put, and agreed to.
Resolved, "That, notwithstanding the Standing Orders, the proceedings on item No 5 in the Order Paper for today be exempted from the provisions of Standing Order No 48(3) in respect of Senior Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu Mahzam speaking more than once." – [Ms Indranee Rajah]