ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 2010 TO 31ST MARCH, 2011

ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 2010 TO 31STMARCH, 2011:

(Paper Cmd. 1 of 2010): Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [1st Allotted Day].

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]:

The Chairman: Main and Development Estimates of Expenditure of Singapore for the financial year 1st April 2010 to 31st

Column: 2910

March 2011, contained in Paper Cmd. 1 of 2010.

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 FY2010 on pages 6 and 7 respectively of the Command Paper.

A total of 405 amendments to the Estimates of Expenditure have been submitted this year. The guillotine times for the discussion of the Heads of Expenditure under Standing Order 92(7)(a) have taken into consideration the earlier commencement time of a sitting and Parliament's resolutions to reduce Question Time and to extend the 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 and Members' experience last year, I trust that hon. Members will be able to keep to the speech times indicated against their amendments. I would urge hon. Members – both from the back and front benches – to adhere to their time limits, as I will be kind but firm in my time-keeping.

I shall deal first with the Heads of Expenditure in respect of which amendments stand on the Order Paper Supplement.