Estimates of Expenditure for the Financial Year 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018

[Mdm Speaker in the Chair]

Main and Development Estimates of Expenditure of Singapore for the financial year 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018, contained in Paper Cmd 8 of 2017. 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 2017 on pages 6 and 7 respectively of the Command Paper.

A total of 545 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 a sitting, the reduction of Question Time and Parliament's resolution to extend sitting times of the Committee of Supply for each allotted day.

I must remind hon Members that the total time for discussion of each Head of Expenditure includes the replies from the front bench. With the assistance of the digital timer in the Chamber, I trust that hon Members will be able to keep to the speech times indicated against their amendments. I would urge hon Members both from the back and front benches to adhere to their time limits, as I will be very stringent in my time-keeping. But I say that every year, so it is nothing new.

I shall deal first with the Heads of Expenditure in respect of which amendments stand on the Order Paper Supplement. Head U, Prime Minister's Office. Mr Cedric Foo.