SUPPLY BILL

Order for Second and Third Readings read.

2.32 p.m.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance (Mr Tang See Chim) (for the Minister for Finance): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The Main Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the financial year 1st January, 1969, to 31st March, 1970, have been considered and approved by the House as Cmd. Paper 27 of 1968. Under section 85 of the Constitution of Singapore, heads of expenditure other than statutory expenditure to be met from the Consolidated Fund have to be included in a Bill to be known as the Supply Bill. The purpose of such a Bill is to provide for the issue from the Consolidated Fund of the sums necessary to meet the expenditure and the appropriation of these sums for the purposes specified therein.

The Supply Bill before Members is to give legislative approval for the issue of funds from the Consolidated Fund to meet the sums of expenditure for the financial year 1st January, 1969, to 31st March, 1970. In the Schedule to the Bill are shown the various heads of expenditure and the sums that may be incurred in respect of each head. These have been approved by the House in the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st January, 1969, to 31st March, 1970, and appear in pages 53 and 54 of Cmd. Paper 27 of 1968.

Once the Supply Bill is approved, the Minister for Finance will be empowered to issue warrants authorising expenditure up to the amount under each head as shown in the Bill to be paid out from the Consolidated Fund.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time.

Third Reading

Mr Speaker: Mr Tang, will you please move the Third Reading?

Mr Tang See Chim: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Third time."

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Third time and passed.