Estimates of Expenditure for the Financial Year 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016

Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [1st Allotted Day].

[Mdm Speaker in the Chair] The Chairman: Main and Development Estimates of Expenditure of Singapore for the financial year 1st April 2015 to 31st March 2016, contained in Paper Cmd. 1 of 2015. 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 FY 2015 on pages 6 and 7 respectively of the Command Paper.

A total of 466 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 Parliament's resolution to extend sitting times of the Committee of Supply for each allotted day.

I must remind honourable 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 honourable Members will be able to keep to the speech times indicated against their amendments. I would urge honourable 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 N – Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr Sitoh Yih Pin.