CIVIL LIST

6.44 p.m.

The Minister for Finance (Mr Hon Sui Sen): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move the motion* standing in my name, as it appears under item 9 on the Order Paper.

• The motion reads as follows:

`That this Parliament, pursuant to section 7 of the Civil List and Pension Act (Chapter 52), resolves that the Schedule to the said Act be varied by deleting the figures "$667,020", "$145,060" and "$14,050" appearing in the second column thereof and substituting therefor the figures "$686,720", "$220,344" and "$14,773" respectively'.

Sir, the provision approved under Class II of the Civil List is insufficient to meet increasing expenses such as the 1974 National Wages Council wage supplement and the higher rate of Central Provident Fund contribution. The increase under Class III is mainly for the purchase of household requisites for "The Lodge" which is the proposed official residence of the President and for increased costs of maintenance of grounds and public utility services. Under Class IV, a small increase in provision is required to meet the cost of a deep freezer and the increased cost of a swing-fog machine to be used in outdoor vector-control work, particularly against mosquitoes.

It is, therefore, necessary to augment the provision for "Salaries of Personal Staff" from $667,020 to $686,720; the provision for "Expenses of Household" from $145,060 to $220,344; and the provision for "Special Services" from $14,050 to $14,773.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this Parliament, pursuant to section 7 of the Civil List and Pension Act (Chapter 52), resolves that the Schedule to the said Act be varied by deleting the figures "$667,020", "$145,060" and "$14,050" appearing in the second column thereof and substituting therefor the figures "$686,720", "$220,344" and "$14,773" respectively.