Suspension of Standing Orders to Allow Senior Minister of State to Speak More Than Once

5.18 pm

The Leader of the House (Ms Indranee Rajah): Mr Speaker, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to move that the proceedings on the item under discussion be exempted from the provisions of Standing Order No 48(3) to enable the Senior Minister of State Sim Ann to speak more than once? Ordinarily, the mover of the Motion speaks twice, but in this case, in the course of debate, Members of Parliament have directed queries to the Senior Minister of State Sim Ann, who had spoken on behalf of MND. I therefore wish to move this Motion so that the Senior Minister of State Sim Ann can respond to Members' queries on the specific elements of the Bill and related matters.

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.

With the consent of Mr Speaker and the general assent of Members present,

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved, That the proceedings under discussion be exempted from the provisions of Standing Order No 48(3) to enable Senior Minister of State Sim Ann to speak more than once. – [Ms Indranee Rajah.]