APPROPRIATION BILL

Mr Speaker: Question. Mr Marshall.

Mr David Marshall (Anson): Question No. 1+, Mr Speaker, Sir.

• The Question reads as follows:-

To ask the Prime Minister whether the statement made by him over Radio Singapore on the 10th October, 1961, to the effect that if an expatriate lawyer, when pursuing his professional responsibilities, says or does something which is considered foolish and is considered to injure the state of the mind of the people and to injure the Government, the Government would have to move and the expatriate lawyer would have no residence in Singapore, represents the policy of the Government, and whether he would clarify his statement.

The Prime Minister (Mr Lee Kuan Yew) not being in his seat -

Mr Speaker: The Prime Minister is not here.

The Deputy Prime Minister (Dr Toh Chin Chye) rose -

Mr Speaker: Dr Toh.

Dr Toh Chin Chye: Just in elucidation of this, Sir. I am not supposed to answer this question. The question has been directed at the Prime Minister. I just wish to apologise on his behalf to the House that he is not here at the moment to answer it. I believe he has completely forgotten that he has one question to answer, because he has indicated to me that he will be here sometime later on at about 4 p.m. or so. If the House so desires, you can defer this question till tomorrow.

Mr Speaker: The relevant Standing Order is Standing Order 20, paragraph (3), which reads:

'If a Minister, Parliamentary Secretary or other Member, who is to answer a question, is absent, the question shall, if he then be present, be taken after all other questions appearing on the Order Paper has been disposed of. If the Minister, Parliamentary Secretary or other Member then be not present, he shall send copies of the answers to the Members who asked them and to the Clerk, who shall cause the answers to be circulated to Members and to be printed in the Official Report.'

Therefore, the Prime Minister's answer will have to be circulated in the ordinary way.

Mr David Marshall: On a point of elucidation, Sir. Would it be permissible if the Prime Minister were to make a statement instead of circulating the reply, so that we could ask supplementaries?

Mr Speaker: Certainly. If the Prime Minister thinks fit, at the appropriate time tomorrow, he could make a ministerial statement.

Dr Toh Chin Chye: I am quite sure he will be quite prepared.

2.36 p.m.

The Minister for Finance (Dr Goh Keng Swee): Mr Speaker, Sir, before I introduce the Appropriation Bill, it may perhaps be appropriate for me to welcome back to the House the pillars of democracy which departed from -

Mr Speaker: Order. I do not wish to have any of those jibes in this Assembly. The business now is the introduction of a Government Bill.

Dr Goh Keng Swee: If it please you, Mr Speaker, Sir. I beg to introduce a Bill intituled "An Ordinance for making provision for estimated financial requirements for expenditure to be paid out of the Consolidated Fund for the year 1962."

Bill read the First time.

Mr Speaker: Second Reading, what day?

Dr Goh Keng Swee: 16th of December, Sir.