1964 ESTIMATES (Allotted Days)

Dr Goh Keng Swee: Sir, I beg to move the motion* standing in my name.

*The motion reads as follows:

That this Assembly resolves -

(1) that notwithstanding the Standing Orders the days allotted for discussion of the 1964 Estimates in Committee of Supply be reduced to three days, that is to say, Thursday, 12th December, 1963, Friday, 13th December, 1963, and Saturday, 14th December, 1963;

(2) that the Assembly do sit on Saturday the 14th December, 1963.

Members will have noticed that this year's Estimates are contained in a much thinner volume than in the case of previous years'. The reason is very clear. It is because certain Departments have been transferred to the control of the Federal Government. In fact, the number of Heads has been reduced from 57 to 40 this year. If that be the case, the Government feels that the number of days for discussion of the Estimates in Committee of Supply, which is fixed at five under the present Standing Orders, should be reduced to three. In several respects Standing Orders of our Assembly will be out of date, and it is the intention of the Government to amend the Standing Orders both in regard to procedures on Estimates as well as on other matters.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this Assembly resolves -

(1) that notwithstanding the Standing Orders the days allotted for discussion of the 1964 Estimates in Committee of Supply be reduced to three days, that is to say, Thursday, 12th December, 1963, Friday, 13th December, 1963, and Saturday, 14th December, 1963;

(2) that the Assembly do sit on Saturday the 14th December, 1963.

3.00 p.m.