SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISION (Sessional Paper No. Cmd. 18 of 1956)

Debate in Committee of Supply resumed.

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

The Chairman: We were at Head 27.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Mr Chairman, Sir, under Subhead 4 (iv), there is an item of $8,320 for "Visit of an expert to advise on Industrial and Labour Relations". We would like to have information as to who this expert was and how the sum was incurred.

Mr Hart: I understand, Sir, that the expert was Mr Dalley who was brought over by the Government to consider questions dealing with industrial and labour relations. His report is being considered by the Government.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Mr Chairman, I understand Mr Dalley is a member of the Colonial Civil Service. What was Mr Dalley's capacity when he was asked to advise?

Mr Lim Yew Hock: He is a very experienced trade unionist. He is not a civil servant at all.

Mr Hart: I think that the Member for Tanjong Pagar is confusing Mr Dalley with Mr Barlthrop.

The Chairman: Let us have no more confusion.

Question put, and agreed to.

The sum of $116,000 for Head 27 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 29 -

The sum of $100,000 for Head 29 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 32 -

The sum of $17,500 for Head 32 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 43 -

The sum of $101,000 for Head 43 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 52 -

The sum of $35,000 for Head 52 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 56 -

The sum of $45,000 for Head 56 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 61 -

The sum of $250,000 for Head 61 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 12 -

The sum of $830 for Head 12 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 16 -

Question proposed,

"That the sum of $639,033 for Head 16 stand part of the Schedule."

Mr Lim Koon Teck: Mr Chairman, Sir, in item 71 under Head 16, I see there is provision for $203,000 apparently in respect of 12 flats for Junior Officers. I seek information as to the nature of "Extension - $133,000" and whether this is for additional flats or an enlargement of those flats. If it is for 12 flats only, then the total expenditure of $433,000 would work out at $36,000 a flat.

Mr Hart: I think, Sir, I should say, first of all, that the word "Extension" should not be used here. I discovered its use only when I saw the message in type. The word should be "Supplement" or "Addition". In the 1954 Defence Estimates, there was a block vote for shore accommodation for the Royal Malayan Navy. This block vote was broken up departmentally into various items and a sum allocated to each. A certain latitude to switch funds between items was allowed provided the total provision was not exceeded. In 1955 the block vote was broken down into items and shown on this form in the Estimates. Consequently in asking for revotes, it is necessary to show additions and subtractions which have been made to and from each item in the course of the past year. This, I hope, explains the reasons for the deletions and additions shown in the Defence Service revotes in this schedule. The total cost of the flats is $433,000 or $33,000 more than the original rough estimate under the block vote. It represents the basic cost of the 12 flats constructed as planned.

Mr Lim Koon Teck: Sir, once again, I have to protest against the enormous expenditure of $36,000 -

The Chairman: Order. We are now "labouring" under new Standing Orders, and if any hon. Member wishes to debate any detail of this Command Paper, he will have to do that in the Public Accounts or Estimates Committee and not in a Committee of the whole Assembly. Information may be asked for and may be obtained - that is quite in order - but the debate should be along the lines laid down in our new Standing Order 69 (11) which reads:

"On any question in the Committee of Supply debate shall be confined to the policy of the service for which the money is to be provided and shall not deal with the details of expenditure, but may refer to the details of revenues or funds for which that service is responsible."

Representations as to the cost of flats and so on, I think, can properly be dealt with in the Public Accounts or Estimates Committee.

Question put, and agreed to.

The sum of $639,033 for Head 16 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 20 -

The sum of $13,500 for Head 20 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 21 -

The sum of $14,907 for Head 21ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 22 -

The sum of $25,140 for Head 22 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 24 -

The sum of $79,065 for Head 24 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 43 -

The sum of $15,220 for Head 43 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D 43 -

The sum of $1,895 for Head D 43 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 45 -

The sum of $448,558 for Head 45 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D 45 -

The sum of $246,540 for Head D 45 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 52 -

The sum of $181,604 for Head 52 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D 52 -

The sum of $12,303 for Head D 52 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 60 -

The sum of $17,790 for Head 60 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 61 -

Question proposed,

"That the sum of $214,500 for Head 61 stand part of the Schedule."

Mr John Ede: Mr Chairman, Sir, it is a very small point on which I seek enlightenment in the case of item 120 in the Command Paper - "Servicing Truck". I have searched, as far as I can under Head 61, Public Works - Special Expenditure - for this vote of $16,000 in 1955 for a Servicing Truck, but I cannot find it. If the money was voted, why is it not in the Estimates; and if it had not been voted, how could there be a revote in this case?

Mr Hart: I am afraid I cannot answer that question specifically, Sir. I can say that it is certain that the money must have been voted. If it does not appear in the Estimates, it must have been voted during the course of the year as a supplementary provision.

Question put, and agreed to.

The sum of $214,500 for Head 61 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D 13 -

The sum of $28,000 for Head D 13 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D 19 -

The sum of $212,990 for Head D 19 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D 21 -

The sum of $139,000 for Head D 21 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D 29 -

The sum of $113,600 for Head D 29 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D 43 -

The sum of $20,000 for Head D 43 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D 48 -

The sum of $202,300 for Head D 48 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D 50 -

The sum of $45,000 for Head D 50ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D 52 -

The sum of $404,800 for Head D 52 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D 58 -

The sum of $539,000 for Head D 58ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D 60 -

The sum of $46,000 for Head D 60ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D 61 -

The sum of $145,000 for Head D 61 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D 63 -

The sum of $104,500 for Head D 63 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D 64 -

The sum of $672,100 for Head D 64 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

The Chairman: Turning to the motion, the Question is,

"That the sum of $5,390,559 stand part of the motion."

Question put, and agreed to.

The sum of $5,390,559 ordered to stand part of the motion.

Mr Hart: Sir, I move,

That the motion and Schedule be reported to the Assembly.

Question put, and agreed to. Motion and Schedule reported, without Amendment.

Question,

"That this Assembly resolves that the sum of $5,390,559 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure and for the services specified in the Schedule contained in Sessional Paper No. Cmd. 18 of 1956," put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this Assembly resolves that the sum of $5,390,559 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure and for the services specified in the Schedule contained in Sessional Paper No. Cmd. 18 of 1956.