CIVIL LIST

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

The Minister for Finance, Minister for Education and Minister for Health (Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move the motion standing in my name under item No. 5* in 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 that Act be varied by deleting the figures "$407,000", "$36,400", "$1,868,400", "$354,900" and "$39,900" in the second column and substituting the figures "$478,300", "$39,000", "$2,123,700", "$388,900" and "$29,600", respectively.

Sir, it is proposed to increase the provisions for the Privy Purse and Salaries of personal staff to $478,300 and $2,123,700 respectively. The higher provisions are to cater for normal increases in manpower costs.

It is also necessary to increase allocation for Entertainment marginally by $2,600 because of the higher estimated cost of the National Day Reception.

A sum of $388,900 is required to meet Expenses of the lstana household. This is an increase of $34,000 and is due to higher expenditure on public utilities.

These increases are partly offset by a reduction in allocation for Special services from $39,900 to $29,600. The drop in allocation is because of a reduction in provision for replacement of equipment.

Sir, it is, therefore, necessary to vary the provisions in the Schedule to the Civil List as follows:-

for "the Privy Purse" from $407,000 to $478,300;

for "Entertainment allowance" from $36,400 to $39,000;

for "Salaries of personal staff" from $1,868,400 to $2,123,700;

for "Expenses of household" from $354,900 to $388,900; and

for "Special services" from $39,900 to $29,600.

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 that Act be varied by deleting the figures "$407,000", "$36,400", "$1,868,400", "$354,900" and $39,900" in the second column and substituting the figures "$478,300", "$39,000", "$2,123,700", "$388,900" and "$29,600", respectively."