Estimates for the Financial Year 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Main and Development Estimates of Expenditure of Singapore for the financial year 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, contained in Paper Cmd 32 of 2025. 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 FY2025 on pages 6 and 7 respectively of the Command Paper.

A total of 600 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 the extension of 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 as indicated against their amendments. I would urge hon Members both from the front and back benches to adhere to their time limits, as I will be 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.

Head U, Prime Minister's Office.