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"content": "Mr. Chairman, Sir, in Part V, the Section dealing with Sittings of the House, the Committee has proposed that a provision be inserted to allow the House to extend its sitting hours in a Sitting Day for purposes of more efficient transaction of business. This proposal is a considered improvement on a suggestion to extend the sitting days to Thursday mornings in addition to the current sitting days. This is found on page 37 of the Sessional Paper. In Part VI, the Section dealing with quorum of the House, the Constitution itself provides in Section 51 that the quorum shall be 30, and I have noted comments made in this regard that we must be mindful of the fact that we cannot legislate in Standing Orders, or include provisions in the Standing Orders that conflict with the Constitution, particularly in those instances where it is the Constitution itself that sets a majority in conducting business. In Part VII, the section dealing with the journals and records, the Committee has proposed that unless otherwise prohibited by the law, the Clerk allows access to journals and records of the House by the public, but the Speaker may make rules to regulate the access. The Committee also proposes that the current live broadcast of House Proceedings be provided for together with the rules for such broadcasts. We have, in fact, made rules and recommended the setting up of a broadcasting committee. In Part VIII, order of business, the Committee proposes that statements be added to the documents that the clerk reads before the Session begins every day to matters other than business for purposes of allowing hon. Members to ask or make statements. The Committee also proposes that a provision be made to require the Leader of Government Business to inform the House of the Government Business of the following week. This is to be done on every Thursday, or last sitting day of the week, and without debate. We had considerable debate on this issue; what informed the hon. Members of this was that the Vice-President and Leader of Government Business is the principal assistant to the President. The Committee felt that the principal assistant to the President should be accorded the same privileges when in the House and when he is addressing the National Assembly. That is why we inserted that clause that the address be without debate. But I have heard the Leader of Government Business on this issue, and together with the proposals, hon. Members will have to make up their minds on whether to retain the proposals as in the proposed Standing Orders or make amendments. Part IX is the section dealing with the Prime Minister's Time. Note that it is not the Prime Minister's Question Time, but the Prime Minister's Time. The Committee has introduced a new part to require the Prime Minister, exercising the constitutional prerogative of being in charge of supervision and co-ordination of Government functions, to answer Questions from Members and make Statements on Wednesdays from 3.00 p.m. to 3.45 p.m. You can see this on page 42 of the Sessional Paper. Provision is also made for him to designate one of his deputies to stand in for him, in his absence. Mr. Chairman, Sir, in Part X, dealing with Questions, the Committee has proposed that the Standing Orders be reviewed so that Questions by Private Notice be answered after 24 hours on dispatch by the Clerk, while Ordinary Questions be answered after five days, and that Answers to Questions for Written Reply be included in the HANSARD. Where a Member wishes to have a Written Response to a Question and that Question does not come to the House, that answer will be December 9, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3957 included in the Official HANSARD Report. In Part XI, the Committee did not recommend any amendments and therefore, Motions and amendments remain as they are in the current Part X of the current Standing Orders. In Part XII dealing with Divisions, the Committee proposes that the Standing Orders be amended to include that, a Member who fails to record his or her abstention in a Division, be deemed to be disorderly and that, a Member who will be in the Chamber, but at the expiry of the voting has neither voted in a Division nor recorded abstention, be deemed to have forfeited his or her right to vote, and be deemed to have abstained. So, it will no longer be possible for Members to walk in and move from one Division of the House to the other without disclosing how they have voted. Mr. Chairman, Sir, on Part XIII which deals with the rules of debate, the Committee has proposed that the Standing Orders be amended so that the Speaker may require that the Member rising on a point of order, indicates the Standing Order upon which the point of order is based, so as to reduce the instances of frivolous points of order that cannot have a foundation in the Standing Orders. The Committee also has proposed that the application of the sub judice rule be clarified further by way of defining instances when a matter may be considered to be sub judice. You will find this on page 54 of the Sessional Paper. Mr. Chairman, Sir, in Part XIV, on limitation of debate, the Committee proposes to reduce the speaking time allocated to Members as shown in Standing Order 85 of the Report. It is envisaged that the time that would otherwise be used under this Part would be re-allocated to other matters. In Part XV; Order in the House and in Committee of the Whole House, the Committee proposes that the Standing Orders be amended so that the lady Members may be allowed into the Chamber with their handbags. However, it is made clear that all Members be subject to security check before entering the Chamber. You will find that on page 58 of the Sessional Paper. Mr. Chairman, Sir, in Part XVI; Public Bills, the Committee has proposed:- (i) Amendment of the Standing Orders to remove the requirement of seeking leave of the House prior to introduction of a Public Bill. From now on, if we do approve these Standing Orders, it will no longer be necessary to move a Motion in the House for leave to introduce a Bill. You will be able to introduce a Bill directly without seeking leave of the House, subject to following the procedures that are set out in Standing Order No.102. (ii) A Bill having been read a First Time, shall stand committed to the relevant Standing Committee without question being put. You will find that in the proposed Standing Order No.108 on page 63. (iii) The consideration of a Bill that was interrupted at the end of a Session resumes in the next Session of the same Parliament at the stage where it was last interrupted. If this rule is approved, a Motion debate will not lapse on Members seeking recess. We will be able to continue from where we left at the time of adjournment. On Part XVII, dealing with Private Bills, the Committee has proposed that the procedures relating to Public Bills shall apply. On Part XVIII, Committee of the Whole House; the Standing Orders put limits on consideration of matters by the Committee and provides that the same rules of order of debate as applies in the full House be followed in the Committee. Mr. Chairman, Sir, Part XIX dealing with the Committee of Supply and Ways and Means, is important because it introduces very fundamental new changes. Hon. Members may wish to note that the procedures relating to the reading and preparation of the Budget and Estimates is very fundamentally affected by what I will say now. This is because under the proposals that we have 3958 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES December 9, 2008 made, it is proposed that this Part be amended - you will see this on pages 71 to 75 of the Sessional Paper - so that:- (i) the Minister lays before the House the Budget Policy Statement by 21st March; (ii) the contents of the Budget Policy Statement be specified in the Standing Orders; (iii) the Budget Committee be required to consider the Budget Policy Statement and lay its Report before the House by 15th April, for debate and adoption; (iv) allotted days in Ways and Means Committee be reduced to two days; (v) the Annual Estimates shall be laid on the Table of the House not later than 20th June and then be referred to the Departmental Committees thereafter; (vi) each Departmental Committee considers the Estimates for Ministries under them and submits a Report to the House within 21 days. So, every Government Ministry has a Departmental Committee to which it is responsible. So, when the Estimates are laid on the Table of the House, the relevant Departmental Committee will look at those Estimates and make a report back to the House within 21 days. (vii) At that stage, then the House Business Committee determines the order in which the House would consider the Report of the Departmental Committee on the Annual Estimates. When the Departmental Committees have gone through the Estimates, they will send them to the House Business Committee, which will determine on the order of debate of those reports. (viii) Then, each Minister moves the Votes under his or her Ministry, indicating his or her position on the recommendations of the House. So, where a Departmental Committee has looked at the Estimates relating to the Ministry of Education, for example, the Minister for Education in presenting the Estimates for his Ministry, must respond to specific points raised by the Departmental Committee. If, for example, the Departmental Committee has raised issues about marginalisation of particular districts or communities, or funds being directed to a particular area to the detriment of another area, or funds not being equitably distributed, the Minister will be required to answer those specific issues on the Floor of the House when moving his or her vote. (ix) allotted days of supply be reduced to 14; (x) time spent in consideration of each vote be reduced to three hours per vote, (from two days per vote); and (xi) We have retained the Guillotine procedure solely as a safeguard measure. This is because now, every single Ministry will be subject to scrutiny by a Departmental Committee. So, indeed, when the Minister has to present his or her Estimates or move his or her Votes in the House, the Committees will have had time to go through all those and there will not be scope for this House approving Ministries in the manner in which we have done ten or fifteen minutes at ago without giving the House time to consider and scrutinise Ministry per Ministry. Mr. Chairman, Sir, it is envisaged that this procedure will shorten the Budget cycle in the House and reduce the amount of time spent on the Budget debate as well as allow full scrutiny of the same before the Minister for Finance reads the Budget. Therefore, the reading of the Budget will be a mere formality, as ceremony, because each Item of the Budget will have gone through a Departmental Committee of this House. On the Select Committees, on Part XX, the Committee has proposed that the Standing Orders be amended---"
}