COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY – PROGRAMME CODE – TIME ALLOCATION

Hon. Members, please be seated. Hon. Members, I wish to inform the House that an indicative time allocation, normally should have been worked out and be mutually agreed between the Whips but I understand, it didn’t actually work. So, what I do is I am myself suggesting as I can, as Speaker, as a general rule that we opt for two minutes per programme. I have had it worked out all beautifully. So, I will exercise some flexibility when the need arises. Accordingly, we will proceed page by page for the orderly conduct of the Committee of Supply. I am also drawing your attention to Standing Order 73(3) which reads as follows – “(…) Discussions at the Committee shall be confined to the details of the Estimates and shall not refer to the general principles of Government policy and administration.” Hon. Members are requested to be brief in their questions and hon. Ministers are encouraged to keep their responses, equally, concise. Moreover, hon. Members, are further informed that the votes pertaining to the centralised services of government will be called out of turn, that is, immediately after the committee, will have considered the votes of expenditure for the Ministry of Finance. I rely on your cooperation to ensure the smooth and orderly conduct of the Committee of Supply. Thank you.

Madam Chairperson, before we begin, may I …

Please stand up when you speak to me!

Madam Chairperson, did we understand correctly that it will be two minutes per programme and not per item as was discussed?

Per item! Per item! Sorry, it was per item. Okay we will start.