ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 2006 TO 31ST MARCH, 2007 (Paper Cmd. 3 of 2006)

Column No : 548

ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 2006 TO 31ST MARCH, 2007:

(Paper Cmd. 3 of 2006): Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [1st Allotted Day].

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

The Chairman: Main and Development Estimates of Expenditure of Singapore for the financial year 1st April 2006 to 31st March 2007, contained in Paper Cmd. 3 of 2006.

For convenience, I shall take the totals for each Head of Expenditure in the Main and Development Estimates as they appear in the last columns of the schedules of estimated expenditure under the Main and Development Estimates Outlays for FY 2006 on pages 14 and 15 respectively of the Command Paper.

A total of 363 amendments to the Estimates of Expenditure have been submitted this year. The guillotine times to the discussion of the Heads of Expenditure under Standing Order 92(7)(a) have taken into consideration the earlier commencement time of the Committee of Supply for each allotted day. I must remind hon. Members that the total time for the discussion of the Heads of Expenditure includes the replies from the front bench. With the assistance of the digital timer in the Chamber and Members' experience last year, I trust that hon. Members will be able to keep to the speech times indicated against their amendments. I would urge hon. Members - both the back and front benches - to adhere to their time limits, as I will be very stringent in my time-keeping.

I shall deal first with the Heads of Expenditure in respect of which amendments stand on the Order Paper Supplement.