Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698847659106.pdf (Singapore)
2017 REPRINT (8 May 2017) STANDING ORDERS OF THE PARLIAMENT OF SINGAPORE Reprint of the Standing Orders made with effect from 1st January 1960 pursuant to a resolution passed on 29th December 1959, and as amended pursuant to resolutions passed on – 24th May 1961; 12th July 1962; 10th June 1964; 4th November 1970; 23rd October 1974; 31st August 1987; 11th August 1988; 27th February 1992; 19th October 2004; 24th November 2010; and 8th May 2017 CONTENTS Standing Order Title Page INTERPRETATION 1.
Interpretation ..................................................................................................... 1 SITTINGS OF PARLIAMENT 2.

Sittings of Parliament ........................................................................................ 2 3.

Order Paper ........................................................................................................ 5 4.

Exempted business ............................................................................................ 5 5.
Special sittings ................................................................................................... 6 6.

Quorum .............................................................................................................. 6 7.

No adjournment or objection as to quorum when President to be present ........... 6 8.
Performance of functions of Speaker and presiding in Parliament o r i n a Committee of the whole Parliament .................................................................. 7 BUSINESS OF PARLIAMENT 9.

Order Book ........................................................................................................ 7 10.

Order of business ............................................................................................... 8 11.
Giving of notices ............................................................................................... 9 ELECTION OF SPEAKER 12.

Election of Speaker ............................................................................................ 9 OATHS OF ALLEGIANCE 13.

Oaths of Allegiance ......................................................................................... 11 i APPOINTMENT OF PERSON TO EXERCISE FUNCTIONS OF OFFICE OF PRESIDENT 14.
Appointment of person to exercise functions of office of President ................ 11 PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS 15.

President’s Address .......................................................................................... 11 MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT 16.

Messages from the President ........................................................................... 12 ELECTION OF DEPUTY SPEAKER 17.
Election of Deputy Speaker ............................................................................. 13 PETITIONS 18.

Petitions ........................................................................................................... 13 QUESTIONS TO MINISTERS AND OTHER MEMBERS 19.

Questions to Ministers and other Members ..................................................... 15 20.

Notices of questions ........................................................................................ 15 21.
Contents of questions ....................................................................................... 16 22.

Manner of asking and answering questions ..................................................... 18 MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS 23.

Ministerial Statements ..................................................................................... 19 ADJOURNMENT OF PARLIAMENT ON MATTERS OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE 24.
Adjournment on a definite matter of urgent public importance ....................... 19 ii PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS 25.

Personal explanations ...................................................................................... 20 PUBLIC BUSINESS 26.

Public business – Arrangement of ................................................................... 20 27.

Adjournment of proceedings ........................................................................... 21 ADJOURNMENT OF PARLIAMENT 28.
Adjournment of Parliament ............................................................................. 22 OFFICIAL REPORTS 29.

Official Reports ............................................................................................... 22 VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS 30.

Votes and Proceedings ..................................................................................... 23 PARLIAMENT PAPERS 31.
Presentation of Papers ..................................................................................... 23 32.

Custody of documents ..................................................................................... 24 MOTIONS 33.

Notices of motions ........................................................................................... 24 34.

Manner of giving notices of motions ............................................................... 25 35.
Dispensing with notice .................................................................................... 26 36.

Alteration of terms of motion and postponement and withdrawal of motion ......................................................................................................... 26 37.

Amendments to motions .................................................................................. 26 iii 38.
Moving of motions and amendments............................................................... 27 39.

No seconder required ....................................................................................... 27 40.

Amendments to motions and to amendments to be put in writing ................... 27 41.

Manner of debating motions ............................................................................ 27 42.
Manner of debating amendments to motions ................................................... 28 43.

Withdrawal of motions and amendments ........................................................ 30 44.

Debate on a specific matter.............................................................................. 30 44A.

Motions to overrule the President .................................................................. 30 45.
Motions not open to debate.............................................................................. 31 46.

Appointment of Committee of the whole Parliament ...................................... 32 RULES OF DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT 47.

Languages ........................................................................................................ 33 48.

Time and manner of speaking and time limit for speeches .............................. 33 49.
Oral translation of speeches ............................................................................. 34 50.

Contents of speeches ....................................................................................... 35 51.

Interruptions .................................................................................................... 36 52.

Seating and behaviour of Members ................................................................. 36 53.
Anticipation ..................................................................................................... 37 54.

Closure of debate ............................................................................................. 37 RULES OF ORDER IN PARLIAMENT 55.

Chair to be heard in silence ............................................................................. 38 56.

Decision of Chair final..................................................................................... 38 57.
Irrelevance or repetition ................................................................................... 38 58.

Disorderly conduct .......................................................................................... 39 59.

Suspension of Members ................................................................................... 39 60.

Members suspended, etc, to withdraw from precincts ..................................... 40 iv 61.
Power of the Speaker to adjourn or suspend sitting ......................................... 40 VOTING IN PARLIAMENT OR A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE PARLIAMENT 62.

Collection of voices ......................................................................................... 40 63.

Procedure on divisions ..................................................................................... 40 64.

Voting in error in divisions .............................................................................. 41 65.
Procedure to disallow vote of Member having a direct personal pecuniary interest ............................................................................................................. 41 PROCEDURE ON BILLS 66.

Member’s and Government Bills ..................................................................... 42 67.

Introduction, presentation and first reading ..................................................... 43 68.
Hybrid Bills ..................................................................................................... 43 69.

Printing and circulation of Bills ....................................................................... 44 70.

Second reading ................................................................................................ 44 71.

Committal of Bills ........................................................................................... 45 72.
Functions of Committees on Bills ................................................................... 45 73.

Committee of the whole Parliament on a Bill .................................................. 46 74.

Procedure in Committee of the whole Parliament on a Bill ............................. 46 75.

Procedure on Bills reported from a Committee of the whole Parliament ........ 49 76.

Recommittal of Bill reported from a Committee of the whole Parliament ........ 49 77.
Procedure in Select Committee on a Bill ......................................................... 50 78.

Advertisement when Bill committed to a Select Committee ........................... 51 79.

Procedure on Bills reported from Select Committees ...................................... 51 80.

Recommittal of Bill reported from a Select Committee .................................. 51 81.

Third reading ................................................................................................... 51 82.
Withholding of assent to Bills ......................................................................... 52 v 83.

Procedure on Bills adversely reported upon by Presidential Council for Minority Rights ............................................................................................... 52 84.

Withdrawal of Bills ......................................................................................... 53 85.
Bills containing substantially the same provisions .......................................... 54 86.

Urgent Bills ..................................................................................................... 54 87.

Private Bills ..................................................................................................... 54 88.

Effect of prorogation on Bills .......................................................................... 55 FINANCIAL PROCEDURE 89.
Annual Budget Statement ................................................................................ 56 90.

Committee of Supply ....................................................................................... 56 91. Business of Supply .......................................................................................... 57 92.

Estimates ......................................................................................................... 58 93.
Supply Bill, Supplementary Supply Bill and Final Supply Bill ....................... 61 94.

Vote on Account .............................................................................................. 62 95.

Vote of Credit .................................................................................................. 63 96.

Motions on guarantees or loans ....................................................................... 64 97.
Supplementary Estimates................................................................................. 64 98.

Statements of Excess ....................................................................................... 65 SELECT COMMITTEES 99.

Term of a Standing Select Committee ............................................................. 65 100.

Standing Select Committees ............................................................................ 66 101.
Other Select Committees ................................................................................. 69 102.

Vacancies in Select Committees ...................................................................... 70 103.

Procedure of Select Committees ...................................................................... 70 104.

Voting in Select Committees ........................................................................... 73 105.
Reports from Select Committees ..................................................................... 74 vi 106.

Term of a Select Committee and effect of prorogation .................................... 74 MISCELLANEOUS 107.

Suspension of Standing Orders ........................................................................ 75 108.

Employment of Members in professional capacity .......................................... 75 109.
Strangers .......................................................................................................... 75 110.

Residuary powers ............................................................................................ 75 111.
Authorised Reprint of Standing Orders ........................................................... 76 Notes ......................................................................................................................77 Amendments to Standing Orders since 1961 .........................................................99 Index ....................................................................................................................103 vii STANDING ORDERS 2017 INTERPRETATION Interpretation 1.
– (1) In these Standing Orders, unless the context otherwise requires, – “Committee of the whole Parliament” means a committee comprising all Members present at the sitting of Parliament.

“Delivered”, in relation to a document, means the sending of a document by hand, post or electronic transmission in a manner accepted by the Clerk of Parliament.

“General assent” means the approval of all Members present.
“Publish” includes publishing in an electronic format, and “publication” has a corresponding meaning.

“Signed”, with its grammatical variations, includes any symbol or procedure accepted by the Clerk of Parliament for the purpose of authenticating a document, including electronic or digital methods.

“Sitting” means a period during which Parliament is meeting continuously from its commencement till it adjourns for the day, including any period during which Parliament is in Committee.
“Session” means the sittings of Parliament commencing when it first meets after being constituted, or after its prorogation or dissolution at any time, and terminating when Parliament is prorogued or is dissolved without having been prorogued.

“Supporter” refers to a Member of Parliament.

“Writing” and expressions referring to writing include printing, facsimile, typewriting and electronic and other modes of representing or reproducing words or figures in visible form accepted by the Clerk of Parliament.
1 (2) Where there is a reference to a number of clear days between two events, in calculating the number of days there shall be excluded – (a) the days on which the events happen; and (b) any intervening Saturday, Sunday or public holiday.

SITTINGS OF PARLIAMENT Sittings of Parliament 2.

– (1) (a) Subject to the provisions of the law in regard to each session(1) and the provisions of paragraph (2) of this Standing Order and of Standing Order No.
5 [Special sittings], Parliament may sit only on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (not being public holidays) (hereinafter referred to as “ordinary sitting days”) and every adjournment of Parliament shall be till the next such ordinary sitting day, unless Parliament, on a motion moved by a Minister without notice, decides to adjourn to a later ordinary sitting day, whether specified or not: Provided that if Parliament shall have adjourned without any day being named for its next sitting, the Speaker shall name such a day; and, in that case, the Clerk shall send to each Member a written notice of the day named, not later than the fifth day before the named sitting day.
(b) In the case of a new session, the Clerk shall send to each Member a written notice directing attention to the Proclamation summoning Parliament.

(2) Parliament may, upon a motion moved by a Minister after notice, decide to sit on any Saturday, Sunday or public holiday named in such motion.
(3) (a) Every sitting, unless otherwise notified by the Speaker, shall begin at 1.30 p.m. (b) When revising the time for the commencement of a sitting, the Speaker may also revise such other times specified in the Standing Orders as he may think fit.
(4) (a) Any sitting may, by decision of Parliament, upon a motion which shall not require notice, be suspended at any time after 3.15 p.m. and, when so suspended, shall be resumed at 3.45 p.m. (b) Any sitting may be suspended at any time by the Speaker for such period as he may deem fit.
2 (5) (a) At 7.00 p.m., referred to in these Standing Orders as “the moment of interruption”, except as hereinafter provided, the proceedings on any business then under consideration shall be interrupted; and, if Parliament be in Committee, the Chairman shall leave the Chair and the Member in charge of the business shall report progress and ask leave to sit again; and, if a motion has been made for the adjournment of Parliament or of the debate, or in Committee, that progress be reported or that the Chairman do leave the Chair, every such motion shall lapse.
(b) The business under consideration at the moment of interruption shall stand deferred to the next sitting day, unless the Member in charge of the business, upon being called by the Speaker, names a different sitting day to which that business shall be deferred.
(c) The remaining items of business shall stand over until the next sitting day, unless the Member in charge of any particular item of business shall have named to the Clerk, at any time prior to the termination of the sitting, a different sitting day on which that item of business shall again be placed upon the Order Paper.
(d) The Speaker or, if Parliament be in Committee, the Chairman may, if he thinks fit, extend the time of a sitting beyond the moment of interruption or beyond the time resolved upon by Parliament, for a period of not more than 30 minutes so as to complete any part of the business for that sitting.
At the end of the period extended by the Speaker or the Chairman, the business under discussion shall be interrupted and the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of this Standing Order shall apply as if the end of such period is the moment of interruption or the time resolved upon by Parliament.

(6) At the moment of interruption the closure may be moved, and if it is moved or if proceedings under Standing Order No.
54 [Closure of debate] are already in progress at that time, the Speaker or Chairman shall not interrupt the business until the question, consequent upon the moving of the closure, and any further question as provided in Standing Order No.

54 [Closure of debate] have been decided.

Immediately after such questions have been decided, the provisions of paragraph (5) of this Standing Order shall come into force.
(7) (a) Parliament shall not adjourn except in pursuance of a resolution, or unless these Standing Orders otherwise provide.

(b) Upon the adjournment of Parliament, unless these Standing Orders otherwise provide, any item of business not disposed of and all other items of business on the Order Paper shall stand over until the next sitting day.
3 (8) (a) Immediately after every item of business has been concluded or has been dealt with under the provisions of paragraph (5) of this Standing Order, a Minister shall move, “That Parliament do now adjourn’’.

(b) Upon that motion, a debate may take place in which any matter for which the Cabinet is responsible may be raised by a Member who has obtained the right to raise a matter on the motion for the adjournment that day.
The Member who has obtained such a right shall be entitled to address Parliament for twenty minutes and this time shall not be extended unless no other Member expresses a desire to speak on the matter raised.

If Parliament has not previously resolved to adjourn, the Speaker shall, at the expiration of half an hour after the motion has been made, adjourn Parliament without putting any question.

The ruling of the Speaker as to the time taken shall be final.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-paragraphs (a) and (d) of paragraph (5) of this Standing Order, the motion made under the provisions of sub- paragraph (b) of this paragraph shall not lapse and such debate shall not be interrupted at the moment of interruption or at the end of the period that was extended by the Speaker under paragraph (5) (d) or by a resolution of Parliament.
(d) The right to raise a matter on the motion for the adjournment of Parliament shall be allotted to one Member only for each sitting day, if necessary by ballot, under the directions of the Speaker.

(e) Any Member wishing to obtain the right to raise a matter on the motion for the adjournment shall give not less than three clear days’ notice thereof specifying the matter which he proposes to raise.
(f) Should the Member fail to obtain such right for the sitting day named in his notice, he shall, at his request and subject to the provisions relating to a ballot, be allotted that right on a succeeding sitting day, if any, within the next ten days.

(g) A Member successful in a ballot will not be eligible to ballot for the following two months.
(h) The names of Members not successful in a ballot shall, at their request, be included in any ballot held for succeeding sitting days, if any, within the next ten days.

(i) A Member may not have more than one entry in any one ballot.

4 Order Paper 3.

The Clerk shall send to each Member a copy of the Order Paper for each sitting as soon as practicable.

Exempted business 4.


– (1) A motion may be made, without notice, by a Minister, at any time after Question Time, to be decided without amendment or debate, to the effect either – (a) that the proceedings on any specified business be exempted at this day’s sitting from the provisions of Standing Order No.

2 [Sittings of Parliament]; or (b) that the proceedings on any specified business be exempted at this day’s sitting from the provisions of Standing Order No.
2 [Sittings of Parliament] for a specified period after the moment of interruption.
(2) If a motion made under the preceding paragraph be agreed to, the business so specified shall not be interrupted if it is under discussion at the moment of interruption, may be entered upon at any hour, and if under discussion when the business is postponed under the provisions of any Standing Order, may be resumed and proceeded with after the moment of interruption: Provided that business exempted for a specified period shall not be entered upon or be resumed after the expiration of that period, and, if not concluded earlier, shall be interrupted at the end of that period and the relevant provisions of paragraphs (5) and (6) of Standing Order No.
2 [Sittings of Parliament] shall then apply.

(3) Not more than one motion under paragraph (1) of this Standing Order may be made at any one sitting.

(4) When the business exempted is disposed of after the moment of interruption, the remaining items of business standing on the Order Paper shall be dealt with according to the provisions applicable to business taken at the moment of interruption.

5 Special sittings 5.


If, during an adjournment of Parliament, it is represented to the Speaker by the Leader of the House that the public interest requires that Parliament should sit on an earlier day than that to which Parliament was adjourned, the Speaker, if he is satisfied that the public interest does so require, may give notice accordingly and Parliament shall sit on the day and at the time stated in such notice.
The business set down for that day shall be appointed by the Leader of the House and notice thereof shall be circulated by the Clerk not later than the time of the sitting.

The provisions of Standing Order No.

2 [Sittings of Parliament] shall not apply to any sitting held under the provisions of this Standing Order.
At the conclusion of the business, unless Parliament has otherwise decided, Parliament shall stand adjourned without any question being put to the day to which Parliament had originally been adjourned at its last sitting.

Quorum 6.

– (1) If objection is taken in regard to a quorum as permitted by law(2), Members shall be summoned as if for a division.

(2) If objection has been so taken in Parliament, the Speaker shall, after the expiration of two minutes, count Parliament.
If a quorum is not then present, he shall adjourn Parliament without putting any question.

(3) If objection has been so taken in Committee of the whole Parliament, the Chairman shall, after the expiration of two minutes, count the Committee.

If he ascertains the quorum is not present, Parliament shall stand adjourned without any question being put.

No adjournment or objection as to quorum when President to be present 7.
– (1) Whenever Parliament has been informed that the President will be present in Parliament on a specified date and at a given time, then, on that day, no motion for the adjournment of Parliament shall be made before the time for which the President’s arrival has been notified and no objection shall be taken by any Member that a quorum is not present.

(2) On any day when the President is or will be present in Parliament, the provisions of paragraph (5) of Standing Order No.
2 [Sittings of Parliament] shall not apply.

6 Performance of functions of Speaker and presiding in Parliament or in a Committee of the whole Parliament 8.

– (1) The functions conferred upon the Speaker by these Standing Orders or by a resolution of Parliament shall, if there is no person holding the office of Speaker or if the Speaker is absent or is otherwise unable to perform those functions, be performed by a Deputy Speaker.
(2) When the Speaker is absent, a Deputy Speaker, as required by law(3), shall preside at that sitting of Parliament and shall at that sitting be invested with all the powers of the Speaker.
(3) When the Speaker and the Deputy Speakers are absent, the Clerk at the Table shall make an announcement to that effect and thereupon, as required by law(3) , some other person shall be elected by Parliament to preside at Parliament for the sitting at which he is elected, and any person so elected shall be invested with all the powers of the Speaker when presiding at sittings of Parliament.
The person shall be elected in the same manner as a Speaker, and the provisions of paragraphs (2) to (10) of Standing Order No.

12 [Election of Speaker] shall apply mutatis mutandis to such election.

(4) A Deputy Speaker or, if no Deputy Speaker is present, any other Member who is not a Minister or a Parliamentary Secretary shall take the Chair temporarily when requested so to do by the Speaker without any formal communication to Parliament.
(5) Whenever Parliament resolves itself into a Committee of the whole Parliament, including the Committee of Supply, the Speaker or person presiding in Parliament shall take the Chair as Chairman of the Committee of the whole Parliament.
(6) In these Standing Orders, except where it is expressly provided otherwise, or unless the context otherwise requires, the expression “the Speaker’’ includes any person presiding in Parliament, and the expression “the Speaker or (the) Chairman’’ shall mean the Speaker or any person presiding in Parliament or the Chairman when presiding in a Committee of the whole Parliament.

BUSINESS OF PARLIAMENT Order Book 9.


The Clerk shall maintain an Order Book showing all business appointed and other business set down for any future day or for the next available day.

The Order Book shall be made accessible to Members.

7 Order of business 10.

– (1) Unless otherwise provided for in these Standing Orders or Parliament otherwise directs, the order of business shall be as follows:– (a) Election of Speaker.

(b) Formal entry of Speaker.

(c) Oaths of Allegiance and Affirmations.


(d) Appointment of person to exercise functions of office of President.

(e) President’s Address.

(f) Messages from the President.

(g) Election of Deputy Speaker.

(h) Announcements by the Speaker.

(i) Tributes.

(j) Obituary speeches.

(k) Presentation of Papers.

(l) Petitions.

(m) Questions to Ministers(4) and other Members.

(n) Ministerial statements.

(o) Requests for leave to move the adjournment of Parliament on matters of urgent public importance.
(p) Personal explanations.

(q) Introduction of Government Bills.

(r) Business motions moved by Ministers.

(s) Motions for leave to bring in Bills by private Members.

8 (t) Motions, with or without notice, complaining of a breach of privilege or affecting the powers and privileges of Parliament or relating to a report of the Committee of Privileges.

(u) Public business(5).


(1A) The Speaker may vary the regular order of business for any sitting day, except where Parliament has made a decision under paragraph (2) of this Standing Order.

A variation of the regular order of business under this paragraph for a sitting day must be indicated on the Order Paper for that sitting day.
(2) Parliament may, upon a motion which may be made without notice and shall take precedence over all other business, decide to proceed to any particular business out of the regular order or the order as varied by the Speaker under paragraph (1A) of this Standing Order.

Giving of notices 11.

– (1) Where notice is required under these Standing Orders, such a notice shall be given in writing except for notice given under the provisions of Standing Order No.
76 [Recommittal of Bill reported from a Committee of the whole Parliament] or notice of the intention to raise a matter on the adjournment.

(2) Where a written notice is required, such a notice shall be signed by the Member, and shall be delivered to and received by the Clerk within the hours prescribed by him for that purpose.

ELECTION OF SPEAKER Election of Speaker 12.

– (1) The Speaker shall be elected as required and permitted by law(6) at the time appointed by Standing Order No.
10 [Order of business].

(2) Any Member, having first ascertained that the Member or other person to be proposed is willing to serve, if elected, addressing himself to the Clerk, may propose such Member or other person then present to Parliament as its Speaker.

No debate on the proposal shall be allowed.

(3) If only one candidate is so proposed, he shall be declared by the Clerk to have been elected.

9 (4) If more than one candidate is so proposed, Parliament shall proceed to elect a Speaker by ballot.
(5) For the purpose of the ballot, the Clerk shall give to each Member present a ballot paper on which the Member may write the name of the candidate for whom he wishes to vote.

Each ballot paper shall be folded so that the name written thereon cannot be seen.

(6) The Clerk shall thereafter call the names of Members in alphabetical order and, as his name is called, each Member shall come to the Table and put his ballot paper into a box or boxes provided for that purpose.
The Clerk shall then count the ballot papers at the Table and shall immediately thereafter declare the result to Parliament.
(7) Where more than two candidates have been proposed and at the first ballot no candidate obtains more votes than the aggregate votes obtained by the other candidates, the candidate who has obtained the smallest number of votes shall be excluded from the election and the election shall proceed, the candidate obtaining the smallest number of votes at each ballot being excluded until one candidate obtains more votes than the remaining candidate or the aggregate votes of the remaining candidates, as the case may be.
(8) Where at any ballot among three or more candidates, two or more obtain an equal number of votes and one of them has to be excluded from the election under paragraph (7) of this Standing Order, the determination, as between the candidates whose votes are equal, of the candidate to be excluded, shall be by lot which shall be drawn in such manner as the Clerk shall decide.

(9) Where at any ballot between two candidates the votes are equal, another ballot shall be held.
(10) As the ballot papers are counted, they shall be placed in a box and, when a candidate has been declared elected as Speaker, the box shall be sealed in the presence of Parliament and kept in the custody of the Clerk for one calendar month and then, subject to any previous direction he may receive from Parliament, the Clerk shall burn the ballot papers and certify to Parliament that this has been done.

10 OATHS OF ALLEGIANCE Oaths of Allegiance 13.


– (1) So soon as Parliament first meets after a General Election, the Clerk shall administer the Oath or affirmation required by law(7) to be taken by the Speaker, and thereafter the Oath or affirmation shall be administered to the other Members in such manner and in such order as the Speaker shall determine in accordance with the law(7).
(2) At any other time, Members shall present themselves before Parliament at the time appointed under the provisions of Standing Order No.

10 [Order of business] and the Oath or affirmation shall be administered to them in such manner and in such order as the Speaker shall determine in accordance with the law(7).

(3) Every Member shall immediately after having taken the Oath or made the affirmation sign the form provided for that purpose by the Clerk.
APPOINTMENT OF PERSON TO EXERCISE FUNCTIONS OF OFFICE OF PRESIDENT Appointment of person to exercise functions of office of President 14.

The appointment of a person to exercise the functions of the office of President as provided by law(8) shall be upon a motion moved at the time appointed under the provisions of Standing Order No.

10 [Order of business].

PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS President’s Address 15.


– (1) At the conclusion of the President’s speech delivered at the opening of any session, Parliament shall stand adjourned without any question being put.

The Leader of the House shall give two clear days’ notice naming an ordinary sitting day, not less than two clear days after the day on which the speech was delivered, for the next sitting of Parliament, and Parliament shall sit on the day stated in such notice.
11 (2) Such notice shall also give notice for such sitting day, of a motion to be moved by a Minister or other Member named by the Leader of the House that an Address expressing the thanks of Parliament for the speech of the President be agreed to.

Debate thereon shall be confined to the policy of the Government as outlined in the speech.
(3) The ordinary sitting day named by the Leader of the House under the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Standing Order, together with the next four sitting days shall be allotted for the debate, and on such allotted days the provisions of paragraphs (2) to (5) of Standing Order No.

91 [Business of Supply] shall apply mutatis mutandis.
(4) Ninety minutes before the end of the time permitted on the last allotted day, the Speaker shall, if the debate shall not previously have been concluded, call upon Ministers who so desire and who have not already done so, to speak and, finally, call upon the mover of the motion for the Address of Thanks, to reply.
(5) If the end of the time permitted on the last allotted day is reached before the debate has been concluded, the Speaker shall forthwith put any questions necessary to bring the proceedings to a conclusion.

MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT Messages from the President 16.

– (1) The Speaker shall at the time appointed by Standing Order No.

10 [Order of business] read to Parliament any message from the President delivered to him and addressed to Parliament.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order No.

10 [Order of business], a message from the President, if presented to Parliament by a Minister, may be brought up at any time before the commencement or at the close of public business, and shall be considered forthwith or be ordered to be considered upon such future sitting day as that Minister shall appoint.

12 ELECTION OF DEPUTY SPEAKER Election of Deputy Speaker 17.
– (1) The Deputy Speakers shall be elected as required by law(9) at the time appointed by Standing Order No.

10 [Order of business].

(2) The procedure for the election of a Deputy Speaker shall be, as nearly as may be, the same as that for the election of a Speaker under the provisions of Standing Order No.
12 [Election of Speaker], save that the Speaker shall conduct the election, declare the result thereof and decide on the manner in which the lot shall be drawn in the determination, as between candidates whose votes are equal, of the candidate to be excluded from the election under paragraph (8) of Standing Order No.

12 aforesaid.

PETITIONS Petitions 18.

– (1) A Petition may only be presented to Parliament at the time appointed by Standing Order No.
10 [Order of business] by a Member, who shall affix his name and signature at the beginning thereof.

The Member shall not thereby be regarded as a signatory to the Petition.

(2) A Member presenting a Petition shall confine himself to a brief statement of the parties from whom it comes, the number of signatures attached to it and the material allegations contained in it, and to reading the prayer of the Petition.
(3) Immediately following the presentation of the brief statement, the Petition shall be handed by the Member to the Clerk at the Table.

Petitions shall be ordered to lie upon the Table without question put.

(4) No Member may present to Parliament a Petition of which he is one of the signatories.
(5) No Petition shall be presented to Parliament, unless it has been endorsed by the Clerk as being in accordance with the provisions of the following rules:– (a) Every Petition offered to be presented to Parliament shall begin with the words “To the Honourable the Members of Parliament, Singapore, in meeting assembled;’’ or with words equivalent thereto.

(b) Every Petition shall contain a prayer at the end thereof setting forth the 13 general object of the Petition or the nature of the relief asked for.
(c) Every Petition shall be original and printed or typewritten on paper.

(d) Every Petition shall be signed by at least one person on the sheet or sheets on which the Petition is written.

Every Petition shall be signed on the last sheet.

One or more of the persons signing on the last sheet shall also sign at the bottom of every other sheet on which the Petition is written, the signature or signatures on each such sheet being the same.
(e) Every signature and its date shall be handwritten upon the sheets bearing, or attached to, the Petition itself, and not pasted upon, photocopied, scanned or otherwise attached or transferred thereto.

(f) If signatures are affixed to more than one sheet, the prayer of the Petition shall be repeated at the head of one side of each sheet; but on every sheet after the first, the prayer may be reproduced in print or by other mechanical process.
Signatures upon sheets not so headed will not be counted, but signatures may be written on either side of any sheet, including that on which the Petition itself is written.

(g) Every Petition shall be written in the English language.

(h) Every Petition shall be signed by the parties whose names are appended thereto by their names or by their marks which are duly authenticated, and by no one else.

(i) The Petition of a corporation shall be under its common seal, which shall be duly authenticated.
(j) The address of every person signing a Petition or making his mark thereon shall follow his signature or mark, failing which the signature or mark will not be counted; nor will signatures which appear to be in the same handwriting.

(k) No letters, affidavits, or other documents, may be attached to any Petition.

(l) No erasures or interlineations may be made in any Petition.

14 (m) Every Petition shall be respectful, decorous, and temperate in its language.
(n) No reference may be made to any debate in Parliament or to any intended motion unless notice of such motion stands upon the Order Paper.

(6) After a Petition is presented to Parliament under this Standing Order, it shall stand referred to the Public Petitions Committee, unless it is a Petition against a private or hybrid Bill, in which case, it shall stand referred to the Select Committee on the Bill.
Provided that if the Speaker is satisfied that a Petition touches upon a motion or Bill before Parliament, he may permit a motion to be moved without notice for the Petition to be considered together with the motion before Parliament or at a specified stage of the Bill before Parliament, as the case may be.
A motion moved under this proviso shall be decided upon without amendment or debate and, if the motion is agreed to, the Petition shall be considered according to the motion and shall not be referred to the Public Petitions Committee.

QUESTIONS TO MINISTERS(4) AND OTHER MEMBERS Questions to Ministers(4) and other Members 19.
– (1) Questions may be put to Ministers(4) relating to – (a) affairs within their official functions; or (b) Bills, motions or other public matters connected with the business of Parliament for which such Ministers(4) are responsible.

(2) Questions may also be put to other Members, relating to a Bill, motion or other public matter connected with the business of Parliament for which such Members are responsible.

Notices of questions 20.


– (1) A question shall not be asked without notice, unless the Speaker is of the opinion that it is of an urgent character, and relates either to a matter of public importance or to the arrangement of public business and the Member has obtained the permission of the Speaker to ask it.

15 (2) Notice of every question shall be given by a Member in writing not later than seven clear days before the sitting day on which the answer is required.
(3) A Member may have up to five questions on the Order Paper at any one time and not more than three of these questions shall be for oral answer.

A Member requiring an oral answer to his question shall mark it with an asterisk.
(4) Notice of any question may be given by a Member in writing in the manner prescribed by paragraph (2) of this Standing Order for the next available day, in which event the question shall be put down for an answer on such sitting day next following the date on which the question has been handed in, which is not less than seven clear days after such date and on which Parliament sits.
(5) A Member who has given notice of a question for oral answer may request that it be converted to a question for written answer.

Notice of such a request shall be given by the Member in writing on any working day before the sitting day on which the answer is required.

(6) A Member who has given notice of a question for written answer may request that it be converted to a question for oral answer.
Notice of such a request shall be given by the Member in writing not less than seven clear days before the sitting day on which the answer is required.

Contents of questions 21.
– (1) Every question shall conform to the following rules – (a) a question shall not contain more than one issue and shall be concise; (b) a question shall not include the names of persons or statements not strictly necessary to render the question intelligible; (c) a question shall not contain statements which the Member who asks the question is not prepared to substantiate; (d) a question shall not contain arguments, inferences, opinions, imputations, epithets or tendentious, ironical or offensive expressions; (e) a question shall not refer to debates or answers to questions in the current session; (f) a question shall not refer to proceedings in a Committee of Parliament which have not been reported to Parliament; 16 (g) a question shall not seek information about any matter which is of its nature secret; (h) a question shall not reflect on the decision of a court of law and no question shall be asked on any matter which is sub judice; (i) a question shall not be asked for the purpose of obtaining an expression of opinion, the solution of an abstract legal case or the answer to a hypothetical proposition; (j) a question shall not be asked as to whether statements in the Press or of private individuals or bodies of persons are accurate; (k) a question shall not be asked as to the character or conduct of any person except in his official or public capacity; (l) a question shall not be asked reflecting on the character or conduct of any person whose conduct can only be challenged on a substantive motion; (m) a question shall not be asked making or implying a charge of a personal character; (n) a question shall not be asked seeking information set forth in accessible documents or ordinary works of reference; and (o) a question fully answered shall not be asked again during the same session.
(2) If the Speaker is of the opinion that any question of which a Member has given notice to the Clerk or which a Member has sought leave to ask without notice is an abuse of the right of questioning or infringes any of the provisions of this or any other Standing Order, he may direct – (a) that it be circulated to Members or asked with such alterations as he may direct; or (b) that the Member concerned be informed that the question is inadmissible for reasons stated.
17 Manner of asking and answering questions 22.

– (1) Questions for Oral Answer shall be raised at the time appointed by Standing Order No.

10 [Order of business] (hereinafter referred to as “Question Time”) and may continue for up to one and a half hours: Provided that on a day allotted for any business the Speaker may specify Question Time to be for a shorter period.

The decision of the Speaker shall be notified to Members as soon as practicable.
(2) When a question for oral answer is reached on the Order Paper, the Speaker shall call upon the Member in whose name the question stands.

The Member so called shall then rise in his place and ask the question by reference to its number on the Order Paper.
(3) If a Member asking a question for an oral answer fails to rise and ask his question, then any other Member may make the question his own and may rise in his place and ask the question in the manner prescribed above; but if no other Member so rises, or if a question is not fully answered or not reached by the end of Question Time, the Minister(4) or other Member to whom the question is addressed shall send copies of the answer to the Member who asked it and to the Clerk, who shall cause that answer to be circulated to Members and to be published in the Official Report: Provided that at any time within one hour after the end of Question Time, the Member who asked the question standing in his name may signify in writing to the Clerk his desire to postpone the question to a later sitting day or may withdraw it.
(4) If a Minister, Parliamentary Secretary or other Member, who is to answer a question, is absent, the question shall, if he then be present, be taken after all other questions appearing on the Order Paper have been disposed of.

If the Minister, Parliamentary Secretary or other Member then be not present, he shall send copies of the answers to the Members who asked them and to the Clerk, who shall cause the answers to be circulated to Members and to be published in the Official Report.
(5) Supplementary questions may be put for the purpose of elucidating an oral answer, but the Speaker may refuse any such question which in his opinion introduces a matter not related to the original question or which infringes any of the provisions of Standing Order No.

21 [Contents of questions].

(6) A question shall not be made the pretext for a debate.
18 (7) If an oral answer to a question is not required, the Minister(4) or other Member to whom it is addressed shall send copies of the answer to the Member who asked it and to the Clerk, who shall cause such answer to be circulated to Members and to be published in the Official Report.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS Ministerial Statements 23.

A statement may be made by a Minister in Parliament on a matter of public importance.
Members may seek clarification on the statement but no debate shall be allowed thereon.

ADJOURNMENT OF PARLIAMENT ON MATTERS OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE Adjournment on a definite matter of urgent public importance 24.

– (1) A Member may rise in his place at the time appointed under the provisions of Standing Order No.

10 [Order of business] and ask leave to move the adjournment of Parliament for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent public importance.
(2) A Member who wishes so to ask leave to move the adjournment of Parliament shall, before the commencement of the sitting, hand to the Speaker a written notification of the matter which he wishes to discuss.

Before allowing leave to be asked, the Speaker shall satisfy himself that the matter to be raised is definite and such as may properly be raised on a motion for the adjournment of Parliament.
(3) If the Speaker is so satisfied, and either the Member obtains the general assent of Parliament, or if general assent is not obtained, at least eight Members rise in their places to support the motion, the motion shall stand adjourned until 5.30 p.m. on the same day, and, at that hour, any proceedings on which Parliament is engaged shall be postponed until either the motion for the adjournment is disposed of or the moment of interruption is reached, whichever is the earlier.
At the moment of interruption, the motion for the adjournment, if not previously disposed of, shall lapse and the proceedings which have been postponed shall be resumed and dealt with in accordance with the next paragraph of this Standing Order.

19 (4) Any proceedings which have been postponed under this Standing Order shall be exempted from the provisions of paragraph (5) of Standing Order No.
2 [Sittings of Parliament] for a period of time equal to the duration of the proceedings on the motion made under this Standing Order, and may be resumed and proceeded with at or after the moment of interruption.

(5) Not more than one motion for the adjournment of Parliament under the provisions of this Standing Order may be made at any one sitting.

PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS Personal explanations 25.


With the leave of the Speaker, a Member may make a personal explanation at the time appointed by Standing Order No.

10 [Order of business] although there is no question before the House; but no controversial matter may be brought forward nor may debate arise upon the explanation.

The terms of the proposed statement shall be submitted in full to the Speaker when his leave to make it is sought.

PUBLIC BUSINESS Public business – Arrangement of 26.
– (1) Any Bill or other matter which Parliament has ordered to be taken into consideration on a particular day shall be known as an order of the day.

After a day has been so appointed, an earlier day shall not be substituted therefor.
The Member in charge, however, may, either – (a) before an order of the day is read, give notice in writing to the Clerk postponing the order to a later sitting day, and the Bill or other matter shall thereupon become an order of the day for that day; or (b) upon an order of the day being read, name a later sitting day, and the Bill or other matter shall thereupon become an order of the day for that day.

(2) On every sitting day, Government business shall have precedence over Private Members’ business.
(3) Government business shall be set down in such order as the Cabinet think fit and communicate to the Clerk.

20 (4) Private Members’ business shall be set down in the following order – (a) Adjourned debates, in the order in which they were appointed under these Standing Orders.

(b) Bills and other orders of the day, in the order in which they were appointed under these Standing Orders.
(c) Notices of motions, in the order, firstly, in which they were appointed under the Standing Orders and, secondly, in the order in which notice of each motion appeared in the Order Book.

Adjournment of proceedings 27.


– (1) At any time before the conclusion of the consideration of any item of business, any Member may move “That the debate be now adjourned’’ or, in Committee, “That progress be reported and leave be asked to sit again’’, and, if such motion is agreed to, the debate shall be adjourned or Parliament shall resume, as the case may be.

The Speaker shall call upon the Member in charge of that item of business to name a later time or a later sitting day for its resumption.
In the case of an order of the day, if no time or day has been named, the order shall be removed from the Order Book, shall be known as a “dropped order’’ and shall not be replaced in the Order Book except upon a motion which may be made after two clear days’ notice before the commencement of public business and shall be decided without amendment or debate.
Upon the motion being agreed, the order shall be replaced in the Order Book for consideration on such future sitting day as the Member in charge shall name.

In the case of a notice of motion, if no time or day has been named, a new notice shall be required to bring that motion again before Parliament and the provisions of Standing Order No.

34 [Manner of giving notices of motions] shall apply to any such new notice.
(2) Debate under the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Standing Order shall be confined to the matter of such motion; and a Member who has made such a motion shall not be entitled to move any similar motion during the same debate.
(3) If the Speaker or the Chairman shall be of the opinion that a motion made under the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Standing Order is an abuse of the rules of Parliament, he may forthwith put the question thereupon from the Chair or he may decline to propose a question thereupon to Parliament or to the Committee.

21 ADJOURNMENT OF PARLIAMENT Adjournment of Parliament 28.
No motion for the adjournment of Parliament shall be made at any sitting before the conclusion of questions, and thereafter, no such motion shall be made except by a Minister, unless a Member rises and obtains leave to move the adjournment in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order No.

24 [Adjournment on a definite matter of urgent public importance].

OFFICIAL REPORTS Official Reports 29.


– (1) An official report of all speeches made in the Chamber and debates on a Bill in Select Committee which shall be as nearly as possible verbatim, shall be prepared in such form as the Speaker may direct.

(2) A first copy of the report shall be sent to each Member as soon as practicable after the conclusion of each sitting.
This first copy of the report shall be exclusively for the use of Members in relation to the business of Parliament conducted in the Chamber or in the Select Committee as the case may be, and subject thereto, shall not be for publication.

(3) If no Member, in writing addressed to the Chief Reporter and Editor, seeks to make any change in the report within seventy-two hours from the time when the first copy of the report was despatched to each Member, the report shall be published without correction.
(4) Any dispute as to the correctness of the report of any speech contained in the first copy of the report and any request for any material change in the report shall be referred to the Speaker who shall rule thereon and shall direct publication of the speech in accordance with his ruling which shall not be called in question.
22 (5) A Minister or a Parliamentary Secretary may, with the leave of the Speaker, make a written statement to correct any factual error made by him in a speech (including an answer to a question for oral answer).

The statement must be confined to a statement of the factual error and the correct facts, and must not include any explanation or opinion or any new information that is not necessary to correct the factual error.
The Speaker’s leave must be sought within seventy-two hours from the time the first copy of the report of the speech was despatched to the Minister or Parliamentary Secretary.

A draft of a proposed statement must be submitted to the Speaker when his leave is sought.

If Speaker grants leave, the statement shall be circulated to Members and published in the Official Report.

VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS Votes and Proceedings 30.


– (1) The Clerk shall keep the minutes of the proceedings of Parliament and of Committees of the whole Parliament, and shall circulate a copy of such minutes, to be known as the Votes and Proceedings, on the day following each sitting of Parliament or as soon after as practicable.

(2) Votes and Proceedings shall record the names of Members attending and all Orders and Resolutions of Parliament, and shall be signed by the Speaker.
(3) In the case of divisions of Parliament or Committee of the whole Parliament, the Votes and Proceedings shall include the numbers voting for and against the question, the names of Members so voting and the names of the Members present who abstained from voting.

PARLIAMENT PAPERS Presentation of Papers 31.


– (1) A copy of every Paper which the Speaker or a Minister desires to present to Parliament or which a Chairman or other Member deputed by a Select or other Committee of Parliament is required to present to Parliament or which is required by law to be presented to or laid before Parliament shall be sent to the Clerk.
Every Paper, a copy of which is so received by the Clerk, shall be considered to have been presented to Parliament and ordered to lie upon the Table and, unless otherwise ordered, to be published.

23 (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Standing Order, a Paper may be presented by a Minister to Parliament at the time appointed by Standing Order No.
10 [Order of business] by delivering a copy thereof to the Clerk at the Table, and, in so presenting the Paper, the Minister may, if he so desires, make a brief statement explanatory of its contents.

A Paper so presented shall be considered to have been ordered to lie upon the Table and, unless otherwise ordered, to be printed.
(3) If it is desired to withdraw a Paper which has been presented, a request in writing signed by the Member or other person by whom the Paper was presented shall be sent to the Clerk and thereupon the order that the Paper do lie upon the Table shall be considered to have been discharged and the Paper withdrawn.
(4) Every Paper presented to Parliament or withdrawn shall be recorded as so presented or withdrawn, with the date of such presentation or withdrawal, in the Votes and Proceedings of the day on which it is presented or withdrawn or, if Parliament is not then sitting, of the next sitting day following its presentation or withdrawal on which Parliament sits.

Custody of documents 32.


The Clerk shall be responsible for the custody of the Votes and Proceedings, records, Bills and other documents presented to or laid before Parliament which shall be open to inspection by Members of Parliament under such arrangements as may be sanctioned by the Speaker.

Notices of motions MOTIONS 33.


Unless Standing Orders otherwise direct, notice shall be given of any motion which it is proposed to move, with the exception of the following – (a) A motion by way of amendment to a question already proposed from the Chair.

(b) A motion in Committee.

(c) A motion for the adjournment of Parliament.

(d) A motion for the adjournment of a debate or that progress be reported and leave be asked to sit again, or that the Chairman do leave the Chair.
24 (e) A motion for the suspension of a Member.

(f) A motion arising out of any item of business made immediately after that item is disposed of and before the next item is entered upon.

Manner of giving notices of motions 34.


– (1) Except where it is otherwise provided by law(10), a notice of any motion to be moved in Parliament shall be signed by the Member intending to move the motion and, in the case of a private Member’s motion, a supporter or supporters not exceeding five in number may signify his or their support in writing.
(2) Except where it is otherwise provided in any Standing Order, not less than seven clear days’ notice of any motion shall be given unless it is in the name of a Minister, in which case two clear days’ notice shall be sufficient.
Notwithstanding anything contained in these Standing Orders, if it is represented to the Speaker by the Leader of the House that the public interest requires that a motion should be debated as soon as possible, and if the Speaker is satisfied that the public interest so requires, one clear day’s notice of such motion shall be sufficient.
(3) Such notices shall, if possible, be made available to Members not later than the day before the sitting for which they have been put down, and the day upon which each notice is received shall be indicated.
(4) Any such notice shall be submitted to the Speaker who shall direct – (a) that it be circulated to Members in the terms in which it was handed in; or (b) that it be circulated to Members with such alterations as he may direct; or (c) that it be returned to the Member who signed it, as being in his opinion inadmissible for reasons stated.

(5) Motions or amendments sent to the Clerk shall be circulated to Members, even if they are matters of which notice is not required.

25 Dispensing with notice 35.


Notice shall not be dispensed with in respect of any proceeding for which notice is required except with the consent of the Speaker and the general assent of Members present.

Alteration of terms of motion and postponement and withdrawal of motion 36.
– (1) If a Member who intended to move a motion of which he has given notice desires to alter its terms, he may do so by giving to the Clerk an amended notice of motion, duly signed as required by the provisions of paragraph (1) of Standing Order No.

34 [Manner of giving notices of motions], provided that such alteration does not, in the opinion of the Speaker, materially alter any principle embodied in the original motion or the scope thereof.
The amended notice shall run from the time at which the original notice was given.

(2) A Member who intended to move a motion of which he has given notice may, in respect of such motion, either – (a) before the notice is read, give notice in writing to the Clerk postponing the motion to a later sitting day and the motion shall thereupon be set down for that day; or (b) upon the notice being read, name a later sitting day and the motion shall be placed on the Order Paper for that day.
(3) A Member who intended to move a motion of which he has given notice may, before the notice is read, give notice to the Clerk withdrawing the motion.

Amendments to motions 37.

– (1) Unless Standing Orders otherwise provide, when any motion is under consideration in Parliament or in a Committee thereof, an amendment may be proposed to the motion if it is relevant thereto.

(2) An amendment may be proposed to any such amendment if it is relevant thereto.

26 Moving of motions and amendments 38.


– (1) No private Member’s motion shall be proceeded with unless, upon the notice of such motion being read, support thereof or in principle shall be signified to Parliament by at least one Member then present in the Chamber or unless the notice of such motion has been supported in the manner prescribed by the provisions of paragraph (1) of Standing Order No.

34 [Manner of giving notices of motions].


(2) If a private Member does not move a motion or amendment which stands in his name when he is called upon, it shall lapse, unless some other Member duly authorised by him in writing or who has supported the notice of motion or amendment in writing shall move in his stead.
(3) Any motion or amendment which stands in the name of a Minister may be moved by any other Minister or by any Parliamentary Secretary, and any motion or amendment which stands in the name of a Parliamentary Secretary may be moved by any Minister or by any other Parliamentary Secretary.

(4) An order of the day may be moved by any Member, unless the Member in charge of that order names a later sitting day for its consideration in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (1) of Standing Order No.
26 [Public business – Arrangement of].

No seconder required 39.

No seconder shall be required for any motion, amendment or order of the day in Parliament or in Committee.

Amendments to motions and to amendments to be put in writing 40.
Any amendment to a motion or to an amendment upon which the question has been proposed in Parliament or in a Committee of Parliament shall, if so required by the Speaker or Chairman, be put in writing by the mover and delivered to the Clerk, or Chairman in a Select Committee.

Manner of debating motions 41.


– (1) When a motion has been moved, the Speaker or Chairman shall propose the question thereon to Parliament or Committee in the same terms as the motion; debate may then take place upon that question and may continue so long as any Member wishes to speak who is entitled to do so.

27 (2) When no more Members wish to speak, the Speaker or Chairman shall put the question to Parliament or Committee in the same terms as the motion.
(3) Debate upon a motion other than a motion for the adjournment of Parliament shall be relevant to such motion.

Manner of debating amendments to motions 42.

– (1) Any amendment to a motion which a Member wishes to propose may be moved at any time after the question upon the motion has been proposed by the Speaker or Chairman, and before it has been put by the Speaker or Chairman at the conclusion of the debate upon the motion.
When every such amendment has been disposed of, the Speaker or Chairman shall either again propose the question upon the motion or shall propose the question upon the motion as amended, as the case may require, and after any further debate which may arise thereon, shall put the question to Parliament or Committee for its decision: Provided always that, with the assent of the majority of Members present, debate on the motion and on any amendment (including an amendment to an amendment) proposed thereto may be proceeded with or continued simultaneously, and such debate shall thereafter proceed or continue and be subject to the provisions of Standing Orders as though the debate were a debate on a single question, and, at the conclusion thereof, the Speaker or Chairman shall forthwith put every question necessary to dispose of the amendments which may have been moved, and of the motion itself, as amended, as the case may require.
(2) Debate upon an amendment to a motion shall be relevant to such amendment.

(3) (a) Upon any amendment to leave out any of the words of the motion, the question to be proposed shall be “That the words proposed to be left out be left out of the question’’.

Debate shall be confined to the omission of such words.

(b) Upon any amendment to insert words in, or add words at the end of, a motion, the question to be proposed shall be “That those words be there inserted (or added)’’.
Debate shall be confined to the insertion or addition of such words.

28 (c) Upon any amendment to leave out any of the words of the motion and insert or add other words instead, a question shall first be proposed “That the words proposed to be left out be left out of the question’’, and if that question is agreed to, the question shall then be proposed “That those words be there inserted (or added)’’.
If the first question is disagreed to, no further amendment may be proposed to the words which Parliament or Committee has so decided shall not be left out.

Debate upon the question “That the words proposed to be left out be left out of the question’’ may include both the words proposed to be left out and those proposed to be inserted or added.
(4) If the Speaker or Chairman, before putting a question to leave out certain words, is informed that a Member wishes to move an amendment to leave out part only of those words and if he is of the opinion that the proposed amendment of which he is so informed is substantially a new amendment, he shall, if possible, put the question to leave out only so much of the original amendment as is unaffected by the second amendment; but if that question is agreed to, the whole of the words proposed in the original amendment to be left out shall be deemed to have been ordered to be left out.
(5) When two or more amendments are proposed to be moved to the same motion, the Speaker or Chairman shall call upon the movers in the order in which their amendments relate to the text of the motion, or, in cases of doubt, in such order as the Chair shall decide; provided that no amendment may be moved which relates to any words which Parliament or Committee has decided shall not be left out of the motion.
(6) (a) Any amendment to an amendment which a Member wishes to propose may be moved at any time after the question upon the original amendment has been proposed, and before it has been put at the conclusion of the debate on the original amendment.

(b) The provisions of paragraphs (3), (4) and (5) of this Standing Order shall apply to the discussion of amendments to amendments, with the substitution of the words “original amendment’’ for the word “motion’’ throughout.
(c) When every such amendment to an amendment has been disposed of, the Speaker or Chairman shall either again propose the question upon the original amendment, or shall propose the question upon the original amendment as amended, as the case may require.

29 Withdrawal of motions and amendments 43.


– (1) If the question has been proposed on a motion or an amendment, the motion or amendment may be withdrawn, at the request of the mover, by leave of the majority in Parliament or Committee, before the question is fully put thereon.

A motion or an amendment so withdrawn may be proposed again, provided that notice as and if required by these Standing Orders is given.
(2) If the question has been proposed on an amendment to a motion or to another amendment, the original motion or amendment may not be withdrawn until the amendment thereto has been disposed of.

(3) If an interval of three calendar months has lapsed after notice of a motion has been given without the motion being proceeded with, the notice shall be deemed to have lapsed unless Parliament otherwise orders.

Debate on a specific matter 44.


– (1) Except for matters considered under procedure on Bills or financial procedure, whenever it is desired that any matter be debated on which it is not intended to formulate a motion in express terms, a Minister may move, without notice, “That [subject matter] be considered by Parliament”.

No amendment shall be allowed on the motion.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (2) of Standing Order No.

54 [Closure of debate], the motion shall not be put to a vote.
Unless the motion is earlier withdrawn or the question on the closure of debate on the motion is decided in the affirmative, the debate shall continue until its conclusion when the motion shall lapse.

Motions to overrule the President 44A.


– (1) The grounds of a decision of the President must be published in the Gazette, and the recommendation of the Council of Presidential Advisers in relation to the President’s decision must be presented to Parliament, at least two clear days before a motion is moved to overrule a decision of the President.
(2) The Speaker shall not allow a motion to overrule a decision of the President to be moved unless he is satisfied that the decision of the President sought to be overruled was made contrary to the recommendation of the Council of Presidential Advisers.

30 (3) A Minister(4), when giving notice of a motion to overrule a decision of the President, shall indicate whether the President’s decision is one which can be overruled only if a request has been made to the Cabinet in accordance with the law(11).
If such a request is necessary for the decision to be overruled, the Minister(4) shall, before moving the motion, signify to Parliament whether such a request has been made.

If the Minister(4) does not signify to Parliament that such a request has been made, the Speaker shall not allow the motion to be moved.
(4) A motion to overrule the President shall be in the form: “That Parliament, pursuant to Article 37IF of the Constitution, overrules [state the particulars of the decision of the President that is sought to be overruled].” (5) A motion to overrule the President shall be decided without amendment.

Motions not open to debate 45.


Motions on the following matters are not open to debate and, immediately after its proposal, the question for such motions shall be put forthwith from the Chair: (a) Exempted business [Standing Order Nos.

4(1)]; (aa) Consideration of a Petition touching upon a motion or Bill before Parliament [Standing Order No.

18(6)]; (b) Replacement of a dropped order [Standing Order No.

27(1)]; (c) Extension of speech time for a mover of an original motion [Standing Order No.
48(8)(b)]; (d) Closure of debate [Standing Order No.

54(1) and (2)]; (e) Suspension of a Member [Standing Order No.

59(1)]; (f) Committal of a Bill to Select Committee [Standing Order No.

71(1)]; (g) Similar or interdependent amendments to clauses of a Bill [Standing Order No.

74(8)]; (h) Withdrawal of a Bill [Standing Order No.

84(4)]; (i) Continuation of Supply business until a specified time after the moment of interruption in respect of any or all of the allotted days [Standing Order No.
91(4)]; 31 (j) Supply resolutions [Standing Order No.

92(8) to (12)]; (k) Third Reading of the Supply Bill [Standing Order No.

93(3)]; and (l) Withdrawal and re-admittance of strangers [Standing Order No.

109(2) and (3)].

Appointment of Committee of the whole Parliament 46.
– (1) Whenever in any matter, other than matters considered under procedure on Bills, or financial procedure, a Member desires that the matter be considered in a Committee of the whole Parliament, he may move, without notice, that Parliament shall immediately or on a future sitting day resolve itself into a Committee of the whole Parliament to consider the matter.

(2) In Committee, any Member may move a motion or motions relevant to the matter referred to the Committee.
(3) When the question upon a motion has been proposed from the Chair, unless progress be reported, it shall be agreed to either with or without amendment, negatived or withdrawn.

(4) When a resolution has or resolutions have been agreed to, the Chairman shall say “Resolution(s) to be reported’’ and shall leave the Chair without question put.

(5) Upon Parliament resuming, the Member in charge shall report “That the Committee has come to a certain resolution(s)’’.
Parliament shall thereupon forthwith, or upon a future sitting day to be named by the Member in charge, proceed to the consideration of the resolution.

(6) Upon consideration of the resolution, the Clerk shall read the resolution and thereupon amendments or a motion for the recommittal of the resolution or for the postponement of consideration of the resolution may be moved.
(7) At the conclusion of the consideration of the resolution, the Member in charge shall move “That Parliament doth agree with the Committee on the said resolution (as amended)’’, and debate on the question thereon shall be confined to the general merits of the resolution.

32 RULES OF DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT Languages 47.

A Member may speak in English, Malay, Mandarin or Tamil as permitted by law(12).

Time and manner of speaking and time limit for speeches 48.
– (1) A Member desiring to speak shall speak only from the rostrum or, if he is a front bencher and he so desires, at the Table.

He shall rise in his place and, if called upon, shall address his observations to the Chair.

No Member shall speak unless called upon by the Speaker or Chairman.
The Speaker or Chairman may require a Member to state in which language he desires to speak, in which event, the Member, after stating his desire, shall not speak further unless called upon again by the Speaker or Chairman.

(2) If two or more Members rise at the same time, the Speaker or Chairman shall call upon the Member who first catches his eye.
(3) No Member shall speak more than once to any question except – (a) in Committee; or (b) in clarification as prescribed in paragraph (4) of this Standing Order; or (c) in the case of the mover of a substantive motion, or an order of the day, only in reply.

(4) (a) A Member who has spoken to a question may again be heard to offer a clarification of his speech which has been misunderstood or to seek a clarification on some part of another Member’s speech; but he shall not introduce any new matter.
(b) With the leave of the Speaker, a Minister or Parliamentary Secretary may at any time between items of business make a clarification on any matter raised in his previous speech or answer.

The clarification must be brief and may not be debated.

(5) Except as prescribed in paragraph (1) of Standing Order No.
42 [Manner of debating amendments to motions], a Member who has spoken may speak again when a new question has been proposed by the Speaker, such as a proposed amendment or a motion for the adjournment of the debate.

33 (6) No Member may speak to any question after the same has been fully put by the Speaker or Chairman.

A question is fully put, when the Speaker or Chairman has collected the voices both of the “Ayes’’ and of the “Noes’’.
(7) A Member may use any or any combination of the four official languages in his speech.
(8) (a) Subject to sub-paragraph (b) of this paragraph and unless Standing Orders otherwise provide, no Member shall be entitled to speak to any question in Parliament for more than twenty minutes, or to address a Committee of the whole Parliament for more than ten minutes at any one time, except that a Minister or Parliamentary Secretary shall be entitled to speak for up to forty minutes to any question in Parliament.
(b) The mover of an original motion shall be entitled to not more than forty minutes for his opening speech and forty minutes for his reply, but Parliament or a Committee of the whole Parliament may at any time by motion made, without notice and decided without amendment or debate, extend this time by fifteen minutes.

(c) The ruling of the Speaker as to time taken shall be final.

Oral translation of speeches 49.


– (1) In the event of there being, in the opinion of the Speaker or Chairman, inadequate or unsatisfactory facilities for simultaneous oral translation, the Speaker or Chairman may require, as a condition of his being called under the provisions of paragraph (1) or (2) of Standing Order No.
48 [Time and manner of speaking and time limit for speeches], that – (a) a Member who desires to speak in Malay, Mandarin or Tamil shall provide an English translation of a prepared speech and hand it to the interpreter prior to delivery of his speech; or (b) a Member who desires to speak in Malay, Mandarin or Tamil shall hand to the interpreter a copy of his speech from which the interpreter can deliver a prepared English translation or an English translation at sight; or (c) a Member who intends to deliver a speech of importance shall prepare a summary of his speech and hand copies of the summary to the interpreters for translation into all the other three languages after he has completed his speech; or 34 (d) a Member shall speak in a language in which, in the opinion of the Speaker or Chairman, he is proficient.
(2) The Speaker or Chairman may grant time to a Member to comply with any requirement of paragraph (1) of this Standing Order, in which event the Speaker or Chairman may suspend the debate on the matter before Parliament until a specified time, but not later than the next ordinary sitting day.
If the debate be suspended to the next ordinary sitting day, then, notwithstanding any order that Parliament shall at its rising adjourn to a later day, Parliament shall sit on the next ordinary sitting day in continuation of the debate and shall, without any question being put, adjourn to that later day upon the termination of the debate or at the termination of the sitting in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order No.

2 [Sittings of Parliament], whichever shall first occur.
(3) If a Member claims that his speech or any part thereof has been misinterpreted, he may again be heard, after the completion of his speech and after any other Member speaking has resumed his seat, to explain the manner in which he claims that his speech or any part thereof has been misinterpreted and, in doing so, he shall speak in the same language in which he delivered his speech, shall confine his remarks to that part of his speech which he claims has been misinterpreted and shall not introduce any new matter.
No other Member shall question the claim nor shall same be discussed.

Contents of speeches 50.

– (1) A Member shall confine his observations to the subject under discussion and may not introduce matter irrelevant thereto.

(2) Reference shall not be made to any matter which is sub judice, except by means of or in the course of consideration of a Bill when reference may be made but only in such a way as will not in the opinion of the Speaker or Chairman prejudice the interests of parties thereto.
(3) It shall be out of order to attempt to reconsider any specific question upon which Parliament has come to a conclusion during the current session except upon a substantive motion for rescission.

(4) It shall be out of order to use offensive and insulting language about Members of Parliament.

(5) A Member, other than a Minister or a Parliamentary Secretary, shall be referred to by the Constituency he represents or the name he was returned to Parliament.
Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries shall be referred to by the designation of the 35 offices held by them.

(6) No Member shall impute improper motives to any other Member.

(7) The President’s name shall not be used to influence Parliament.

(8) The conduct of the President shall not be referred to except as permitted by law(13).

(9) The conduct of a Judge of the Supreme Court shall not be discussed except as permitted by law(14).
(10) No reference shall be made to the conduct or character of any Member or of any public servant, other than his conduct in his capacity as a Member or as a public servant.

(11) The proceedings and report of a Select Committee or Committee of Parliament shall not be referred to before they have been presented to Parliament.

Interruptions 51.
No Member shall interrupt another Member except by rising – (a) to a point of order, when the Member speaking shall resume his seat and the Member interrupting shall simply direct attention to the point which he desires to bring to notice and submit it to the Speaker or Chairman for decision; or (b) to a point of clarification, to clarify some matter raised by that Member in the course of his speech, provided that the Member speaking is willing to give way and resumes his seat and that the Member wishing to interrupt is called by the Speaker or Chairman.
Seating and behaviour of Members 52.

During a sitting – (a) Members shall occupy seats allocated to them by the Speaker.

The Speaker may change the allocation from time to time and the allocation of seats for Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries on the Government benches shall be on the advice of the Leader of the House.

(b) All Members shall enter or leave Parliament with decorum.

36 (c) No Member shall cross the floor of the Chamber unnecessarily.
(d) Members shall direct their attention to the proceedings of Parliament and shall refrain from any behaviour that disrupts such proceedings or distracts other Members.

(e) While a Member is speaking, all other Members shall be silent and shall not make interruptions except as permitted under the provisions of Standing Order No.

51 [Interruptions], and no Member shall pass between the Member speaking and the Chair.

Anticipation 53.
Anticipation 53.

– (1) When Parliament has ordered a Bill or any other matter to be considered upon a certain day, it shall be out of order for a Member – (a) on an earlier day to move a motion or an amendment dealing with the subject matter of the Bill or that other order of the day; (b) to discuss the subject matter of the Bill or that other order of the day on a motion for the adjournment of Parliament, whether moved under Standing Order No.
24 [Adjournment on a definite matter of urgent public importance] or not, or on any other question before Parliament.

(2) When notice of a motion has been given, it shall be out of order to raise the subject matter of that motion in the form of an amendment to another motion or to discuss the subject matter to which the motion relates on a motion for the adjournment of Parliament.
(3) In determining whether a discussion is out of order on the grounds of anticipation, regard shall be had by the Speaker or Chairman to the probability of the matter anticipated being brought before Parliament within a reasonable time.

Closure of debate 54.


– (1) After a question has been proposed, a Member rising in his place may claim to move, “That the question be now put’’, and, unless it appears to the Speaker or Chairman that such motion is an abuse of the rules of Parliament, or an infringement of the rights of the minority, the question, “That the question be now put’’, shall be put forthwith and decided without amendment or debate, notwithstanding that the mover has had no opportunity to make his reply.
37 (2) When the motion, “That the question be now put’’, has been carried, and the question consequent thereon has been decided, any Member may claim that any other question already proposed by the Speaker or Chairman be now put and, if the assent of the Speaker or Chairman is given, such questions shall be put forthwith and decided without amendment or debate.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order No.
8 [Performance of functions of Speaker and presiding in Parliament or Committee of the whole Parliament] this Standing Order shall be put in force only when the Speaker or a Deputy Speaker is in the Chair.

RULES OF ORDER IN PARLIAMENT Chair to be heard in silence 55.
Whenever the Speaker or the Chairman rises to speak, no Member shall enter or leave the Chamber, and any Member then standing, speaking, or offering to speak, shall sit down, and Parliament or Committee shall be silent so that the Speaker or the Chairman may be heard without interruption.

Decision of Chair final 56.


The Speaker in Parliament or the Chairman in Committee shall be responsible for the observance of the rules of order in Parliament and Committee respectively and his decision on any point of order shall not be open to appeal and shall not be reviewed by Parliament except upon a substantive motion moved for that purpose.

Notwithstanding anything in Standing Order No.

34 [Manner of giving notices of motions], such a motion shall not require more than two clear days’ notice.
Irrelevance or repetition 57.

The Speaker or the Chairman, after having drawn attention to the conduct of a Member, who persists in irrelevance, or tedious repetition either of his own arguments or of the arguments used by other Members in debate, may direct him to discontinue his speech.

38 Disorderly conduct 58.


The Speaker or the Chairman shall order any Member whose conduct is grossly disorderly to withdraw immediately from Parliament during the remainder of that day’s sitting; and the Serjeant at Arms shall act on such orders as he may receive from the Speaker or the Chairman in pursuance of this Standing Order.
But if, on any occasion, the Speaker or the Chairman deems that his powers under the previous provisions of this Standing Order are inadequate, he may name such Member or Members, in which event, the same procedure shall be followed as is prescribed by Standing Order No.

59 [Suspension of Members].

Suspension of Members 59.
– (1) Whenever a Member has been named by the Speaker or by the Chairman, immediately after the commission of the offence of disregarding the authority of the Chair, or of persistently and wilfully obstructing the business of Parliament by abusing the rules of Parliament, or otherwise, then, if the offence has been committed by such Member in Parliament, a motion shall forthwith be proposed by a Minister or Parliamentary Secretary present “That Mr. ..... be suspended from the service of Parliament’’, and the Speaker shall forthwith put the question on that motion, no amendment, adjournment or debate being allowed; and, if the offence has been committed in Committee of the whole Parliament, the Chairman shall forthwith suspend the proceedings of the Committee and report the circumstances to Parliament; and the Speaker shall on a motion being made as aforesaid forthwith put the same question, no amendment, adjournment or debate being allowed, as if the offence had been committed in Parliament itself.
(2) Not more than one Member shall be named at the same time, unless two or more Members, present together, have jointly disregarded the authority of the Chair.

(3) If a Member is suspended under the provisions of this Standing Order, he shall be directed by the Speaker to withdraw.

His suspension shall last for such period as may be determined by Parliament.
(4) If a Member, or two or more Members acting jointly, who have been suspended under this Standing Order from the service of Parliament, shall refuse to obey the direction of the Speaker to withdraw, when severally summoned under the orders of the Speaker by the Serjeant at Arms to obey such direction, the Speaker shall call the attention of Parliament to the fact that recourse to force is necessary in order to compel obedience to his direction.
When the Member or Members named by him as having refused to obey his direction has or have been removed from Parliament, he or they shall thereupon, without any further question being put, be suspended from the service of Parliament during the remainder of the session.

39 (5) Nothing in this Standing Order shall be taken to deprive Parliament of the power of proceeding against any Member according to any resolution of Parliament.

Members suspended, etc, to withdraw from precincts 60.
Members who are ordered to withdraw under Standing Order No.

58 [Disorderly conduct] or who are suspended from the service of Parliament under Standing Order No.

59 [Suspension of Members] shall forthwith withdraw from the precincts of Parliament and shall be excluded therefrom for the remainder of the sitting or for the period of their suspension as the case may be.

Power of the Speaker to adjourn or suspend sitting 61.
In the case of grave disorder arising in Parliament, the Speaker may, if he thinks it necessary so to do, adjourn Parliament without putting any question, or suspend the sitting for a time to be fixed by him.

VOTING IN PARLIAMENT OR A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE PARLIAMENT Collection of voices 62.
– (1) When the Speaker or Chairman has put the question at the conclusion of a debate, he shall collect the voices of the “Ayes’’ and “Noes’’ and, provided that no Member then claims a division, shall declare the result in accordance with the provisions of the law(15).
(2) A Member may, instead of claiming a division, inform the Speaker or Chairman that he wishes his dissent or abstention to be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings and the Official Report, and his dissent or abstention shall be so recorded.

Procedure on divisions 63.

– (1) No division shall be taken unless at least five Members rise in their places in support of it.

(2) When a division is to be proceeded with, the Speaker or the Chairman shall direct that the division bells shall be rung.
After the lapse of at least one minute, the Speaker or the Chairman shall direct that the doors be locked and the Serjeant at Arms shall thereupon cause the doors to be locked.

40 (3) Thereafter, the Speaker or Chairman shall put the question a second time, and if a division is again claimed, a division shall be taken in a manner to be decided by the Speaker, and the Clerk shall enter on the Votes and Proceedings a record of each Member’s vote and of the names of Members who abstain from voting.
(4) At a division, a Member shall vote for the “Ayes’’ or for the “Noes’’, or expressly indicate that he abstains from voting.

A Member shall not vote in a manner inconsistent with any opinion which he may have expressed when the voices were taken collectively.

(5) A Member may vote in a division although he did not hear the question put.
(6) When the votes have been collected, the Speaker or Chairman shall state the numbers voting for the “Ayes’’ and for the “Noes’’ respectively, and shall then declare the result of the division, whereupon the Serjeant at Arms shall cause the doors to be unlocked.
(7) If, from the number of Members taking part in a division(16), including those Members who abstained from voting, it appears that a quorum is not present, the division shall be invalid, the business then under consideration shall stand over until the next sitting and the next business shall be entered upon.

Voting in error in divisions 64.


If a Member states that he voted in error, or that his vote has been counted wrongly, he may claim to have his vote altered, provided that such request is made as soon as the Speaker or Chairman has announced the numbers and before the Speaker or Chairman shall have declared the result of the division(16).

Procedure to disallow vote of Member having a direct personal pecuniary interest 65.
– (1) Apart from the provisions of law requiring a Member to disclose the extent of any direct pecuniary interest(17), a Member shall not vote on any subject in which he has a direct personal pecuniary interest.

(2) A motion to disallow a Member’s vote on this ground shall be made only as soon as the numbers of the Members voting on the question shall have been declared.
41 (3) In deciding whether a motion for the disallowance of a Member’s vote shall be proposed by the Speaker or Chairman, the Speaker or Chairman shall have regard to the character of the question upon which the division was taken and to the consideration whether the interest therein of the Member whose vote is challenged is direct and pecuniary and not an interest in common with the rest of the citizens of Singapore or whether his vote was given on a matter of State policy.
(4) If the motion for the disallowance of a Member’s vote is agreed to, the Speaker or Chairman shall direct the Clerk to correct the numbers voting in the division accordingly.

PROCEDURE ON BILLS Member’s and Government Bills 66.

– (1) Any Member may move for leave to bring in a Bill, but a Bill may be introduced on behalf of the Government without an order of Parliament.
(2) At least two clear days’ notice shall be given of the introduction of a Bill on behalf of the Government, and four clear days’ notice of a motion for leave to bring in a Bill by a private Member.

A Member giving notice of a motion for leave to bring in a Bill shall at the same time deliver to the Clerk a certified true copy of the full text of the Bill proposed to be introduced, and the Clerk shall transmit the same to the Minister charged with responsibility for finance.
(3) On a motion for leave to bring in a Bill, the Member who gave notice under the provisions of paragraph (2) of this Standing Order or any other Member who has signified his support of the Bill in writing, shall move and, in moving, shall confine himself to a brief explanatory statement and, if opposed, the Members who oppose shall likewise confine themselves to brief statements, the Member moving having the right to reply in like manner.

42 Introduction, presentation and first reading 67.
– (1) It shall be the duty of the Minister charged with the responsibility for finance to inform the Speaker, before the moving of a motion for leave to introduce a Bill, whether the recommendation of the President to such Bill is required by law(18).
If the Speaker has been informed that such recommendation is required, he shall, before calling on the Member to move his motion, require a Minister(4) to signify to Parliament whether or not such recommendation be forthcoming, and if such recommendation be not forthcoming, he shall not allow the motion to be moved.
A Minister(4), when giving notice of the introduction of a Bill (including an Urgent Bill) on behalf of the Government, shall indicate on the notice whether or not such recommendation is required and shall signify such recommendation, where required, when called upon by the Speaker to introduce the Bill.

The signification to Parliament by a Minister(4) of the recommendation of the President shall be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings.
(2) In introducing a Bill, either in pursuance of an order of Parliament or on behalf of the Government, the Member who gave notice under the provisions of paragraph (2) of Standing Order No.

66 [Member’s and Government Bills] or any other Member who has signified his support of the Bill in writing, shall read aloud the long title of the Bill and shall thereafter lay the Bill on the Table.
The Clerk shall thereupon read aloud the short title of the Bill, which shall then be deemed to have been read the first time without any question being put.

(3) At the conclusion of the proceedings on the first reading of a Bill, the Bill, without any question being put, shall be ordered to be read a second time on such sitting day as the Member presenting it shall name, and shall be ordered to be printed.

Hybrid Bills 68.
Hybrid Bills 68.

– (1) Where a public Bill has been ordered to be read a second time on a future day and the Speaker is of the opinion that the Bill appears to affect prejudicially individual rights or interests (referred to in these Standing Orders as “a hybrid Bill’’), the Bill shall, after being read a second time, be referred to a Select Committee before which any affected party who has presented a Petition to Parliament under the provisions of Standing Order No.
18 [Petitions] may be heard upon that Petition, either in person or by Counsel.

(2) In the consideration of the Bill, the Select Committee shall proceed in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs (4) and (5) of Standing Order No.

87 [Private Bills].

43 Printing and circulation of Bills 69.

– (1) The Clerk shall be responsible for the printing of every Bill which Parliament has ordered to be printed from the draft handed to him by the Member in charge of the Bill.
(2) Before any Bill is printed, the Clerk shall satisfy himself that – (a) the Bill accords with the requirements of the law(19); (b) the Bill is divided into successive clauses consecutively numbered; and (c) to every clause, there is a heading giving a short indication of its contents.
(3) The Clerk shall ascertain and advise the Speaker as to whether – (a) the Bill contains anything foreign to what the title of the Bill imports; (b) the Bill is a hybrid Bill and so affected by the provisions of Standing Order No.

68 [Hybrid Bills]; and (c) if the Bill is a private Bill, the provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2) of Standing Order No.

87 [Private Bills] have been complied with.


(4) As soon as possible after the printing of a Bill, the Clerk shall circulate a copy to every Member, accompanied by a short explanatory statement, if such statement is provided by the Member in charge of the Bill.

(5) If the Bill involves expenditure of public money, an indication of the cost shall be provided by the Member in charge of the Bill and shall be circulated with the Bill.
(6) The Clerk shall as soon as possible cause every Bill (including a private Bill) to be published once in the Gazette.

Second reading 70.

– (1) No Bill shall be read a second time until it has been printed and circulated to Members and has appeared in the Gazette not less than ten clear days before the day appointed for the second reading of the Bill.
44 (2) On the order for the second reading of a Bill being read, a motion may be made, “That the Bill be now read a second time’’, and a debate may arise covering the general merits and principle of the Bill.
(3) On the second reading of a Bill, an amendment may be proposed to the question, “That the Bill be now read a second time’’, to leave out the word “now’’ and add, at the end of the question, “on this day six months’’, or an amendment may be moved to leave out all the words after the word “That’’ in order to add words stating the object and motive on which the opposition to the Bill is based, but such words must be strictly relevant to the principle of the Bill and not deal with its details.
If Parliament agrees to the amendment in either of such forms, the second reading of the Bill shall be considered to have been negatived.

Committal of Bills 71.

– (1) When a Bill has been read a second time, it shall stand committed to a Committee of the whole Parliament unless Parliament, on motion, commits it to a Select Committee.
Such motion shall not require notice, must be made immediately after the Bill is read a second time and may be proposed by any Member; the question thereon shall be put forthwith and shall be decided without amendment or debate.

(2) If the question on a motion made under paragraph (1) of this Standing Order is negatived, the Speaker shall forthwith declare that the Bill stands committed to a Committee of the whole Parliament.
(3) On a Bill being committed to a Committee of the whole Parliament, the Member in charge may either name a future sitting day to be appointed for the committee stage to be taken or may forthwith move “That Parliament will immediately resolve itself into a Committee on the Bill’’ and a debate on such a motion may arise.

Functions of Committees on Bills 72.

– (1) Any Committee to which a Bill is committed shall not discuss the principle of the Bill but only its details.
(2) Any such Committee shall have power to make such amendments to the Bill as they shall think fit; provided that the amendments (including new clauses and new schedules) are relevant to the subject matter of the Bill; but if any such amendments are not within the title of the Bill, they shall amend the title accordingly.

45 Committee of the whole Parliament on a Bill 73.


– (1) Whenever Parliament resolves that it will immediately resolve itself into a Committee on a Bill, or whenever an order of the day is read for Parliament to resolve itself into such a Committee, the Speaker shall leave the Chair of Parliament without question put and shall take the Chair in Committee, unless notice of an instruction to such Committee has been given, when such instruction shall be first disposed of.
(2) If any Member, before the conclusion of proceedings on a Bill in a Committee of the whole Parliament, moves to report progress and such motion is carried, or if such proceedings have not been concluded at the moment of interruption, the Chairman shall leave the Chair and Parliament shall resume and the Member in charge of the Bill shall report progress to Parliament and ask leave to sit again, and a future sitting day for the resumption of the proceedings shall be named by the Member in charge of the Bill.
Procedure in Committee of the whole Parliament on a Bill 74.

– (1) The Chairman in Committee of the whole Parliament on a Bill shall call the number of each clause in succession.
If no amendment is proposed thereto, or when all proposed amendments have been disposed of, he shall propose the question “That the clause (or the clause as amended) stand part of the Bill’’ and, when all Members who wish to speak thereon have spoken, he shall put that question to the Committee for its decision: Provided that the Chairman may deal with clauses and/or schedules, or clauses and/or schedules, as amended, together as one question, unless a Member requests that any particular clause or schedule, or clause or schedule, as amended, be considered separately.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Standing Order, if, during the consideration of a Bill in a Committee of the whole Parliament, the Chairman is of the opinion that the principle of a clause and any matters arising thereon have been adequately discussed in the course of debate on the amendments proposed thereto, he may, after the last amendment has been disposed of, state that he is of this opinion and shall then forthwith put the question that the clause (or the clause as amended) stand part of the Bill.
46 (3) (a) Except in the case of urgent Bills, no amendment shall be proposed unless four clear days’ notice thereof has been given: Provided that if the Chairman is of the opinion that an amendment is of a minor or purely drafting character, he may, with the assent of the majority of Members present, permit it to be moved without notice.

(b) Any proposed amendment of which notice has not been given shall be handed to the Chairman in writing if the Chairman so requires.
(c) The provisions of paragraph (1) of Standing Order No.

67 [Introduction, presentation and first reading] shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the moving of amendments to a Bill, including an urgent Bill.

(4) Amendments of which notice has been given under the provisions of paragraph (3) of this Standing Order shall be arranged by the Clerk so far as may be in the order in which they will be proposed.
(5) No amendment shall be moved which is inconsistent with any clause already agreed upon or any decision already come to by the Committee, and the Chairman may, at any time during the discussion of a proposed amendment, withdraw it from the consideration of the Committee if, in his opinion, the discussion has shown that the amendment contravenes the provisions of this paragraph.

(6) The provisions of Standing Order No.

41 [Manner of debating motions] and Standing Order No.
42 [Manner of debating amendments to motions] shall apply to the discussion of amendments to Bills, with the substitution where appropriate of the word “clause’’ for the word “motion’’ or the word “question’’, and of the word “Chairman’’ for the word “Speaker’’ throughout; and any amendment proposed to such an amendment shall be dealt with before a decision is taken on the original amendment.

(7) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (6) of this Standing Order and paragraph (5) of Standing Order No.
42 [Manner of debating amendments to motions], where notice of two or more amendments to a clause stand in the name of a Member on the Order Paper Supplement, the Member may, with the leave of the Chairman, move such or all of the amendments together, and the Chairman shall propose such amendments as one question: Provided that if any Member requests that any of such amendments be considered separately, the Chairman shall propose that amendment separately.
47 (8) The Chairman may, at the request of the mover of an amendment to a clause, allow debate on the amendment to range over similar or interdependent amendments to later clauses.

Questions on the similar or interdependent amendments and on any amendments thereto, if any, shall be decided without debate.

(9) A clause may be postponed, unless a decision has already been taken upon an amendment thereto.
A postponed clause shall, in the absence of an order to the contrary, be considered after the remaining clauses of the Bill have been considered and before new clauses are brought up.
(10) Any proposed new clause shall be considered after the clauses of the Bill have been disposed of and, in the absence of an order to the contrary, before consideration of any schedule to the Bill: Provided that a new clause proposed in substitution for a clause which has been disagreed to may be considered immediately after such disagreement.
(11) On a new clause being offered, the Chairman shall desire the Member offering the same to bring it up, whereupon the Clerk shall read aloud the title to the new clause which shall then be deemed to have been read a first time.

The question shall then be proposed “That the clause be read a second time’’; if this is agreed to, amendments may then be proposed to the new clause.

The final question to be proposed shall be “That the clause (as amended) be added to the Bill’’.
(12) Schedules shall be disposed of in the same way as clauses, and any proposed new schedule shall be considered after the schedules to the Bill have been disposed of, and shall be treated in the same manner as a new clause.

(13) After all clauses and schedules have been gone through, any Member may, with the leave of the Chairman, move an amendment to a clause or schedule already passed, provided that the amendment is made necessary by an amendment made to any other clause or schedule.
(14) When every clause and schedule and proposed new clause or new schedule has been dealt with, the preamble, if there is one, shall be considered and the question put “That this preamble (as amended) be the preamble to the Bill’’.

No amendment to the preamble shall be considered which is inconsistent with the provisions of the Bill as passed by the Committee.
(15) If any amendment to the title of the Bill is made necessary by the provisions of the Bill as passed by the Committee, it shall be made at the conclusion of the proceedings detailed above, but no question shall be put that the title (as amended) stand part of the Bill; nor shall any question be put upon the enacting formula.

48 (16) At the conclusion of the proceedings in Committee, the Chairman shall say, “Bill to be reported’’.

Procedure on Bills reported from a Committee of the whole Parliament 75.
– (1) So soon as a Bill is to be reported from a Committee of the whole Parliament, the Chairman shall leave the Chair without question put and, upon Parliament resuming, the Member in charge shall report, “That the Bill has been considered in Committee and agreed to without (with) amendments’’.

(2) The Member in charge of the Bill may thereupon move, “That the Bill be now read a third time’’ or may name a future sitting day to be appointed for the third reading.
Recommittal of Bill reported from a Committee of the whole Parliament 76.
– (1) If any Member desires to delete or amend any provisions contained in a Bill as reported from a Committee of the whole Parliament or to introduce any new provisions therein, he may, at any time before a Member rises to move the third reading of the Bill, give notice either – (a) that he wishes to propose amendments to the Bill at large; or (b) that he wishes to propose amendments to any particular part or parts of the Bill or to introduce any new clause or new schedule.
(2) When a Member has given notice that he wishes to propose amendments to the Bill at large, the whole Bill shall stand recommitted.

(3) When a Member has given notice that he wishes to propose amendments to any particular part or parts of the Bill or to introduce any new clause or new schedule, the Bill shall stand recommitted in respect only of such particular part or parts of the Bill and of any such new clause or new schedule.
(4) Upon a Bill being recommitted under the provisions either of paragraph (2) or of paragraph (3) of this Standing Order, Parliament shall thereupon either, with the general assent of Members present to dispense with such notice as may be required for amendments under the provisions of paragraph (3) of Standing Order No.
74 [Procedure in Committee of the whole Parliament on a Bill] forthwith or, failing such assent, upon a future sitting day to be named by the Member in charge of the Bill, resolve itself into a Committee to consider the business so recommitted.

49 (5) When the whole Bill has been recommitted, the Committee shall go through the Bill as provided in Standing Order No.

74 [Procedure in Committee of the whole Parliament on a Bill].
(6) Immediately a Bill has been recommitted in respect only of some particular part or parts of the Bill or some proposed new clause or new schedule, the Speaker shall call upon any Member who wishes to propose any other amendment or to propose any other new clause or new schedule to give notice thereof, and (subject to the provisions of paragraph (4) of this Standing Order) any part or parts of the Bill affected by any such amendment or any such new clause or new schedule notice of which is received at any time before Parliament resolves itself into a Committee on the recommitted matter, shall also stand referred to the Committee, and the Committee shall consider all matters recommitted to it under the provisions of paragraph (3) of this Standing Order and of this paragraph and any amendment which may be proposed thereto.
(7) At the conclusion of the proceedings in Committee, the Chairman shall say, “Bill to be reported’’.

(8) So soon as the Bill is to be reported from the Committee, the provisions of Standing Order No.

75 [Procedure on Bills reported from a Committee of the whole Parliament] shall apply; but, except with the general assent of Members present, no further notice of amendment in relation to the Bill under the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Standing Order shall be received.
Procedure in Select Committee on a Bill 77.

– (1) A Select Committee on a Bill shall be subject to all the provisions of Standing Orders No.

102 [Vacancies in Select Committees], No.

103 [Procedure of Select Committees], No.

104 [Voting in Select Committees] and No.

105 [Reports from Select Committees], but before reporting the Bill to Parliament, it shall go through the Bill as provided in Standing Order No.

74 [Procedure in Committee of the whole Parliament on a Bill].
(2) The deliberations and enquiries of the Select Committee shall be confined to the Bill and relevant amendments.

(3) When a Bill has been amended in a Select Committee, the whole text of the Bill as amended shall be printed as part of the report of the Select Committee.

50 Advertisement when Bill committed to a Select Committee 78.
Unless Parliament otherwise orders, upon a Bill being committed to a Select Committee, the Clerk shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, advertise in such newspapers as the Speaker may direct, inviting written representations on the Bill to be sent to him within not less than a period of fifteen days from the date of the advertisement and requesting the representors to state whether they are prepared, if invited, to appear before the Select Committee to give evidence in support of or supplementary to their written representations.
Procedure on Bills reported from Select Committees 79.

When a Bill has been reported from a Select Committee, the Member in charge of the Bill may give two clear days’ notice naming a future sitting day to be appointed for the third reading, such sitting day to be not less than seven clear days after the report has been made available to Members.

Recommittal of Bill reported from a Select Committee 80.
At any time before a Member rises to move the third reading of a Bill reported from a Select Committee, the provisions of Standing Order No.

76 [Recommittal of Bill reported from a Committee of the whole Parliament] may be applied mutatis mutandis, and, on recommittal, the Bill shall be recommitted to a Committee of the whole Parliament.

Third reading 81.
Third reading 81.

– (1) On the third reading of a Bill, amendments may be proposed to the question “That the Bill be now read a third time’’ similar to those which may be proposed on second reading; but the debate shall be confined to the contents of the Bill, and any reasoned amendment which raises matters not included in the Bill shall be out of order.
(2) Amendments for the correction of errors or oversights may, with the Speaker’s permission, be made before the question for the third reading of the Bill is put from the Chair, but no amendments of a material character shall be proposed.
(3) Subject to the provisions of the law(20) being first complied with, when a Bill has been read the third time, a printed copy thereof, certified by the Speaker to be a true copy of the Bill passed by Parliament, shall be submitted by the Clerk to the President for his assent.

51 Withholding of assent to Bills 82.


– (1) If the time limit for the President to signify his decision on a Bill is varied under the law(21), a Minister(4) shall notify the Clerk of the varied time limit before the expiry of the varied time limit.

If the President has not signified his decision on the Bill at the end of the time limit under the law(21) for him to make a decision, the Clerk shall publish a notification of this in the Gazette and the Official Report.
(2) Upon receipt of a signification of the President of his decision to withhold assent to a Bill pursuant to the provisions of the law(22), the Speaker shall – (a) if Parliament is sitting, announce the decision of the President to Parliament; or (b) if Parliament is not then sitting, cause the decision of the President to be circulated to Members and to be published in the Official Report of the next sitting day following the receipt of the signification of the President’s decision.
Procedure on Bills adversely reported upon by Presidential Council for Minority Rights 83.
– (1) Upon an adverse report on a Bill from the Presidential Council for Minority Rights (hereinafter referred to as “the Council’’) being presented to Parliament pursuant to the provisions of the law(23), the Member in charge of the Bill may give two clear days’ notice – (a) of amendments he proposes to move to the specified provisions of the Bill which have been adversely reported upon by the Council; or (b) of his intention to move that, notwithstanding the adverse report of the Council, the Speaker do cause the Bill to be presented forthwith to the President for his assent.
(2) (a) When a notice under the provisions of sub-paragraph (a) of paragraph (1) of this Standing Order has been given, the Bill shall stand recommitted to a Committee of the whole Parliament in respect of the specified provisions of the Bill.

(b) Upon the order of the day being read for the recommittal of the Bill under the provisions of sub-paragraph (a) of this paragraph, the Speaker shall forthwith leave the Chair of Parliament without question put and take the Chair in Committee.
52 (c) The Committee shall consider the provisions of the Bill recommitted to them and any amendments which may be proposed thereto.

At the conclusion of the proceedings, the Chairman shall say, “Bill to be reported’’.

(d) So soon as the Bill is to be reported from the Committee, the Chairman shall leave the Chair without question put and, on Parliament resuming, the Member in charge shall report, “That the Bill has been considered in Committee and agreed to with (without) amendments’’.
(e) If the Bill has been amended, the Member in charge may forthwith, or upon a future sitting day to be named by him, move, “That the Bill in its amended form be submitted again to the Presidential Council’’, and the question thereon shall be decided without amendment.

(3) (a) When a motion, of which notice has been given under the provisions of sub-paragraph (b) of paragraph (1) of this Standing Order, has been moved, the provisions of Standing Order No.
41 [Manner of debating motions] shall apply to the discussion of the motion, which motion shall be decided without amendment.

(b) When the Speaker has put the question at the conclusion of the debate, he shall direct that a division be taken and shall declare the result in accordance with the provisions of the law(24).

Withdrawal of Bills 84.


– (1) Either before the commencement of public business or on the order of the day for any stage of a Bill being read, the Member in charge of a Bill may, without notice, move a motion that the order be discharged and the Bill be withdrawn.

(2) During the debate on the second or third reading of a Bill, the Member in charge of the Bill may, notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (3) (c) of Standing Order No.
48 [Time and manner of speaking and time limit for speeches], without notice move that the Bill be withdrawn.

If such motion be agreed to, the motion for the second or third reading of the Bill, as the case may be, shall lapse and the Bill shall be withdrawn.
(3) When a Bill is being considered in Committee of the whole Parliament, the Member in charge of the Bill may, immediately after the question upon any amendment or clause has been decided, without notice move that the Committee proceed no further with the consideration of the Bill.

If such motion be agreed to, the Chairman shall leave the Chair, the Member in charge shall report the resolution to Parliament, and the question that the Bill be withdrawn shall be put forthwith.
53 (4) The question upon every motion made under this Standing Order shall be decided without amendment or debate.

Bills containing substantially the same provisions 85.

Once the second reading of any Bill has been agreed to or negatived, no question shall be proposed during the same session for the second reading of any other Bill containing substantially the same provisions.

Urgent Bills 86.
Subject to the provisions of the law and notwithstanding the provisions of any Standing Order, when a certificate of urgency signed by the President in respect of a proposed Bill or a Bill which has already been introduced has been laid on the Table by a Minister, the Bill to which the certificate relates may, in the case of a proposed Bill, be introduced forthwith and in either case may, provided that typed or printed copies are available for the use of Members, be proceeded with throughout all its stages until such Bill has been read the third time.
Private Bills 87.

– (1) Where any Member proposes to move for leave to bring in a Bill which is intended to promote the interests of some particular person, association, or corporate body (referred to in these Standing Orders as “a private Bill’’), he shall give notice of the Bill by not less than three successive publications of the Bill in the Gazette before its introduction into Parliament.

This provision shall not affect the publication required by paragraph (6) of Standing Order No.
69 [Printing and circulation of Bills].

The Member giving notice of the motion for leave to bring in the Bill shall at the same time deliver to the Clerk one copy each of the aforesaid publications of the Bill in the Gazette.

(2) Every private Bill shall contain a clause saving the rights of the President of Singapore, all bodies, politic and corporate, and all others except such as are mentioned in the Bill, and those claiming by, from or under them.
(3) Every private Bill shall, after being read a second time, be referred to a Select Committee, before which any affected party who has presented a Petition to Parliament under the provisions of Standing Order No.

18 [Petitions] may be heard upon that Petition, either in person or by Counsel.
54 (4) Every Select Committee on a private Bill shall require proof of the facts and other allegations set forth in the Bill and may take such oral or other evidence as it may think requisite, and, thereafter, if the Committee finds that the said facts and allegations are not proved, it shall report accordingly.

(5) If the Committee finds that the said facts and allegations have been proved, the Committee shall proceed as provided in Standing Order No.
77 [Procedure in Select Committee on a Bill], and in respect of all material amendments which it makes shall describe their purport in its report to Parliament.

No clause affecting any private right or interest shall be allowed in the Bill unless circumstances are set forth in the Bill which render such clause justifiable and expedient.

(6) In the case of a private Bill, the Committee shall not allow any new clause to be inserted which is outside the terms of the notice in the Gazette.
(7) All expenses incurred in the printing and publication of any private Bill shall be paid by the promoters of that Bill.

Effect of prorogation on Bills 88.

– (1) A Bill before Parliament shall not lapse upon the prorogation of Parliament and all business and proceedings connected therewith shall be carried over to the next session of the same Parliament and continue from the stage that it had reached in the preceding session.
(2) If the Bill is before a Select Committee, the term of the Select Committee and its business on the Bill shall not lapse upon the prorogation of Parliament and shall be carried over to the next session of the same Parliament and continue from the stage that it had reached in the preceding session.
(3) A Bill which has been passed by Parliament but has not been assented to by the President shall not lapse upon the prorogation of Parliament and shall be proceeded with as required by law as if its passage had not been interrupted by the prorogation.

55 FINANCIAL PROCEDURE Annual Budget Statement 89.


– (1) Whenever a motion, “That Parliament approves the financial policy of the Government for the year …..” has been made by a Minister(4), the debate thereon shall stand adjourned for not less than five clear days and, when resumed, shall be confined to the general principles of Government policy and administration as set forth by the Minister(4) in moving the motion and as indicated in the Main Estimates.
(2) (a) The provisions of paragraph (5) (a) to (c) of Standing Order No.

2 [Sittings of Parliament] shall not apply to the proceedings on the moving of the motion referred to in paragraph (1) of this Standing Order.

(b) In moving and replying to the motion, the Minister(4) shall not be bound by the provisions of paragraph (8) of Standing Order No.

48 [Time and manner of speaking and time limit for speeches].
(3) Two days shall be allotted for the continuation of the debate and, on such allotted days, the provisions of paragraphs (2) to (5) of Standing Order No.

91 [Business of Supply] shall apply mutatis mutandis.

The Speaker may, if he thinks fit, increase the number of allotted days.

(4) Thirty minutes before the end of the time permitted on the second allotted day, the Speaker shall, if the debate shall not previously have been concluded, call upon the Minister(4) who moved the motion to reply.
(5) If the end of the time permitted on the second allotted day is reached before the debate has been concluded, the Speaker shall forthwith put any questions necessary to bring the proceedings to a conclusion.

Committee of Supply 90.

There shall be a Committee of the whole Parliament to be called the Committee of Supply for the consideration of all matters referred to it under the provisions of these Standing Orders or by Parliament.

56 Business of Supply 91.


– (1) For the purposes of this Standing Order, the business of Supply shall consist of proceedings on the Main Estimates and Development Estimates whether for the coming or the current financial year, Estimates containing a Vote on Account, Supplementary Estimates, Statements of Excess, Supply Bills and the consideration of reports from the Public Accounts Committee and the Estimates Committee.
(2) (a) More than one item of Supply business can be set down for discussion on any allotted day.

Subject to sub-paragraph (b), on a day allotted to the business of Supply, the business of Supply shall stand as the first order.

So long as the business of Supply has not been completed, no business other than the business of Supply shall be taken after Question Time or before the moment of interruption.
(b) Proceedings on the business of Supply on an allotted day shall be postponed until the following businesses are disposed of: (i) introduction of Government Bills; (ii) business motions moved at the end of Question Time; (iii) complaints or motions affecting the powers and privileges of Parliament being raised or moved under Standing Order No.

100(7) [Standing Select Committees]; (iv) motion for the adjournment of Parliament moved under Standing Order No.
24 [Adjournment on a definite matter of urgent public importance] to discuss a definite matter of urgent public importance; and (v) debate on the Annual Budget Statement.

(3) Proceedings on the business of Supply may continue past the moment of interruption pursuant to: (a) [Deleted wef 8th May 2017] (b) Standing Order No.
24 [Adjournment on a definite matter of urgent public importance]; 57 (ba) a direction of the Speaker that the business of Supply continue until a specified time after the moment of interruption: Provided that such a direction must be made before the first allotted day, and may be made in respect of all or any of the allotted days; (c) an order of Parliament on the motion of a Minister moved under paragraph (4) of this Standing Order; or (d) an order of the Speaker or Chairman to extend time for 30 minutes after the moment of interruption or the time appointed under sub-paragraph (b), (ba) or (c).
(4) A Minister may move a motion under this paragraph to continue the business of Supply until a specified time after the moment of interruption in respect of any or all of the allotted days.

Such a motion may be moved whether or not an order exempting any other business from interruption under Standing Order No.

4 [Exempted business] is in force or not.

Such a motion may be moved in addition to any extensions of time pursuant to paragraph (3) (b), (ba) or (d) of this Standing Order.
Such a motion is to be decided without amendment or debate.

(5) Except with the consent of the Speaker or Chairman, no dilatory motion, including a motion for the adjournment of a debate or a motion that progress be reported or that the Chairman do leave the Chair, shall be moved in proceedings on the business of Supply, and the business shall not be interrupted under any Standing Order other than this Standing Order.

Estimates 92.
Estimates 92.

– (1) Upon the annual estimates of expenditure (hereinafter referred to as the “Estimates’’) comprising estimates of expenditure for the public services proposed to be met from the Consolidated Fund (hereinafter referred to as the “Main Estimates’’) and estimates of expenditure proposed to be met from the Development Fund (hereinafter referred to as the “Development Estimates’’) being laid before Parliament as required by law(25), they shall stand referred to the Committee of Supply.
(2) Seven days shall be allotted for discussion of the Estimates.

The Speaker may, if he thinks fit, increase the number of allotted days.

(3) The Member in charge shall, upon or after presentation of the Estimates, give not less than seven clear days’ notice of the seven allotted days.

58 (4) Any Member may give notice of his intention to move an amendment to any head of expenditure in the Estimates to reduce by a token amount of $100 the total sum to be allocated for that head.
Debate upon this amendment shall be confined to such matters relating to the public services set out in the Estimates as shall be indicated by the Member in his notice of such amendment which shall be given at least four clear days before the first allotted day.

No amendment may be moved to any such amendment.

(5) No amendment to increase the sum to be allocated for any head of expenditure shall be moved except by a Minister(4).
Notice of any such amendment shall be given at least two clear days before the first allotted day.

(6) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (8) of Standing Order No.
48 [Time and manner of speaking and time limit for speeches], in the discussion of any amendment to any head of expenditure in the Committee of Supply, a Member, including the mover of the amendment, shall be entitled to address the Committee for such time as may be determined by the Speaker, subject to the times fixed under paragraph (7) of this Standing Order.
(7) (a) The Speaker shall fix the time on any allotted day at which the consideration of any head of expenditure shall, if not previously disposed of, be concluded.

If the time so fixed is reached before the head concerned is disposed of, the Chairman shall forthwith put every question necessary to dispose of that head.
(b) The Speaker may, if he thinks fit, also allot the time to be allowed for discussion of any amendment to any head of expenditure and shall take such time into account in fixing the time on any allotted day at which the consideration of the head shall be concluded under sub-paragraph (a) of this paragraph.

If the time so allowed has expired before the amendment is disposed of, the Chairman shall forthwith dispose of such amendment.
(8) (a) In the Committee of Supply on the Estimates, the Chairman shall first call the title of each head of expenditure in succession in such order as may be determined by the Speaker and, if no amendment to any head stands on the Order Paper Supplement, put the question in respect of the Main Estimates, “That the sum of $..... for head ..... stand part of the Main Estimates.’’ and thereafter put the question in respect of the Development Estimates, “That the sum of $..... for head ..... stand part of the Development Estimates.’’ and these questions shall be decided without debate.
59 (b) In the case of each head of expenditure, in respect of which an amendment stands on the Order Paper Supplement, the Chairman shall call upon the Member in whose name it stands to move the first amendment standing on the Order Paper Supplement in respect of that head, and when that amendment has been disposed of shall, in like manner, call successively upon any other Members in whose names amendments to that head stand on the Order Paper Supplement.
(9) When every amendment standing on the Order Paper Supplement in respect of any particular head of expenditure has been disposed of, the Chairman shall put the question in respect of the Main Estimates, “That the sum of $..... for head ..... stand part of the Main Estimates’’, (or the amended question, “That the (increased) (reduced) sum of $..... for head ..... stand part of the Main Estimates’’) and thereafter put the question in respect of the Development Estimates, “That the sum of $..... for head ..... stand part of the Development Estimates’’ (or the amended question, “That the (increased) (reduced) sum of $..... for head ..... stand part of the Development Estimates.’’) and these questions shall be decided without debate.
(10) (a) When every head of expenditure has been disposed of, the Chairman shall put the question on the whole Main Estimates, “That the sum of $..... shall be supplied to the Government (to complete the sum necessary(26)) under the heads of expenditure for the public services shown in the Main Estimates (as amended) contained in Paper .....’’, and thereafter put the question on the whole Development Estimates, “That the sum of $..... shall be supplied to the Government (to complete the sum necessary(26)) under the heads of expenditure shown in the Development Estimates (as amended) contained in Paper .....’’, and these questions shall be decided without debate.
(b) Upon those questions being agreed to, the Chairman shall say “Resolutions to be reported’’, and shall leave the Chair without question put.

(11) If any head of expenditure is still under consideration fifteen minutes before the end of the time permitted for the discussion of the Estimates on the last allotted day, the Chairman shall forthwith put every question necessary to dispose of any amendment to that head which has already been moved and of the head itself.
The Chairman shall then forthwith put the questions upon the whole Main Estimates and upon the whole Development Estimates consecutively, no amendment or debate being permitted in respect of such questions.

Upon these questions being agreed to, he shall say “Resolutions to be reported’’, and shall leave the Chair without question put.

60 (12) Upon Parliament resuming, the Member in charge shall report “That the Committee of Supply have come to certain resolutions’’.
The Clerk shall thereupon read the resolutions and the Member in charge shall forthwith move, “That Parliament doth agree with the Committee on the said resolutions’’.

The question upon the motion shall be put and decided without amendment or debate.

Supply Bill, Supplementary Supply Bill and Final Supply Bill 93.

– (1) Upon the introduction of a Supply Bill, a Supplementary Supply Bill or a Final Supply Bill as required by law(27), the procedure upon the Bill shall be as provided in this Standing Order.
(1A) Notwithstanding Standing Order No.

70(1) [Second Reading], the Bill may, after it has been published in the Gazette, be read a second time at any time after the proceedings in the Committee of Supply relating to the Bill have been completed.

(2) One day shall be allotted for the second and third readings of the Bill and the debate on the second reading shall be confined to the general principles of Government policy and administration as indicated in the Bill.
(3) When the Bill has been read a second time, a motion for the third reading shall thereupon be made by the Member in charge.

Such motion shall be decided without debate.

(4) At 7.00 p.m. on the allotted day, the Speaker shall put any questions necessary to bring the proceedings upon the Bill to a conclusion.
(5) When the printed copy of a Supply Bill or a Supplementary Supply Bill, certified by the Speaker to be a true copy of the Bill passed by Parliament, has been submitted by the Clerk to the President for his assent, the Clerk shall publish a notification in the Government Gazette of the date the Bill was so presented.
(6) If the time limit for the President to signify his decision on the Bill is varied under the law(21), a Minister(4) shall notify the Clerk of the varied time limit before the expiry of the varied time limit.

If the President has not signified his decision on the Bill at the end of the time limit under the law(21) for him to make a decision, the Clerk shall publish a notification of this in the Gazette and the Official Report.
(7) If the President assents to a Supply Bill or Supplementary Supply Bill notwithstanding his opinion that the Bill is likely to draw on the reserves which were not accumulated by the Government during its current term of office and his opinion in writing is received by the Speaker, the Speaker shall – 61 (a) if Parliament is sitting, announce the opinion of the President to Parliament; or (b) if Parliament is not then sitting, cause the opinion of the President to be circulated to Members and to be published in the Official Report of the next sitting day following the receipt of the President’s opinion.
(8) [Deleted wef 8th May 2017)] (9) If the President withholds his assent to a Supply Bill or Supplementary Supply Bill and no resolution to overrule the President is passed by Parliament within thirty days of the withholding of assent, as provided by law(28) the Minister in charge of finance may give notice of his intention to move a motion that Parliament authorise expenditure during that financial year in accordance with the law(28).

Vote on Account 94.
Vote on Account 94.

– (1) Upon Estimates containing a Vote on Account being laid before Parliament, they shall stand referred to the Committee of Supply.

(2) One day shall be allotted for the consideration of such Estimates.

(3) The Member in charge shall, upon or after presentation of such Estimates, give not less than seven clear days’ notice of the allotted day.
(4) On the consideration of such Estimates in the Committee of Supply, the provisions of paragraphs (4) to (12) inclusive of Standing Order No.

92 [Estimates] shall apply mutatis mutandis, the final question to be put in Committee of Supply being “That the sum of $..... shall be supplied to the Government on account under the heads of expenditure for the public services specified in the Estimates contained in Paper .....’’.
(5) When a resolution under paragraph (4) of this Standing Order has been agreed to by Parliament, the Clerk shall submit a copy of the resolution, certified by the Speaker to be a true copy of the resolution passed by Parliament, to the President for his concurrence in pursuance of the law(29).
(5A) If the time limit for the President to signify his decision on the resolution is varied under the law(21), a Minister(4) shall notify the Clerk of the varied time limit before the expiry of the varied time limit.

If the President has not signified his decision on the resolution at the end of the time limit under the law(21) for him to make a decision, the Clerk shall publish a notification of this in the Gazette and the Official Report.
62 (6) On receipt of a signification by the President of his concurrence or otherwise with the resolution of Parliament, the Speaker shall – (a) if Parliament is sitting, announce the decision of the President to Parliament; or (b) if Parliament is not then sitting, cause the decision of the President to be circulated to Members and to be published in the Official Report of the next sitting day following receipt of the President’s signification.

Vote of Credit 95.
Vote of Credit 95.

– (1) Upon Estimates containing a Vote of Credit being laid before Parliament, they shall stand referred to the Committee of Supply.

(2) One day shall be allotted for the consideration of such Estimates.

(3) The Member in charge shall, upon or after presentation of such Estimates, give not less than seven clear days’ notice of the allotted day.
(4) On the consideration of such Estimates in the Committee of Supply, the provisions of paragraphs (4) to (12) inclusive of Standing Order No.

92 [Estimates] shall apply mutatis mutandis.

(5) When a resolution under paragraph (4) of this Standing Order has been agreed to by Parliament, the Clerk shall submit a copy of the resolution, certified by the Speaker to be a true copy of the resolution passed by Parliament, to the President for his concurrence in pursuance of the law(28).
(5A) If the time limit for the President to signify his decision on the resolution is varied under the law(21), a Minister(4) shall notify the Clerk of the varied time limit before the expiry of the varied time limit.

If the President has not signified his decision on the resolution at the end of the time limit under the law(21) for him to make a decision, the Clerk shall publish a notification of this in the Gazette and the Official Report.
(6) On receipt of a signification by the President of his concurrence or otherwise with the resolution of Parliament, the Speaker shall – (a) if Parliament is sitting, announce the decision of the President to Parliament; or 63 (b) if Parliament is not then sitting, cause the decision of the President to be circulated to Members and to be published in the Official Report of the next sitting day following receipt of the President’s signification.

Motions on guarantees or loans 96.


– (1) When a resolution for the giving or raising of a guarantee or loan by the Government has been agreed to by Parliament, the Clerk shall submit a copy of the resolution, certified by the Speaker to be a true copy of the resolution passed by Parliament, to the President for his concurrence in pursuance of the law(30).
(1A) If the time limit for the President to signify his decision on the resolution is varied under the law(21), a Minister(4) shall notify the Clerk of the varied time limit before the expiry of the varied time limit.

If the President has not signified his decision on the resolution at the end of the time limit under the law(21) for him to make a decision, the Clerk shall publish a notification of this in the Gazette and the Official Report.
(2) On receipt of a signification by the President of his concurrence or otherwise with the resolution of Parliament, the Speaker shall – (a) if Parliament is sitting, announce the decision of the President to Parliament; or (b) if Parliament is not then sitting, cause the decision of the President to be circulated to Members and to be published in the Official Report of the next sitting day following receipt of the President’s signification.

Supplementary Estimates 97.


– (1) Upon Supplementary Estimates being laid before Parliament as required by law(31), they shall stand referred to the Committee of Supply.

(2) The number of days to be allotted for the consideration of such Estimates shall be at the discretion of the Speaker.

(3) The Member in charge shall, upon or after presentation of the Supplementary Estimates, give not less than seven clear days’ notice of the first allotted day.
64 (4) On the consideration of the Supplementary Estimates in the Committee of Supply, the provisions of paragraphs (4) to (12) inclusive of Standing Order No.

92 [Estimates] shall apply mutatis mutandis.

Statements of Excess 98.

– (1) Upon Statements of Excess being laid before Parliament as required by law(31), they shall stand referred to the Public Accounts Committee.
(2) Upon the report of the Public Accounts Committee being presented to Parliament, the report and the Statements of Excess shall stand referred to the Committee of Supply.

(3) One day shall be allotted for the consideration of such report and the Statements of Excess.

(4) The Minister responsible for finance shall, not later than seven clear days after the presentation of the said report, give not less than seven clear days’ notice of such allotted day.
(5) On the consideration of the report and Statements of Excess in the Committee of Supply, the provisions of paragraphs (4) to (12) inclusive of Standing Order No.

92 [Estimates] shall apply mutatis mutandis.

SELECT COMMITTEES Term of a Standing Select Committee 99.

A Standing Select Committee shall continue for the duration of a Parliament unless Parliament provides otherwise.
The business and proceedings before a Standing Select Committee shall not lapse by reason of a prorogation and shall be proceeded with in the next ensuing session of the same Parliament.

65 Standing Select Committees Committee of Selection 100.
– (1) (a) There shall be a Committee to be known as the Committee of Selection appointed as soon as practicable after the beginning of a Parliament to perform the functions allotted to it by these Standing Orders, and for such other matters as Parliament may from time to time refer to it.
(b) The Committee of Selection shall consist of the Speaker as Chairman, and seven Members of Parliament to be appointed by Parliament, in such manner as shall ensure that, so far as is possible, the balance between the Government benches and the Opposition benches in Parliament is reflected in the Committee.

The Committee shall inform Parliament by means of a report when any Member has been nominated to any Committee.
The Committee shall not have power to send for persons, papers and records unless Parliament so resolves.
Public Accounts Committee (2) There shall be a Committee to be known as the Public Accounts Committee to consist of a Chairman to be appointed by the Speaker and not more than seven Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection, as soon as may be after its appointment, in such manner as shall ensure that, so far as is possible, the balance between the Government benches and the Opposition benches in Parliament is reflected in the Committee.
It shall be the duty of the Committee to examine the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by Parliament to meet the public expenditure and such other accounts laid before Parliament as the Committee may think fit together with the Auditor’s reports thereon.
Estimates Committee (3) There shall be a Committee to be known as the Estimates Committee to consist of a Chairman to be appointed by the Speaker and not more than seven Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection, as soon as may be after its appointment, in such manner as shall ensure that, so far as is possible, the balance between the Government benches and the Opposition benches in Parliament is reflected in the Committee.
It shall be the duty of the Committee to examine any of the Estimates, to report what economies consistent with the policy implied in the Estimates might be effected, and, subject to the provisions of the law(32), to suggest the form in which the Estimates might be presented.
66 Standing Orders Committee (4) (a) There shall be a Committee to be known as the Standing Orders Committee to consist of the Speaker as Chairman, the Deputy Speakers and seven other Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection as soon as may be after its appointment, in such manner as shall ensure that, so far as is possible, the balance between the Government benches and the Opposition benches in Parliament is reflected in the Committee.
It shall be the duty of the Committee to consider from time to time and report on all matters relating to the Standing Orders which may be referred to it by Parliament.

The Committee shall not have power to send for persons, papers and records unless Parliament so resolves.
(b) If a notice of motion involves any proposal for the amendment of Standing Orders, the notice shall be accompanied by a draft of the proposed amendments, and the motion, when proposed, shall stand referred without any question being proposed thereon to the Standing Orders Committee and no further proceedings shall be taken on any such motion until the Standing Orders Committee has reported thereon.
House Committee (5) There shall be a Committee to be known as the House Committee, to consist of the Speaker as Chairman and seven Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection as soon as may be after its appointment, in such manner as shall ensure that, so far as is possible, the balance between the Government benches and the Opposition benches in Parliament is reflected in the Committee.
It shall be the duty of the Committee to consider and advise the Speaker upon all matters connected with the comfort and convenience of Members of Parliament.

The Committee shall from time to time report its minutes of proceedings to Parliament.
Public Petitions Committee (6) There shall be a Committee to be known as the Public Petitions Committee to consist of the Speaker as Chairman and seven Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection as soon as may be after its appointment, in such manner as shall ensure that, so far as is possible, the balance between the Government benches and the Opposition benches in Parliament is reflected in the Committee.
It shall be the duty of the Committee to consider all Petitions referred to it under the provisions of Standing Order No.

18 [Petitions], to classify such Petitions, prepare abstracts thereof in such form and manner as shall appear to it best suited to convey to Parliament all requisite information respecting their contents and the signatures attached thereto and to report the same from time to time to Parliament.
67 Committee of Privileges (7) (a) (i) There shall be a Committee to be known as the Committee of Privileges to consist of the Speaker as Chairman and seven Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection, as soon as may be after its appointment, in such manner as shall ensure that, so far as is possible, the balance between the Government benches and the Opposition benches in Parliament is reflected in the Committee.
There shall be referred to this Committee any complaint of breach of privilege or any matter which appears to affect the powers and privileges of Parliament.

It shall be the duty of the Committee to consider any such matters referred to it, and to report on them to Parliament.
(ii) The Speaker shall, in the event of any Member of the Committee being a complainant or being complained against, or being involved in the matter referred to the Committee, suspend him from the service of the Committee until such time as the Committee has reported upon the matter referred to it.

Upon such suspension, the Speaker shall nominate another Member in the place of such Member on the Committee.
Such other Member shall cease to be a Member of the Committee after the Committee has reported upon the matter referred to it.
(b) Whenever Parliament is sitting, any Member may rise at any time to make a complaint alleging a breach of privilege suddenly arising, and if the Speaker is satisfied that the matter complained of prima facie affects the privileges of Parliament and that it has been raised at the earliest opportunity, the same shall stand referred, without any question, to the Committee and no further proceedings shall be taken in the matter until the Committee has reported thereon.
(c) Whenever Parliament is not sitting, a Member may make a complaint in writing to the Speaker alleging a breach of privilege, and, if the Speaker is satisfied that the matter complained of prima facie affects the privileges of Parliament and that it has been raised at the earliest opportunity, he shall refer such matter to the Committee which shall report thereon to Parliament.
(d) (i) Upon a motion complaining of a breach of privilege or affecting the powers and privileges of Parliament being moved, the same shall stand referred without any question being proposed thereon to the Committee and no further proceedings shall be taken on such motion until the Committee has reported thereon.
(ii) Such a motion may be moved without notice if the Speaker is satisfied that the matter raised does, prima facie, affect the powers and privileges of Parliament and has been raised at the earliest opportunity.

68 (e) The Leader of the House shall, upon receiving notice from the Clerk that copies of a report from the Committee have been made available to Members, give notice of a motion expressing the opinion of Parliament in regard to the report.

The provisions of paragraph (5) of Standing Order No.
105 [Reports from Select Committees] shall not apply to a report from the Committee.

(f) Any motion complaining of a breach of privilege or affecting the powers and privileges of Parliament and any motion relating to a report of the Committee shall take precedence over public business and shall be moved at the time appointed by Standing Order No.

10 [Order of business].


(g) Nothing in this or any other Standing Order shall be taken to deprive Parliament and the Speaker of the power to deal summarily, in accordance with these Standing Orders or any provision of law, with any breach of privilege committed in the actual view of Parliament or in the precincts thereof when Parliament is sitting or in any committee of Parliament.
(h) The expression “breach of privilege’’ shall include any contempt of Parliament, and the expressions “powers and privileges of Parliament’’ or “privileges of Parliament’’ shall include the powers and privileges or the privileges of the Speaker, the Members and the committees of Parliament.

Other Select Committees 101.


– (1) A Select Committee other than a Standing Select Committee or Select Committee on a Bill shall be appointed on motion made after notice given, and shall, unless Parliament otherwise orders, consist of such Members as may be nominated by the Committee of Selection, in such manner as shall ensure that, so far as is possible, the balance between the Government benches and the Opposition benches in Parliament is reflected in the Committee.
(2) Unless Parliament appoints the Chairman, a Select Committee shall elect a Chairman from among its Members: Provided that a Committee may, if it so desires, by resolution elect the Speaker as its Chairman, notwithstanding that the Speaker is not a member of the Committee.

69 Vacancies in Select Committees 102.


The Speaker may, in the event of any vacancy in any Select Committee or if he is satisfied that a Member is unable to continue to serve on any Select Committee, nominate another Member to take the place of such Member on such Select Committee.

As soon as may be after such nomination, the Clerk shall give notice thereof to Members, and every such nomination shall be announced to Parliament at its next sitting.

Procedure of Select Committees 103.


– (1) Except as otherwise provided in Standing Order No.

100 [Standing Select Committees] this Standing Order shall apply to all Select Committees.

(2) A Select Committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records, and shall have leave to report its opinion and observations, together with the minutes of evidence taken before it, to Parliament.
(3) If the Chairman is unable to be present at any meeting, the Committee shall elect from among its members another Chairman whose tenure of office shall be for the day of his election only.

This provision shall not apply if the Speaker is the Chairman of the Committee.

(4) Unless Parliament otherwise directs, three Members (besides the Chairman) or, if the number of the Select Committee does not exceed four, two Members (besides the Chairman) shall be the quorum.
If, at any time during a sitting of a Select Committee, a quorum shall not be present, the Chairman shall suspend the proceedings of the Committee until a quorum be present, or adjourn the Committee to some future day.

(5) Unless the Committee resolves otherwise, a meeting of a Select Committee shall be held in private.

Strangers and other Members may not be admitted to a Select Committee when the Committee is deliberating or hearing evidence in private.
Admission of persons to Select Committees shall be subject to such rules as the Speaker may make from time to time.

(6) The deliberations of a Select Committee shall be confined to the matter referred to it by Parliament and any extension or limitation thereof made by Parliament.

70 (7) The first meeting of a Select Committee shall be held at such time and place as the Chairman in the case of a Standing Select Committee, or the Speaker in the case of any other Select Committee, shall appoint.
Such subsequent meetings shall be held at such time and place as the Committee may determine: Provided that – (a) if the Committee fails to do so, the Chairman shall, in consultation with the Clerk of Parliament, appoint such time and place; and (b) no Select Committee shall meet outside the Parliament building unless power to do so has been specifically given to that Committee by Parliament.

(8) Except by leave of Parliament, no Select Committee shall sit while Parliament is sitting.
Should a Select Committee be unable to sit by reason of Parliament sitting at a time appointed for a meeting of the Select Committee, the Chairman of the Select Committee shall, in consultation with the Clerk, appoint some other time and place for such meeting.

(9) A Select Committee may continue its investigations although Parliament may be adjourned.

(10) The Clerk of Parliament or his deputy appointed by him shall be the Clerk to every Select Committee.
(11) Every Select Committee shall have the right to the services of a reporter.

(12) When it is intended to examine any witnesses, the Member of Parliament, or in the case of a private or hybrid Bill, the petitioner requiring such witnesses shall deliver to the Clerk, two clear days at least before the day appointed for their examination, a list containing the name, residence and occupation of every witness.

The Clerk shall then summon such witnesses on behalf of Parliament.
(13) (a) Except as provided for under sub-paragraph (b) of this paragraph, the evidence given before a Select Committee or any part thereof shall not be disclosed or provided to any person other than a Member of the Committee unless authorised by the Chairman, or, in his absence or incapacity, by the Speaker.

71 (b) Where the minutes of evidence of a witness are to be included in the report of the Committee, such minutes shall be sent to the witness.
If the witness does not, in writing addressed to the Chief Reporter and Editor, seek to make any change in the minutes of evidence within seventy-two hours from the time when the copy of the minutes was despatched, the minutes shall be printed without correction.
Any dispute as to the correctness of the minutes of evidence and any request for any material change in the minutes of evidence shall be referred to the Chairman who shall rule thereon and shall direct that the minutes be printed in accordance with his ruling which shall not be called in question.

(14) The Committee may at its discretion refuse to hear any irrelevant evidence or any recalcitrant witness and may reject any irrelevant representation.
(15) (a) Any Member of a Select Committee may bring up a report for its consideration, and all such reports shall be entered in full upon the minutes of the Committee.

When all the reports have been brought up, the Chairman shall propose the reports in turn until one is accepted as a basis for discussion, beginning with his own report and proceeding with the remainder in the order in which they were brought up.
The question to be proposed by the Chairman on any report shall be, “That the Chairman’s (or Mr. .......’s) report be read a second time paragraph by paragraph’’.

When this question has been agreed to, it shall not be proposed on any further reports, but any portions thereof may be offered as amendments to the report under consideration if they are relevant to it.
(b) The Committee shall then proceed to go through the report paragraph by paragraph and the provisions of paragraphs (1) to (13) of Standing Order No.

74 [Procedure in Committee of the whole Parliament on a Bill] other than the provision requiring two clear days’ notice of amendments shall apply to such consideration as if the report were a Bill and the paragraphs thereof the clauses of the Bill.
(c) Upon the conclusion of the consideration of the report paragraph by paragraph and when all proposed new paragraphs have been considered, the Chairman shall put the question “That this report be the report of the Committee to Parliament’’.

(16) In a Select Committee on a Bill, the Chairman shall have all the powers of a Chairman of a Committee of the whole Parliament on a Bill.

72 Voting in Select Committees 104.

– (1) All questions in Select Committees shall be decided by a majority of votes.
(2) No Member may speak to a question after the same has been fully put by the Chairman.

(3) The question is fully put when the Chairman has collected the voices both of the “Ayes’’ and of the “Noes’’.

(4) When the Chairman has put the question, he shall collect the voices of the “Ayes’’ and “Noes’’ and, provided that no Member then claims a division, shall declare the result.
(5) Every division in a Select Committee shall be taken by the Clerk to the Committee asking each Member of the Committee separately how he desires to vote and recording the votes accordingly.

(6) In taking the division, the names of all Members of the Committee shall be called in alphabetical order.

(7) When a division is claimed, it shall be taken by voices “Ayes’’ and “Noes’’.
The Clerk to the Committee shall enter in the Minutes of Proceedings a record of each Member’s vote and of the names of Members who abstain from voting.

A Member shall not vote in a manner inconsistent with any opinion which he may have expressed when the voices were taken collectively.

(8) As soon as the Clerk has collected the votes, the Chairman shall state the number of Members voting for the “Ayes’’ and “Noes’’ respectively and shall then declare the result of the division.
The Chairman shall vote in the same manner and to the same extent as is permitted to him when in Parliament or in a Committee of the whole Parliament.

When on a division the votes are equal, the question shall pass in the negative.
(9) If a Member of the Committee states that he voted in error or that his vote has been wrongly counted, he may claim to have his vote altered, provided that such request is made as soon as the Chairman has announced the numbers and before he shall have declared the result of the division.

(10) The provisions of Standing Order No.

65 [Procedure to disallow vote of Member having a direct personal pecuniary interest] shall apply to divisions under this Standing Order.
73 Reports from Select Committees 105.

– (1) Except in a case of prorogation, every Select Committee shall make a report to Parliament upon the matters referred to them before the end of the session, and if a Committee finds itself unable to conclude its investigations before the end of the session, it shall so report to Parliament.
(2) A Select Committee shall have leave to make a special report relating to the powers, functions and proceedings of the Committee on any matters which it may think fit to bring to the notice of Parliament.
(3) A report or special report, together with the Minutes of Proceedings of a Select Committee and the minutes of evidence taken before that Committee, shall be presented to Parliament by the Chairman or other Member deputed by the Committee: Provided that the Committee may at its discretion exclude from its report the minutes of evidence taken in private.
(4) The Minutes of Proceedings of a Committee shall record all proceedings upon the consideration of any report or Bill in the Committee and upon every amendment proposed to such report or Bill, together with a note of any division taken in the Committee and of the names of Members voting therein or abstaining from voting.
(5) Any Member may, after not less than seven clear days’ notice, move in Parliament that the report of a Select Committee, other than a report of a Select Committee on a Bill, be adopted.

Term of a Select Committee and effect of prorogation 106.

– (1) The provisions of this Standing Order shall apply to any business before any Select Committee, other than a Standing Select Committee or Select Committee on a Bill.
(2) The term and business of every Select Committee which has not presented its final report shall not lapse upon the prorogation of Parliament and shall be carried over to the next session of the same Parliament and continue from the stage that it had reached in the preceding session.

74 MISCELLANEOUS Suspension of Standing Orders 107.
A question the object or effect of which may be to suspend any Standing Order of Parliament shall be proposed only either after notice given or after the expression of the general assent of Parliament.

Employment of Members in professional capacity 108.

No Member of Parliament shall appear before Parliament or any Committee thereof as Counsel or Solicitor for any party, or in any capacity for which he is to receive a fee or reward.

Strangers 109.
Strangers 109.

– (1) Strangers shall be admitted to debates in the Parliament Chamber under such rules as the Speaker may make from time to time.

(2) If any Member takes notice that strangers are present, the Speaker, or in Committee the Chairman, shall put forthwith the question “That strangers do withdraw’’, without permitting any debate or amendment.
(3) When strangers have withdrawn pursuant to an order of Parliament, any Member may without notice move “That strangers be now admitted’’ and the Chairman shall forthwith put the question without permitting any debate or amendment.

A Member who has made such a motion shall not be entitled to move any similar motion during the same sitting.
(4) The Speaker, or the Chairman, may, whenever he thinks fit, order the withdrawal of strangers from the whole or any part of the Parliament Chamber and from the precincts of Parliament.

(5) The Speaker may grant a general permission to the representative of any media to attend the sittings of Parliament under such rules as he may make from time to time for that purpose.

If such rules are contravened, such permission may be revoked.

Residuary powers 110.


Any matter not provided for by these Standing Orders and any question relating to the interpretation or application of any Standing Order shall be regulated in such manner as the Speaker may decide, having regard but not limited to the relevant practice of the Commons House of Parliament of the United Kingdom.

75 Authorised Reprint of Standing Orders 111.

– (1) The Speaker may, from time to time, direct the Clerk to prepare a reprint of the Standing Orders.
A reprint must be approved by the Speaker and presented to Parliament.

Upon presentation to Parliament, a reprint shall be deemed to be the authentic text of the Standing Orders.
(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1) of this Standing Order, the Clerk may, or the Speaker may direct the Clerk to — (a) include any ruling of the Speaker in the reprint; (b) supply or modify tables, headings, notes, indexes or other supplementary material; (c) alter the order of the Standing Orders or renumber any Standing Order; (d) alter the form of arrangement of any Standing Order by transposing words, by combining it in whole or in part with another Standing Order or by dividing it into two or more Standing Orders; (e) sub-divide the Standing Orders into Parts or other Divisions; (f) correct grammatical, typographical and similar mistakes in any Standing Order and to make additions, omissions or alterations not affecting the meaning of any Standing Order; (g) make such formal alterations as to names, localities, departments, offices, titles and otherwise as may be necessary to bring the Standing Orders into conformity with the circumstances of Singapore; (h) include or correct cross-references; (i) delete any words, expressions, nomenclature or other provisions in the Standing Orders which have expired or become obsolete, and to substitute therefor, where necessary, appropriate words, expressions, nomenclature or provisions; and (j) do all other things relating to form and method which may be necessary for the perfecting of a reprint of the Standing Orders.
76 NOTES (1) Article 64 of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore: – Sessions of Parliament “64.

– (1) There shall be a session of Parliament once at least in every year and a period of 6 months shall not intervene between the last sitting of Parliament in any one session and the first sitting thereof in the next session.
(2) The sessions of Parliament shall be held in such places and shall commence at such times as the President may, from time to time, by Proclamation in the Gazette, appoint.” (2) Article 56 of the Constitution: – Quorum “56.
If objection is taken by any Member present that there are present (besides the Speaker or other Member presiding) fewer than one-quarter of the total number of Members and, after such interval as may be prescribed in the Standing Orders of Parliament, the Speaker or other Member presiding ascertains that the number of Members present is still less than one-quarter of the total number of Members, he shall thereupon adjourn Parliament.” (3) Articles 54 and 43 of the Constitution: – Presiding in Parliament “54.
The Speaker shall preside at each sitting of Parliament.” 77 Performance of functions of Speaker “43.
The functions conferred by this Constitution upon the Speaker shall, if there is no person holding the office of Speaker or if the Speaker is absent from a sitting of Parliament or is otherwise unable to perform those functions, be performed by a Deputy Speaker, or if there be no Deputy Speaker or if he is likewise absent or unable to perform those functions, by some other person to be elected by Parliament for the purpose.” (4) “Minister” is interpreted to mean a Minister of the Cabinet.
(5) The proceedings on the Address of Thanks for the President’s speech, the resumed Debate on the Annual Budget Statement and Business of Supply are taken immediately after the end of Question Time on an allotted day, and all business (other than the introduction of a Government Bill, or a business motion being moved at the end of Question Time, or complaints or motions affecting the powers and privileges of Parliament) set down on the Order Paper will be interrupted or suspended.
(6) Article 40(1) to (3) and Article 61 of the Constitution: – Speaker “40.

– (1) When Parliament first meets after any general election and before it proceeds to the despatch of any other business, it shall elect a person to be Speaker, and, whenever the office of Speaker is vacant otherwise than by reason of a dissolution of Parliament, shall not transact any business other than the election of a person to fill that office.
(2) The Speaker may be elected, in such manner as Parliament may from time to time decide, either from among the Members of Parliament who are neither Ministers nor Parliamentary Secretaries or from among persons who are not Members of Parliament: Provided that a person who is not a Member of Parliament shall not be elected as Speaker if, under any of the provisions of this Constitution, he is not qualified for election as a Member of Parliament.
78 (3) Upon the Speaker being elected and before he enters upon the duties of his office, he shall (unless he has already done so in accordance with Article 61) take and subscribe before Parliament the Oath of Allegiance in the form set out in the First Schedule.” Oath of Allegiance “61.
No Member of Parliament shall be permitted to take part in the proceedings thereof (other than proceedings necessary for the purpose of this Article) until he has taken and subscribed before Parliament the Oath of Allegiance in the form set out in the First Schedule: Provided that the election of a Speaker may take place before the Members of Parliament have taken and subscribed such Oath.” (7) Articles 61, 2(7) and 40(3) and the First Schedule of the Constitution: – Oath of Allegiance “61.
No Member of Parliament shall be permitted to take part in the proceedings thereof (other than proceedings necessary for the purpose of this Article) until he has taken and subscribed before Parliament the Oath of Allegiance in the form set out in the First Schedule: Provided that the election of a Speaker may take place before the Members of Parliament have taken and subscribed such Oath.” “2.
– (7) Where a person is required by this Constitution to take an oath, he shall be permitted, if he so desires, to comply with that requirement by making an affirmation.” “40.

– (3) Upon the Speaker being elected and before he enters upon the duties of his office, he shall (unless he has already done so in accordance with Article 61) take and subscribe before Parliament the Oath of Allegiance in the form set out in the First Schedule.” 79 “FIRST SCHEDULE 3.

Oath as Member of Parliament.
I, ............................., having been elected as a member of the Parliament of Singapore, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully discharge my duties as such to the best of my ability, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Republic of Singapore, and that I will preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore.” (8) Article 22N(1) to (3) of the Constitution: – Persons to exercise functions of President when office is vacant “22N.
– (1) If the office of President becomes vacant, the Chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers or, if he is unavailable, the Speaker shall exercise the functions of the office of President during the period between the date the office of President becomes vacant and the assumption of office by the person declared elected as President.
(2) If neither the Chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers nor the Speaker is available, Parliament may appoint a person in accordance with clause (3) to exercise the functions of the office of President during the period referred to in clause (1).

(3) Parliament shall not appoint any person to exercise the functions of the office of President under clause (2) unless the person is qualified to be elected as President.” (9) Article 42(1) and (2)(a) and (b) of the Constitution: – Deputy Speaker “42.
– (1) Parliament shall from time to time elect two Deputy Speakers; and whenever the office of a Deputy Speaker is vacant otherwise than by reason of a dissolution of Parliament, Parliament shall, as soon as convenient, elect a person to that office.
80 (2) (a) A Deputy Speaker may be elected, in such manner as Parliament may from time to time decide, either from among the Members of Parliament who are neither Ministers nor Parliamentary Secretaries or from among persons who are not Members of Parliament: Provided that a person who is not a Member of Parliament shall not be elected as Deputy Speaker if, under any of the provisions of this Constitution, he is not qualified for election as a Member of Parliament.
(b) Upon a Deputy Speaker being elected and before he enters upon the duties of his office, he shall (unless he has already done so in accordance with Article 61) take and subscribe before Parliament the Oath of Allegiance in the form set out in the First Schedule.” (10) Article 22L(3) and Article 37IF(1) and (3) of the Constitution: – “22L.
– (3) The Prime Minister or not less than one-quarter of the total number of Members of Parliament (excluding nominated Members) may give notice of a motion alleging that the President is permanently incapable of discharging the functions of his office by reason of mental or physical infirmity or that the President has been guilty of — (a) intentional violation of the Constitution; (b) treason; (c) misconduct or corruption involving the abuse of the powers of his office; (d) any offence involving fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude; or (e) intentionally or knowingly making a materially false or misleading statement of fact, or intentionally or knowingly failing to state a material fact, to the Presidential Elections Committee for the purpose of demonstrating his eligibility to be elected as President, and setting out full particulars of the allegations made and seeking an inquiry and report thereon.” 81 Referred cases — Parliament may overrule Presidential veto exercised contrary to Council’s recommendation “37IF.
– (1) Parliament may, by resolution, overrule the President, if — (a) in a case referred to the Council under Article 37IB, the President acts in his discretion to — (i) refuse to give the assent, concurrence or approval that was sought; or (ii) disapprove a proposed transaction under Article 22B(7), 22D(6) or 148G(2); and (b) the President’s decision was made contrary to the Council’s recommendation.
(3) Despite clause (1) — (a) a refusal by the President to approve a budget, revised budget or supplementary budget of an entity specified in the Fifth Schedule; and (b) a decision by the President to disapprove under Article 22B(7) or 22D(6) a proposed transaction by an entity specified in the Fifth Schedule, cannot be overruled unless the chairman of the entity or the chairman of the board of directors of the entity (as the case may be) has made a request to the Cabinet for a resolution under clause (1) to be moved with respect to the refusal or the decision.” (11) See Article 37IF(1) and (3) of the Constitution in Note 10.
(12) Article 53 of the Constitution: – Use of languages in Parliament “53.

Until the Legislature otherwise provides, all debates and discussions in Parliament shall be conducted in Malay, English, Mandarin or Tamil.

82 (13) See Article 22L(3) of the Constitution in Note 10.

(14) Article 99 of the Constitution: – Restriction on Parliamentary discussion of conduct of a Judge of Supreme Court “99.
The conduct of a Judge of the Supreme Court or a Judicial Commissioner, a Senior Judge or an International Judge of the Supreme Court shall not be discussed in Parliament except on a substantive motion of which notice has been given by not less than one-quarter of the total number of the Members of Parliament.” (15) Articles 57, 55 and 39(2) of the Constitution: – Voting “57.
– (1) Subject to this Constitution, all questions proposed for decision in Parliament shall be determined by a majority of the votes of the Members present and voting; and if, upon any question before Parliament, the votes of the Members are equally divided, the motion shall be lost.
(2) If the Speaker has been elected from among persons who are not Members of Parliament, he shall not vote, but subject to this provision, the Speaker or other person presiding shall have an original vote but no casting vote.” Validity of proceedings of Parliament “55.
Parliament shall not be disqualified for the transaction of business by reason of any vacancy among the Members thereof, including any vacancy not filled when Parliament is first constituted or is reconstituted at any time; and any proceedings therein shall be valid notwithstanding that some person who was not entitled to do so sat or voted in Parliament or otherwise took part in the proceedings.” 83 “39.
– (2) A nominated Member shall not vote in Parliament on any motion pertaining to — (a) a Bill to amend the Constitution; (b) a Supply Bill, Supplementary Supply Bill or Final Supply Bill; (c) a Money Bill as defined in Article 68; (d) a vote of no confidence in the Government; (e) removing the President from office under Article 22L; and (f) any question on which nominated Members are excluded by this Constitution from the number of Members required for an affirmative decision.” (16) Articles 5(2), 22L(4) and (7), 37IF(2)(c), 57(1) and 78(6)(c) of the Constitution: – “5.
– (2) A Bill seeking to amend any provision in this Constitution shall not be passed by Parliament unless it has been supported on Second and Third Readings by the votes of not less than two-thirds of the total number of Members of Parliament (excluding nominated Members).

“22L.
“22L.

– (4) Where the motion referred to in clause (3) has been adopted by not less than half of the total number of Members of Parliament (excluding nominated Members), the Chief Justice shall appoint a tribunal to inquire into the allegations made against the President.
(7) Where the tribunal reports to the Speaker that in its opinion the President is permanently incapable of discharging the functions of his office by reason of mental or physical infirmity or that the President has been guilty of any of the other allegations contained in such resolution, Parliament may by a resolution passed by not less than three-quarters of the total number of Members of Parliament (excluding nominated Members) remove the President from office.” “37IF.
– (2) A resolution under clause (1) — (c) must be passed by no less than two-thirds of the total number of Members of Parliament (excluding nominated Members).” 84 Voting “57.

– (1) Subject to this Constitution, all questions proposed for decision in Parliament shall be determined by a majority of the votes of the Members present and voting; and if, upon any question before Parliament, the votes of the Members are equally divided, the motion shall be lost.” “78.
– (6) No Bill to which this Article applies shall be presented to the President for assent unless it is accompanied by a certificate under the hand of the Speaker stating that — (c) notwithstanding the opinion of the Council# that some specified provision of the Bill would, if enacted, be a differentiating measure, a motion for the presentation of the Bill to the President for assent has been passed by not less than two-thirds of the total number of Members of Parliament (excluding nominated Members).” (17) Section 32 of the Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act (Chapter 217): – Member to disclose pecuniary interest “32.
A Member shall not in or before Parliament or any committee take part in the discussion of any matter in which he has a direct personal pecuniary interest without disclosing the extent of that interest and shall not in any circumstances vote upon any such matter.” (18) Article 59 of the Constitution: – Introduction of Bills “59.
– (1) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution and of Standing Orders of Parliament, any Member may introduce any Bill or propose any motion for debate in, or may present any petition to, Parliament, and the same shall be debated and disposed of according to the Standing Orders of Parliament.
# Presidential Council for Minority Rights 85 (2) A Bill or an amendment making provision (directly or indirectly) for – (a) imposing or increasing any tax or abolishing, reducing or remitting any existing tax; (b) the borrowing of money, or the giving of any guarantee, by the Government, or the amendment of the law relating to the financial obligations of the Government; (c) the custody of the Consolidated Fund, the charging of any money on the Consolidated Fund or the abolition or alteration of any such charge; (d) the payment of moneys into the Consolidated Fund or the payment, issue or withdrawal from the Consolidated Fund of any moneys not charged thereon, or any increase in the amount of such a payment, issue or withdrawal; or (e) the receipt of any moneys on account of the Consolidated Fund or the custody or issue of such moneys, being provision as respects which the Minister responsible for finance signifies that it goes beyond what is incidental only and not of a substantial nature having regard to the purposes of the Bill or amendment, shall not be introduced or moved except on the recommendation of the President signified by a Minister.
(3) A Bill or amendment shall not be deemed to make provision for any of the said matters by reason only that it provides for the imposition or alteration of any fine or other pecuniary penalty or for the payment or demand of a licence fee or a fee or charge for any service rendered.” 86 (19) Article 60 of the Constitution: – Words of enactment of laws “60.
In every Bill presented for assent, the words of enactment shall be as follows: – “Be it enacted by the President with the advice and consent of the Parliament of Singapore, as follows:”.” (20) Articles 78 and 68 of the Constitution: – Copies of Bills and amendments thereto to be sent to the Council “78.
– (1) Immediately after any Bill to which this Article applies has been given a final reading and passed by Parliament and before it is presented to the President for assent, the Speaker shall cause an authenticated copy of the Bill to be sent to the Council#.
(2) The Council# shall consider the Bill and shall, within 30 days of the date on which the Bill was sent to the Council#, make a report to the Speaker stating whether or not in the opinion of the Council# any and, if so, which provision of the Bill would, if enacted, be a differentiating measure.

(3) Whenever after the receipt of an adverse report from the Council#, the Bill to which it relates is amended by Parliament, the Speaker shall cause the Bill in its amended form to be sent again to the Council#.
(4) On the application of the Chairman, the Speaker may extend, as he thinks fit, the period of 30 days prescribed by clause (2), where he considers it proper to do so on account of the length or complexity of any Bill or the number of matters for the time being under consideration by the Council# or for any sufficient reason.
# Presidential Council for Minority Rights 87 (5) The Speaker shall cause every report received by him from the Council# in pursuance of clause (2) to be presented to Parliament without undue delay.

Where the Speaker receives no such report on the Bill within the time provided in clause (2), or any extension thereof granted under clause (4), it shall be conclusively presumed that the Council# is of the opinion that no provision of the Bill would, if enacted, be a differentiating measure.
(6) No Bill to which this Article applies shall be presented to the President for assent unless it is accompanied by a certificate under the hand of the Speaker stating that — (a) in the opinion of the Council# no provision of the Bill would, if enacted, be a differentiating measure; (b) no report having been received from the Council# within the time prescribed or any extension thereof, the Council# is presumed to be of the opinion that no provision of the Bill would, if enacted, be a differentiating measure; or (c) notwithstanding the opinion of the Council# that some specified provision of the Bill would, if enacted, be a differentiating measure, a motion for the presentation of the Bill to the President for assent has been passed by not less than two-thirds of the total number of Members of Parliament (excluding nominated Members).
(7) This Article shall not apply to — (a) a Money Bill; (b) a Bill certified by the Prime Minister as being one which affects the defence or the security of Singapore or which relates to public safety, peace or good order in Singapore; or (c) a Bill certified by the Prime Minister to be so urgent that it is not in the public interest to delay its enactment.
(8) A Bill shall be deemed to be a Money Bill if the Speaker certifies in writing that, in his opinion, it is a Bill to which the definition of “Money Bill” contained in Article 68 applies.

No Money Bill shall be presented to the President for assent, unless it is accompanied by the Speaker’s certificate which shall be conclusive for all purposes and shall not be open to question in any court.” # Presidential Council for Minority Rights 88 Interpretation of this Part “68.
In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires – “Money Bill” means a Bill which contains only provisions dealing with all or any of the following matters: – (a) the imposition, repeal, remission, alteration or regulation of taxation; (b) the imposition, for the payment of debt or other financial purposes, of charges on the Consolidated Fund or any other public funds, or the variation or repeal of any such charges; (c) the grant of money to the Government or to any authority or person, or the variation or evocation of any such grant; (d) the appropriation, receipt, custody, investment, issue or audit of accounts of public money; (e) the raising or guarantee of any loan or the repayment thereof, of the establishment, alteration, administration or abolition of any sinking fund provided in connection with any such loan; (f) subordinate matters which are ancillary or incidental to any of the foregoing matters.” (21) Article 21A of the Constitution: – General time limit for President to exercise discretionary powers “21A.—(1) In any particular case where this Constitution authorises the President to act in his discretion in assenting to, concurring with, approving, disapproving or confirming any matter, the President must signify his decision within the specified period — (a) after his assent, concurrence, approval or confirmation is sought; or (b) after he is informed of a proposed transaction under Article 22B(6), 22D(5) or 148G(1), 89 as the case may be.
(2) Subject to any reduction or extension under clause (3), the specified period for the purposes of clause (1) is — (a) 30 days for the following matters: (i) whether to concur with the introduction of a Bill to which Article 5A or 5B* applies; (ii) whether to assent to a Supply Bill, Supplementary Supply Bill, Final Supply Bill or a Bill to which Article 5C* or 22H applies; (iii) whether to concur under Article 22G with the making of an inquiry or the carrying out of an investigation by the Director of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau; (iv) whether to confirm under Article 22I a restraining order made under the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act (Cap.
167A); (v) whether to concur under Article 151(4) with the detention or further detention of a person; and (b) 6 weeks in all other cases.
(3) In any particular case, the specified period in clause (2) may — (a) if the Prime Minister certifies to the President at the time the President’s decision is sought or at any time thereafter that the case is so urgent that it is not in the public interest to delay a decision, be reduced to the period certified by the Prime Minister (which must not end less than 15 days after the date of the certificate); or (b) be extended according to any agreement between the President, acting in his discretion, and the Cabinet.
(4) For the purposes of Articles 5C(1)* and 22H(1), if a reference is made under Article 5C(2)* or 22H(2), respectively, the time from the making of the reference to the tribunal’s pronouncement of its opinion is not counted towards the specified period.

*Articles 5A and 5B are not in operation.

*Article 5C is not in operation.
90 (5) If in any particular case the President fails to signify his decision within the specified period, the President is deemed to have, at the end of that period — (a) subject to paragraph (c), given the assent, concurrence, approval or confirmation sought in that case; (b) (c) in a case under Article 22B(7), 22D(6) or 148G(2), declined to disapprove the proposed transaction that the President was informed of; or in a case under Article 22G, refused to concur with the making of an inquiry or the carrying out of an investigation by the Director of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau, as the case may be.
(6) This Article does not apply to the President’s discretion under this Constitution to withhold consent to a request for a dissolution of Parliament.” (22) Articles 22E, 22H(1), 144(2) and 148A(1) of the Constitution: – Moneys of the Central Provident Fund “22E.
The President, acting in his discretion, may withhold his assent to any Bill passed by Parliament which provides, directly or indirectly, for varying, changing or increasing the powers of the Central Provident Fund Board to invest the moneys belonging to the Central Provident Fund.” President may withhold assent to Bill circumventing or curtailing his power “22H.
– (1) The President may, acting in his discretion, in writing withhold his assent to any Bill (other than a Bill seeking to amend this Constitution), if the Bill or any provision therein provides, directly or indirectly, for the circumvention or curtailment of the discretionary powers conferred upon the President by this Constitution.” 91 “144.
– (2) The President, acting in his discretion, may withhold his assent to any Bill passed by Parliament providing directly or indirectly for the borrowing of money, the giving of any guarantee or the raising of any loan by the Government if, in the opinion of the President, the Bill is likely to draw on the reserves of the Government which were not accumulated by the Government during its current term of office.” Withholding of assent to Supply Bill, etc.

“148A.
– (1) The President may, acting in his discretion, withhold his assent to any Supply Bill, Supplementary Supply Bill or Final Supply Bill for any financial year if, in his opinion, the estimates of revenue and expenditure for that year, the supplementary estimates or the statement of excess, as the case may be, are likely to lead to a drawing on the reserves which were not accumulated by the Government during its current term of office, except that if the President assents to any such Bill notwithstanding his opinion that the estimates, supplementary estimates or statement of excess are likely to lead to a drawing on those reserves, the President shall state his opinion in writing addressed to the Speaker and shall cause his opinion to be published in the Gazette.” (23) Article 78(1), (6)(c), (7) and (8) and Article 68 of the Constitution: – Copies of Bills and amendments thereto to be sent to Council “78.
– (1) Immediately after any Bill to which this Article applies has been given a final reading and passed by Parliament and before it is presented to the President for assent, the Speaker shall cause an authenticated copy of the Bill to be sent to the Council#.
(6) No Bill to which this Article applies shall be presented to the President for assent unless it is accompanied by a certificate under the hand of the Speaker stating that – (c) notwithstanding the opinion of the Council# that some specified provision of the Bill would, if enacted, be a differentiating measure, a motion for the presentation of the Bill to the President for assent has been passed by the affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of the total membership of Parliament.” # Presidential Council for Minority Rights 92 (7) This Article shall not apply to — (a) a Money Bill; (b) a Bill certified by the Prime Minister as being one which affects the defence or the security of Singapore or which relates to public safety, peace or good order in Singapore; or (c) a Bill certified by the Prime Minister to be so urgent that it is not in the public interest to delay its enactment.
(8) A Bill shall be deemed to be a Money Bill if the Speaker certifies in writing that, in his opinion, it is a Bill to which the definition of “Money Bill” contained in Article 68 applies.

No Money Bill shall be presented to the President for assent, unless it is accompanied by the Speaker’s certificate which shall be conclusive for all purposes and shall not be open to question in any court.” “68.
In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires — “Money Bill” means a Bill which contains only provisions dealing with all or any of the following matters: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) the imposition, repeal, remission, alteration or regulation of taxation; the imposition, for the payment of debt or other financial purposes, of charges on the Consolidated Fund or any other public funds, or the variation or repeal of any such charges; the grant of money to the Government or to any authority or person, or the variation or revocation of any such grant; the appropriation, receipt, custody, investment, issue or audit of accounts of public money; the raising or guarantee of any loan or the repayment thereof, or the establishment, alteration, administration or abolition of any sinking fund provided in connection with any such loan; (f) subordinate matters which are ancillary or incidental to any of the foregoing matters;” 93 (24) See Article 78(6)(c) of the Constitution in Note 23.
(25) Article 147(1) to (4) of the Constitution: – Annual estimates and financial statements “147.

– (1) The Minister responsible for finance shall, before the end of each financial year, cause to be prepared annual estimates of revenue and expenditure of Singapore during the succeeding financial year which, when approved by the Cabinet, shall be presented to Parliament.
(2) The estimates of expenditure shall show separately – (a) the total sums required to meet expenditure charged on the Consolidated Fund; (b) the sums respectively required to meet the heads of other expenditure for the public services proposed to be met from the Consolidated Fund, except the following sums: (i) sums representing the proceeds of any loan raised by the Government for specific purposes and appropriated for those purposes by the law authorising the raising of the loan; (ii) sums representing any money or interest on money received by the Government subject to a trust and to be applied in accordance with the terms of the trust; and (iii) sums representing any money held by the Government which has been received or appropriated for the purpose of any trust fund established by or in accordance with any written law; and (c) the sums respectively required to meet the heads of expenditure proposed to be met from the Development Fund.
(3) The estimates of revenue to be shown in the estimates shall not include any sums received by way of zakat, fitrah and baitulmal or similar Muslim revenue.
94 (4) The Minister responsible for finance shall also present to Parliament together with the estimates of revenue and expenditure – (a) a statement whether the annual estimates of revenue and expenditure is likely to draw on the reserves which were not accumulated by the Government during its current term of office; and (b) an audited statement showing as far as practicable the assets and liabilities of Singapore at the end of the last completed financial year.” (26) The words “to complete the sum necessary” are added when part of the whole sum has been provided by a vote on account.
(27) Article 148(1) and (2) of the Constitution: – Authorisation of expenditure from Consolidated Fund and Development Fund “148.
– (1) The heads of expenditure to be met from the Consolidated Fund and Development Fund (other than statutory expenditure and expenditure to be met by such sums as are mentioned in Article 147 (2) (b) (i), (ii) or (iii)) shall be included in a Bill to be known as a Supply Bill, providing for the issue from the Consolidated Fund and Development Fund of the sums necessary to meet that expenditure and the appropriation of those sums for the purposes specified therein.
(2) Wherever – (a) any moneys are expended or are likely to be expended in any financial year upon any service or purpose which are in excess of the sum provided for that service or purpose by the Supply law relating to that year; or (b) any moneys are expended or are likely to be expended (otherwise than by way of statutory expenditure) in any financial year upon any new service or purpose not provided for by the Supply law relating to that year, supplementary estimates (or, as the case may be, statements of excess) shall be prepared by the Minister responsible for finance and, when approved by the Cabinet, shall be 95 presented to and voted on by Parliament; in respect of all supplementary expenditure so voted the Minister responsible for finance may, at any time before the end of the financial year, introduce into Parliament a Supplementary Supply Bill containing, under appropriate heads, the estimated sums so voted and shall, as soon as possible after the end of each financial year, introduce into Parliament a Final Supply Bill containing any such sums which have not yet been included in any Supply Bill.” (28) Article 148A(2), (3) and (3A) of the Constitution: – “148A.
– (2) If the President withholds his assent to any Supply Bill, Supplementary Supply Bill or Final Supply Bill relating to any financial year and no resolution to overrule the President is passed by Parliament under Article 37IF within 30 days of such withholding of assent, Parliament may by resolution authorise expenditure or supplementary expenditure, as the case may be, (not otherwise authorised by law) from the Consolidated Fund and Development Fund during that financial year: Provided that – (a) where the President withholds his assent to a Supply Bill, the expenditure so authorised for any service or purpose for that financial year (which shall include any amount authorised under Article 148B (4)) shall not exceed the total amount appropriated for that service or purpose in the preceding financial year; or (b) where the President withholds his assent to a Supplementary Supply Bill or Final Supply Bill, the expenditure so authorised for any service or purpose shall not exceed the amount necessary to replace an amount advanced from any Contingencies Fund under Article 148C (1) for that service or purpose.
(3) For the purposes of paragraph (a) of the proviso to clause (2), the total amount appropriated for any service or purpose in any financial year shall be ascertained by adding the sums appropriated for such service or purpose by the Supply law, Supplementary Supply law and Final Supply law (if any) for that financial year.
(3A) Upon the passing of a resolution under clause (2), the Minister responsible for finance shall introduce in Parliament a Supply Bill, Supplementary Supply Bill or Final Supply Bill, as the case may be, containing, under appropriate heads, the sums so voted on by Parliament.” 96 (29) Article 148B(1) to (3) of the Constitution: – Power to authorise expenditure on account, etc., or for unspecified purposes “148B.
– (1) Subject to clause (3), Parliament may, by resolution approving estimates containing a vote on account, authorise expenditure for part of any year before the passing of the Supply law for that year, but the aggregate sums so voted shall be included under the appropriate heads, in the Supply law for that year.
(2) Subject to clause (3), Parliament may, by resolution approving a vote of credit, authorise expenditure for the whole or part of the year, otherwise than in accordance with Articles 147 and 148, if, owing to the magnitude or indefinite character of any service or to circumstances of unusual urgency, it appears to Parliament desirable to do so.

(3) No resolution of Parliament made under clause (1) or (2) shall have effect unless the President, acting in his discretion, concurs therewith.
(30) Article 144(1) of the Constitution: – Restriction on loans, guarantees, etc.

“144.
“144.

– (1) No guarantee or loan shall be given or raised by the Government – (a) except under the authority of any resolution of Parliament with which the President, acting in his discretion, concurs; (b) under the authority of any law to which this paragraph applies unless the President, acting in his discretion, concurs with the giving or raising of such guarantee or loan; or (c) except under the authority of any other written law.” 97 (31) See Article 148(2) of the Constitution in Note 27.
(32) Article 147(2) of the Constitution: – “147.
– (2) The estimates of expenditure shall show separately – (a) the total sums required to meet expenditure charged on the Consolidated Fund; (b) the sums respectively required to meet the heads of other expenditure for the public services proposed to be met from the Consolidated Fund, except the following sums: (i) sums representing the proceeds of any loan raised by the Government for specific purposes and appropriated for those purposes by the law authorising the raising of the loan; (ii) sums representing any money or interest on money received by the Government subject to a trust and to be applied in accordance with the terms of the trust; and (iii) sums representing any money held by the Government which has been received or appropriated for the purpose of any trust fund established by or in accordance with any written law; and (c) the sums respectively required to meet the heads of expenditure proposed to be met from the Development Fund.” 98 Amendments to Standing Orders since 1961 2017 Edition Standing Order No.
Date(s) of amendment 1 2 4 19/10/04 (wef) 10/6/64, 4/11/70, 31/8/87, 11/8/88, 27/2/92, 19/10/04, 24/11/10 4/11/70, 31/8/87, 27/2/92, 19/10/04, 24/11/10 10/6/64 27/2/92 10/6/64, 4/11/70, 31/8/87, 11/8/88 19/10/04 10/6/64, 4/11/70, 27/2/92 19/10/04 (wef) 19/10/04 27/2/92, 19/10/04 4/11/70, 27/2/92 10/6/64, 24/11/10 11/8/88 10/6/64, 19/10/04, 24/11/10 10/6/64, 31/8/87, 27/2/92, 19/10/04 19/10/04 10/6/64, 31/8/87, 27/2/92, 19/10/04, 24/11/10 99 2017 Edition Standing Order No.
Date(s) of amendment 23 24 26 27 31 33 34 35 36 38 42 43 44 19/10/04 (wef) 31/8/87, 27/2/92, 19/10/04 10/6/64 10/6/64, 19/10/04 10/6/64, 4/11/70 19/10/04 12/7/62, 27/2/92, 19/10/04 19/10/04 10/6/64 12/7/62, 19/10/04 10/6/64 10/6/64 27/2/92, 19/10/04 44A 8/5/2017 (wef) 45 48 49 50 51 52 62 19/10/04 (wef), 24/11/10 10/6/64, 31/8/87, 19/10/04, 24/11/10 19/10/04 10/6/64, 4/11/70, 19/10/04 11/8/88, 19/10/04 4/11/70, 24/11/10 100 31/8/87, 27/2/92 2017 Edition Standing Order No.
Date(s) of amendment 54 62 63 64 66 67 69 72 74 81 82 83 84 86 87 88 89 91 11/8/88 31/8/87, 27/2/92 31/8/87, 27/2/92, 19/10/04 10/6/64 10/6/64, 19/10/04 10/6/64, 19/10/04 10/6/64, 19/10/04 10/6/64 10/6/64, 4/11/70, 31/8/87 4/11/70 27/2/92 4/11/70, 19/10/04 10/6/64 19/10/04 10/6/64 19/10/04 (wef) 31/8/87, 27/2/92, 24/11/10 10/6/64, 31/8/87, 27/2/92, 19/10/04, 24/11/10 101 2017 Edition Standing Order No.
Date(s) of amendment 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 105 106 109 110 111 10/6/64, 4/11/70, 31/8/87, 27/2/92, 19/10/04, 24/11/10 10/6/64, 31/8/87, 27/2/92, 19/10/04 4/11/70, 27/2/92 4/11/70, 27/2/92 27/2/92 4/11/70 4/11/70 19/10/04 (wef) 24/5/61, 23/10/74, 31/8/87, 11/8/88, 19/10/04 4/11/70, 19/10/04, 24/11/10 10/6/64 31/8/87, 19/10/04, 24/11/10 19/10/04, 24/11/10 19/10/04 (wef) 19/10/04 19/10/04 (wef) 8/5/17 (wef) 102 INDEX Numbers indicated are those of Standing Orders Adjournment of debate, motion for debate on, 27 (2) lapses at moment of interruption, 2 (5) (a) moving of, 27 (1) not during Supply business, 91 (5) notice not required, 33 (d) Adjournment of Parliament manner and time, 2 (7) (a), 28 motion for debate on, 2 (8) (b) anticipation rules, 53 relevancy not applicable, 41 (3) time limit when debate takes place under S.O.
2 (8), 2 (8) (b) lapses at moment of interruption except when debate takes place under S.O.

2 (8), 2 (5) (a), 2 (8) (c) moved by Minister, 28 not before conclusion of Questions, 28 not before time for President’s arrival, 7 notice not required, 33 (c) except to Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, 2 (2) raising matter on, 2 (8) (b) to (i) on matter of urgent public importance, 24 request for leave to move, 10 (1) (o) 103 INDEX Adjournment of Parliament – contd.
to later ordinary sitting day, 2 (1) to next ordinary sitting day, 2 (1) Affirmation or Oath of Allegiance, 10 (1) (c), 13 Anticipation rules, 53 Auditor’s reports, reference to Public Accounts Committee, 100 (2) Bill adversely reported upon by Presidential Council for Minority Rights amendments notice, 83 (1) (a) upon recommittal, 83 (2) procedure, 83 (2) (b) - (d) report, 83 (2) (c), (d) to be resubmitted to Presidential Council after, 83 (2) (e) motion for presentation to President for assent division on question, 83 (3) (b) manner of debating, 83 (3) (a) notice, 83 (1) (b) procedure, 83 (3) procedure, 83 advertisement when committed to Select Committee, 78 104 INDEX Bill – contd.
amendments anticipation rules, 53 (1) at third reading, 81 (2) in Committee arrangement, 74 (4) debate on, may be permitted to range over similar or interdependent amendments, 74 (8) discussion, 74 (6) taken together, may be permitted to be, 74 (7) in writing, 74 (3) (b) inconsistency, 74 (5) notice of dispensing with, 35 not required for urgent Bill, 74 (3) (a) oral, on recommittal, 11 (1), 76 (1) requirement, 74 (3) (a) on recommittal, 76 President’s recommendation, 74 (3) (c) relevancy, 72 (2) anticipation rules, 53 (1) assent by President, 81 (3) withholding, announcement publication in Official Report, 82 (2) (b) time limit varied for President’s signification procedures, 82 (1) when Parliament is not sitting, 82 (2) (b) when Parliament is sitting, 82 (2) (a) 105 INDEX Bill – contd.
circulation, 69 (4), 70 (1) clauses already passed, amendments, 74 (13) division into, 69 (2) (b) heading, 69 (2) (c) postponement, 74 (9) question on when proposed, 74 (1) when put, 74 (1), (2) taken together, may be, 74 (1) clauses, new amendments, 74 (11) introduction, 74 (11) procedure, 74 (11) relevancy, 72 (2) committal to Committee of whole Parliament, 71 to Select Committee on motion without notice, 71 (1) Committee of whole Parliament committal, 71, 73 instruction to, 73 (1) motion to resolve Parliament into, 71 (3) naming a day for, 71 (3) procedure, 74 progress at moment of interruption, 73 (2) 106 INDEX Bill – contd.
Committee of whole Parliament – contd.

progress – contd.
upon motion to report, 73 (2) report from, 75 (1) procedure on, 75, 76 (8) report to Parliament, 74 (16), 76 (7) when taken, 71, 73 (1) Committee on, functions, 72 custody of, 32 enacting formula, 74 (15) expenditure of public money, involves, 69 (5) explanatory statement, 69 (4) first reading, 67 (2) Gazette appearance in before second reading, 70 (1) publication in, 69 (6) Government Bill, introduction of, 10 (1) (q), 66, 67 hybrid Bill advertisement when referred to Select Committee, 78 Clerk advises Speaker, 69 (3) (b) defined, 68 (1) petition petitioners heard, 68 (1) referred to Select Committee on Bill, 18 (6) Select Committee on procedure, 68 (2) 107 INDEX Bill – contd.
hybrid Bill – contd.

Select Committee on – contd.
referred to after second reading, 68 (1) inspection of, 32 introduction, 66, 67 law requirements, 69 (2) (a) order of the day, when, 26 (1) other Bill of same provisions, 85 postponement, 26 (1) preamble, 74 (14) presentation, 66 (2) President’s recommendation how signified, 67 (1) signified by Minister, 67 (1) printing, 67 (3), 69 (1), (2), 70 (1) private Bill clause affecting private right or interest, 87 (5) Clerk advises Speaker, 69 (3) (c) defined, 87 (1) expenses, 87 (7) Gazette copies delivered to Clerk, 87 (1) notice in, 87 (1) publication, 87 (1) leave to bring in, 10 (1) (s), 66, 67, 87 (1) new clause, 87 (6) 108 INDEX Bill – contd.
private Bill – contd.
petition referred to Select Committee on Bill, 18 (6) saving clause, 87 (2) Select Committee on clause affecting private right or interest, 87 (5) evidence, 87 (4) facts and allegations, 87 (4) new clause, 87 (6) petition, 87 (3) procedure, 87 (4) to (6) reference after second reading, 87 (3) reports when facts and allegations not proved, 87 (4) material amendments to Bill, 87 (5) private Member’s Bill introduction and presentation, 66, 67 leave to bring in, 66, 67 order on Order Paper, 26 (4) recommittal amendments, 76 (1) to (6) notice, when dispensed with, 76 (4) of Bill reported from Committee of the whole Parliament, 76 of Bill reported from Select Committee, 80 reported from Select Committee, 79 representations, advertisement inviting, 78 109 INDEX Bill – contd.
schedules and new schedules already passed, amendments, 74 (13) how disposed, 74 (12) relevancy, 72 (2) taken together, may be, 74 (1) when considered, 74 (12) scrutiny by Clerk, 69 (1) to (3) second reading amendments to question, 70 (3) debate, 70 (2) motion, 70 (2) naming a day, 67 (3) negativing, 70 (3) not permitted on similar Bill, 85 ordered after first reading, 67 (3) prior printing, circulation and gazetting of Bill, 70 (1) Select Committee advertisement inviting representations, 78 appointment of chairman, 101 (2) committal, 71 (1) minutes of proceedings, 105 (4) official report, 29 (1) procedure, 77 report, text of Bill printed in, 77 (3) scope of deliberations, 77 (2) Supplementary Supply Bill, 93 110 INDEX Bill – contd.
Supply Bill assent by President date presented, gazetting, 93 (5) notwithstanding opinion of draw on reserves, announcement of President’s opinion publication in Official Report, 93 (7) (b) when Parliament is not sitting, 93 (7) (b) when Parliament is sitting, 93 (7) (a) withholding absence of, motion to authorise expenditure, 93 (9) time limit varied for President’s signification, procedures, 93 (6) procedure, 93 proceedings included in business of Supply, 91 (1) second and third readings, one day allotted, 93 (2) second reading after Committee of Supply, 93 (1A) third reading amendments to Bill, 81 (2) amendments to question, 81 (1) debate, 81 (1) motion, 75 (2) naming day for, 75 (2) title amendment, 72 (2), 74 (15) matter foreign to, 69 (3) (a) no question put, 74 (15) short, read as at first reading, 67 (2) 111 INDEX Bill – contd.
urgent Bill amendments, no notice required, 74 (3) (a) proceedings on, 86 withdrawal, 84 Budget Statement, Annual debate adjournment, 89 (1) closing, 89 (4), (5) confined to general principles of Government policy and administration, 89 (1) increase in allotted days, 89 (3) two days allotted, 89 (3) moving of motion on, 89 (1) exemption of sitting from moment of interruption, 89 (2) (a) no time limit for speech, 89 (2) (b) reply, no time limit for speaker, 89 (2) (b) Business after moment of interruption, 4 (4) arrangement of, 26 at moment of interruption, 2 (5) at the end of time extended by Mr Speaker, (2) (5) (d) exempted business continuation after moment of interruption, 4 (2) 112 INDEX Business – contd.
exempted business – contd.
includes proceedings postponed by motion for adjournment on matter of urgent public importance, 24 (4) motion for for specified period, 4 (1) (b) for unspecified period, 4 (1) (a) one only to be made, 4 (3) time for moving, 4 (1) for special sitting, 5 Government, 26 (2), (3) motion arising out of any item of, 33 (f) motion in regard to, 10 (1) (r) order of, 10 (1) private Member’s, 26 (2), (4) question on arrangement of public business, 20 (1) stands over for lack of quorum at division, 63 (7) to take items out of regular order, 10 (2) upon adjournment of Parliament, 2 (7) (b) variation of regular order of Business by Speaker, 10 (1A) Clerk Clerk of Select Committees, 103 (10) duties re affirmation or oath, 13 amendments to motions, 34 (5) ballot papers (election of Speaker or Deputy Speaker), 12 (10), 17 (2) 113 INDEX Clerk – contd.
duties re – contd.
Bills advises Speaker, 69 (3) amendments, 74 (4) circulation, 69 (4) clauses, new, 74 (11) custody, 32 gazetting, 69 (6) printing, 69 (1), (2) short title, reading, 67 (2) submission to President for assent, 81 (3) Supplementary Supply Bill Supply Bill assent by President date presented, gazetting, 93 (5) publish notification, non-signification by end of time limit, 93 (6) business undisposed at the moment of interruption, 2 (5) (b), (c) Committee of Supply resolutions, 92 (12) Committee of whole Parliament minutes of proceedings, 30 upon consideration of resolution, 46 (6) Deputy Speaker, absence, 8 (3) division in Parliament, 63 (3) in Select Committee, 104 (5), (7) 114 INDEX Clerk – contd.
duties re – contd.
documents, custody, 32 filling vacancies in Select Committees, 102 guarantees submission of resolution to President for concurrence, 96 (1) publish notification, non-signification by end of time limit, 96 (1A) loans submission of resolution to President for concurrence, 96 (1) publish notification, non-signification by end of time limit, 96 (1A) motions, printing and circulation, 34 (5) new session, notice, 2 (1) (b) oath or affirmation, 13 Order Book, 9 Order Paper, 3 Parliament, minutes of proceedings, 30 petitions, scrutiny, 18 (5) questions, circulation of answers, 22 (3), (4), (7) records, custody, 32 Select Committee Clerk, 103 session, notice of new, 2 (1) (b) sitting of Parliament, notice not later than fifth day before sitting, 2 (1) of business of special sitting, 5 of day named by Speaker, 2 (1) Speaker absence, 8 (3) 115 INDEX Clerk – contd.
duties re – contd.

Speaker re – contd.
election, 12 special sitting, notice of business, 5 Vote of Credit, Estimates containing publication of non-signification by end of time limit, 95 (5A) submission of resolution to President for concurrence, 95 (5) Vote on Account, Estimates containing publication of non-signification by end of time limit, 94 (5A) submission of resolution to President for concurrence, 94 (5) votes disallowed, 65 (4) witnesses, summoning, 103 (12) Closure of debate at moment of interruption, 2 (6) motion for time and manner of moving, 54 (1) when permitted, 54 (1), (3) other question already proposed acceptance, 54 (2) putting, 54 (2) Committee of Selection, appointment, constitution, functions, 100 (1) Committee of Supply – see Estimates and Estimates, Supplementary 116 INDEX Committee of whole Parliament definition, 1 manner of appointing, 46 (1) moment of interruption, procedure, 2 (5) (a) motion in no notice required, 33 (b) relevancy, 46 (2) presiding in, 8 (5) purpose of appointing, 46 (1) resolution, manner of dealing with, 46 (3) to (7) Debate adjournment of, motion, 27 (1), (2) debate confined to matter of motion, 27 (2) disallowed in Supply business, 91 (5) lapses at moment of interruption, 2 (5) (a) Member not entitled to move again in same debate, 27 (2) notice not required, 33 (d) closure, 54 irrelevance, 57 languages permitted, 47 length of, 41 (1) manner of speaking, 48 (1) oral translation, 49 repetition, tedious, 57 rules, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52 (e) specific matter, 44 117 INDEX Debate – contd.
time of speaking, 48 (1) to (7) time limit for speeches, 15 (4), 48 (8), 89 (2) (b), (4) Delivered, definition, 1 Divisions in Parliament or Committee of whole Parliament abstention, recording of, 62 (2) dissent, recording of, instead of claiming, 62 (2) how claimed, 62, 63 (3) lack of quorum, invalid, 63 (7) manner of voting, 63 (4), (5) procedure on, 63 (1) to (6) results of declaration, 63 (6) Votes and Proceedings, 30 (3), 63 (3) Speaker to decide on manner of taking, 63 (3) votes in alteration, 64 disallowance, 65 (2) to (4) Division in Select Committee – see Select Committee “Dropped order” definition, 27 (1) motion to replace on Order Book, 27 (1) 118 INDEX Estimates Committee appointment, constitution, duties, 100 (3) Chairman appointed by Speaker, 100 (3) consideration of reports included in Supply business, 91 (1) Estimates Committee of Supply allotted days increase of, 92 (2) notice of, 92 (3) seven, 92 (2) number of items for discussion on, 91 (2) (a) amendments notice of, 92 (4) procedure, 92 (4) to (8), (11 ) procedure, 92 referred to, 92 (1) resolutions, 92 (10), (11) procedure on, 92 (12) proceedings included in Supply business, 91 (1) Estimates, Supplementary Committee of Supply notice of first allotted day, 97 (3) number of days allotted, 97 (2) procedure, 97 (4) referred to, 97 (1) 119 INDEX Estimates, Supplementary – contd.
proceedings included in Supply business, 91 (1) Evidence of witnesses corrections, 103 (13) (b) disclosure, 103 (13) (a) irrelevancy, 103 (14) minutes leave to report, 103 (2) presented with report, 105 (3) taken in private, 105(3) Financial policy of Government – see Budget Statement, Annual Guarantees resolution announcement of President’s decision publication in Official Report, 96 (2) (b) when Parliament is not sitting, 96 (2) (b) when Parliament is sitting, 96 (2) (a) publication of non-signification by end of time limit, 96 (1A) submission to President for concurrence, 96 (1) General assent, definition, 1 120 INDEX House Committee appointment, constitution, duties, 100 (5) minutes, 100 (5) Interpretation, definition of common terms, 1 Journalists, permission to attend sittings, 109 (5) Judges, discussion of conduct, 50 (9) Languages in debates and discussions, 47, 48 (7) Member may be required to speak in language in which he is proficient, 49 (1) (d) state language in which he desires to speak, 48 (1) Leader of the House motion, expedited debate on, 34 (2) President’s Speech at opening of session gives notice of motion for Address of Thanks, 15 (2) gives notice of next sitting after, 15 (1) seating for Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries, 52 (a) special sitting, makes representation and appoints business, 5 121 INDEX Loans resolution announcement of President’s decision publication in Official Report, 96 (2) (b) when Parliament is not sitting, 96 (2) (b) when Parliament is sitting, 96 (2) (a)
 publication of non-signification by end of time limit, 96 (1A) submission to President for concurrence, 96 (1) Member affirmation or oath taking of, 13 time of taking, 10 (1) (c) appearance before Parliament or Committee as counsel or solicitor, 108 for fee or reward, 108 behaviour during sitting crossing floor unnecessarily, 52 (c) disorderly conduct, 58 disregarding authority of Chair, 59 (1) disrupting proceedings or distracting other Members, 52 (d) entering or leaving Chamber not when Speaker or Chairman rises, 55 with decorum, 52 (b) obstructing business, 59 occupies seat allocated to him, 52 (a) offensive and insulting language, 50 (4) 122 INDEX Member – contd.
behaviour during sitting – contd.
passing between Member speaking and Chair, 52 (e) silence when another Member speaking, 52 (e) when Speaker or Chairman rises to speak, 55 sits down when Speaker or Chairman rises, 55 speaking only when called by Speaker or Chairman, 48 (1) place of, 48 (1) clarification of speech which has been misunderstood or on some part of another Member’s speech, 48 (4) conduct or character other than on capacity as Member, 50 (10) explanation personal leave of Speaker to make, 25 time for, 10 (1) (p) imputing improper motives, 50 (6) interruptions prohibited, 51, 52 (e) except for clarification and point of order, 51 irrelevance of speech, 50 (1) language – see Languages motion in name of, 38 naming of, 58, 59 pecuniary interest, 65 (1) presiding in Parliament temporarily, 8 (3), (4) 123 INDEX Member – contd.
proceeding against according to resolution, 59 (5) questions to, 19 (2) reference to, by constituency or name, 50 (5) seat in Parliament allocated by Speaker, 52 (a) occupies seat allocated to him, 52 (a) resumes on point of clarification and order by other Member, 51 speaks from, 48 (1) speaking in Parliament, manner, 48 (1), (2) speaks more than once on claims that speech misinterpreted, 48 (4) in Committee, 48 (3) (a) in clarification when speech misunderstood, 48 (3) (b), (4) on new question, 48 (5) in reply as mover, 48 (3) (c) not after question fully put, 48 (6) when called upon by Speaker or Chairman, 48 (1), (2), 51 (b) speech of content rules, 50 misinterpretation, 49 (3) oral translation of when inadequate, 49 copies of speech before delivery, 49 (1) (b) English translation before delivery, 49 (1) (a) 124 INDEX Member – contd.
speech of – contd.

oral translation of – contd.

when inadequate – contd.
summary of speech before delivery, 49 (1) (c) time limit in Committee of Supply, 92 (6) in Committee of whole Parliament, 48 (8) in Parliament, 48 (8) on motion for adjournment, 2 (8) (b) suspension of motion for notice not required, 33 (e) time for proposing, 59 (1) period, 59 (3), (4) withdrawal of for grossly disorderly conduct, 58 force to be used, 59 (4) from precincts, 60 on suspension, 59 (3) Minister adjournment motion, moving, 2 (8) (a), 28 business motions, time for moving, 10 (1) (r) clarification of any matter raised in previous speech or answer, 48 (4) (b) motion or amendments in the name of, moving of, 38 (3) 125 INDEX Minister – contd.
notice of motion, length, 34 (2) Paper presented by, 31 (1), (2) President’s message presented by, 16 (2) recommendation signified by, 67 (1) presiding in Parliament disallowed, 8 (4) questions to, 19 (1) referred to by designation, 50 (5) seat allocated, 52 (a) speech of, time limit, 48 (8) (a) statements, 23 time for making, 10 (1) (n) Moment of interruption closure moved at, 2 (6) exempted business at, 4 (2) proceedings at, 2 (5) time for, 2 (5) (a) Motion alteration of terms of, 36 (1) amendments, 37 (1), 42 (6) anticipation rules, 53 circulation, 34 (5) debating, manner of, 42 in writing, if required, 40 126 INDEX Motion – contd.
amendments – contd.
no amendment to words already decided to stand, 42 (5) notice not required, 33 (a) order of calling, 42 (5) relevancy, 37 (1), 42 (2) when to move, 42 (1) who may move, 38 (2), (3) withdrawal, 43 (1), (2) anticipation rules, 53 circulation, 34 (5) debating, manner of, 41 dilatory motion examples, 2 (5) (a), 27 (1) lapses at moment of interruption, 2 (5) (a) not during Supply business, 91 (5) notice not required, 33 (d) once only by a Member in same debate, 27 (2) relevancy, 27 (2) when to move, 27 (1), 73 (2) lapse of, 38 (2), 43 (3) moving by any Member authorised or supporting, 38 (2) Minister or Parliamentary Secretary, 38 (3) not open to debate, 45 notices amended, 36 (1) 127 INDEX Motion – contd.
notices – contd.
arrangement of order, 26 (2) to (4) cases where not required, 33 dispensing with, 35 how given, 11 (1), (2) period, 34 (2) postponement, 36 (2) short, 34 (2) signed by Member intending to move, 11 (2) supported by other Members, 34 (1), 38 (1) where not required, 33 withdrawal, 36 (3) period required before motion to overrule President’s decision, 44A (1) question on fully put, 48 (6) when to propose, 41 (1) when to propose again, 42 (1) when to put, 41 (2), 42 (1) seconder not required, 39 withdrawal after question has been proposed, 43 (1), (2) of notice of motion, 36 (3) withdrawn, may be proposed again after notice, 43 (1) Notices alterations by Speaker, 34 (4) (b) 128 INDEX Notices – contd.
amended, 36 (1) circulation, 34 (5) directions on, 34 (4) dispensing with, 35 how given, 11 inadmissible, to be returned to Member, 34 (4) (c) in writing, 11 signification of support, 34 (1) oral, 2 (8) (e), 11 (1), 76 (1) postponement, 36 (2) to be signed, 11 (2), 34 (1) withdrawal, 36 (3) Obituary speeches, when to make, 10 (1) (j) Official Report answers to Questions, published in, 22 (3), (4), (7) Bills – see Bills, Guarantees, Loans, Vote of Credit, Vote on Account change in, 29 (3), (4) correctness, dispute as to, 29 (4) first copy for Members and not for publication, 29 (2) form, 29 (1) written statement to correct speeches, 29 (5) Oral translation of speeches, 49 129 INDEX Order Book contents, 9 custody and inspection, 9 dropped order, when removed from and replaced in, 27 (1) Order of the day anticipation rules, 53 definition, 26 (1) discharge of (in regard to Bills), 84 dropped definition of, 27 (1) motion to replace on Order Book, 27 (1) earlier day cannot be substitute for the appointed day, 26 (1) later day named for, 26 (1) (b) moved by any Member, 38 (4) postponement, 26 (1) seconder not required, 39 Order Paper, copy sent to Members, 3 Order, point of Chair’s decision on final, 56 reviewed on substantive motion, 56 rising to, 51 (a) 130 INDEX Papers presented authorised reprint of Standing Orders to be presented, 111 (1) custody and inspection of, 32 ordered to lie upon the Table and to be printed and published, 31 (1), (2) presentation, 31 (1), (2) recorded in Votes and Proceedings, 31 (4)
 withdrawal, 31 (3), (4) Parliament presiding in, 8 proclamation summoning, 2 (1) (b) prorogation, effect on Bills, 88 effect on Select Committees, 99, 106 reassembling, notice of, 2 (1), (2) session of, 2 (1) sitting of commencement, 2 (3) revision of time, 2 (3) (b) definition, 1 moment of interruption, 2 (5) (a) notice of, 2 (1), (2) on Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, 2 (2) ordinary, 2 (1) special, 5 suspension of on motion, 2 (4) (a) 131 INDEX Parliament – contd.
suspension of – contd.
by Speaker at any time, 2 (4) (b) for such period as he may deem fit, 2 (4) (b) in case of grave disorder, 61 Parliamentary Secretary cannot preside in Parliament, 8 (4) motion in name of, can be moved by any Minister or Parliamentary Secretary, 38 (3) reference by designation of office held, 50 (5) seat allocated, 52 (a) speech of, time limit, 48 (8) (a) Petitions against hybrid or private Bills, 68 (1), 87 (3) contents rules, 18 (5) motion for Petition to be considered with other matters in Parliament, 18 (6) presentation by Member only, 18 (1) manner, 18 (2) not by a Member who is a signatory, 18 (4) time for, 10 (1) (l) referred to Public Petitions Committee and / or Select Committee on Bill, 18 (6) 132 INDEX President Address, 10 (1) (e), 15 (1) Address of Thanks for speech of days allotted for debate, 15 (3) applicability of S.O.
91 (2) to (5), 15 (3) notice of motion, 15 (2) notice of sitting day to debate, 15 (1) appointment of person to exercise functions by motion, 14 time for, 10 (1) (d) assent to Bills, 81 (3) notwithstanding opinion of draw on reserves, announcement of President’s opinion publication in Official Report, 93 (7) (b) when Parliament is not sitting, 93 (7) (b) when Parliament is sitting, 93 (7) (a) withholding, announcement publication in Official Report, 82 (2) (b) when Parliament is not sitting, 82 (2) (b) when Parliament is sitting, 82 (2) (a) certificate of urgency in respect of Bill, 86 concurrence on resolution on guarantees/loans, 96 (1) on Vote of Credit, Estimates containing, 95 (5) on Vote on Account, Estimates containing, 94 (5) conduct not to be referred to in debate, 50 (8) message from, 16 133 INDEX President – contd.
motion to overrule, 44A (1) name not to be used to influence Parliament, 50 (7) presence in Parliament exemption of sitting from moment of interruption, 7 (2) publication of non-signification by end of time limit, 82 (1), 93 (1A), 94 (5A), 95 (5A), 96 (1A) recommendation, 67 (1), 74 (3) (c) speech at opening of session, 15 (1) withholding assent to Supply Bill, 93 (9) Presidential Council for Minority Rights, adverse report on Bill from, procedure, 83 Privileges Committee of appointment, constitution, duties, 100 (7) (a) (i) reference of complaint to, 100 (7) (b) to (d) report of interrupts Supply business, 91 (2) (b) notice of motion in regard to, 100 (7) (e) takes precedence over public business, 100 (7) (f), 10 (1) (t) suspension and replacement of a Committee Member who is involved in a complaint, 100 (7) (a) (ii) complaint, manner of making when Parliament is not sitting, 100 (7) (c) when Parliament is sitting, 100 (7) (b) 134 Privileges – contd.
INDEX definition of breach of, 100 (7) (h) motions relating to, procedure, 91 (2), 100 (7) (d), (f) Parliament’s power to deal summarily with breaches of, 100 (7) (g) Public Accounts Committee appointment, constitution, duties, 100 (2) consideration of reports included in Supply business, 91 (1) Statements of Excess referred to, 98 (1) Publish, definition, 1 Public Petitions Committee, appointment, constitution, duties, 100 (6) Question, fully put definition of, 48 (6), 104 (3) Member cannot speak after, 48 (6), 104 (2) Question Time allotted days, 22 (1) one and a half hours, 22 (1) Questions (to Minister or Member) absence of Member asking, 22 (3) absence of Minister or Member questioned, 22 (4) abuse of right of questioning, 21 (2) alterations, 21 (2) 135 INDEX Questions (to Minister or Member) – contd.
answering, 22 (3) to (7) asking manner, 22 (2) to (6) time for, 10 (1) (m), 22 (2), (3) without notice, 20 (1) contents rules, 21 for oral answer conversion to question for written answer, 20 (5) limit on number of, 20 (3) marking, 20 (3) for written answer, 22 (7) conversion to question for oral answer, 20 (6) limit on number of, 20 (3) inadmissibility, Member to be informed, 21 (2) (b) notices of how given, 11, 20 (2) to (4) length of, 20 (2), (4) waiving of, 20 (1) postponement, 22 (3) supplementary, 22 (5) to Members (other than Ministers), nature of, 19 (2) to Ministers, nature of, 19 (1) withdrawal, 22 (3) written answers to circulation to Members and published in the Official Report, 22 (3), (4), (7) 136 INDEX Quorum adjournment for lack of, 6 (2), (3) division invalid for lack of, 63 (7) in Parliament, 6 (1) in Select Committee, 103 (4) objection to lack of quorum not to be taken when President is to be present, 7 procedure for ascertaining, 6 Seconder not required, 39 Select Committee adjournment of, for lack of quorum, 103 (4) appointment of other than Standing Select Committee or Select Committee on a Bill, 101 (1) Select Committee on Bill, 71 (1) Standing Select Committees, 100 Chairman of absence, 103 (3) how appointed, 101 (2) Paper, presentation to Parliament by, 31 (1) powers and duties re amendments, in writing, 40 date for first meeting, 103 (7) for postponed meeting, 103 (8) for subsequent meeting, 103 (7) division result, 104 (8) 137 INDEX Select Committee – contd.
Chairman of – contd.

power and duties re – contd.
evidence, corrections to, 103 (13) meeting, adjournment or suspension for lack of quorum, 103 (4) reports presentation to Parliament, 31 (1), 105 (3) proposing for consideration, 103 (15) (a) Select Committee on Bill, 103 (16) voting to collect voices, 104 (4) to declare result, 104 (4), (8) voting by, 104 (8) Clerk to, 103 (10) date of meeting fixed in consultation with, 103 (7) (a), (8) power and duties re division, 104 (5) to (7) vacancies, notice of filling, 102 voting, to record in minutes, 104 (7) witnesses, to summon, 103 (12) constitution of, 71 (1), 100, 101 (1) deliberations of relevancy, 103 (6) strangers, 103 (5) division claim for, 104 (4) manner of taking, 104 (5) to (10) 138 INDEX Select Committee – contd.
division – contd.
question passed in negative when votes equal, 104 (8) result of, declaration, 104 (8) votes in alteration, 104 (9) disallowance of, 104 (10) equality of, 104 (8) error in counting, 104 (9) recorded in the minutes, 104 (7), 105 (4) evidence irrelevancy, 103 (14) minutes of changes in, 103 (13) (b) copy sent to witness, 103 (13) (b) disclosure of, 103 (13) (a) dispute as to correctness, 103 (13) presented with report, 103 (2), 105 (3) taken in private, 105 (3) meeting of adjourned or suspended for lack of quorum, 103 (4) disallowed while Parliament is sitting, 103 (8) during adjournment of Parliament, 103 (9) first, 103 (7) postponement, 103 (8) subsequent, 103 (7) venue of, 103 (7) (b) 139 INDEX Select Committee – contd.
Members nominated by Committee of Selection, 100 (1) minutes of proceedings contents, 105 (4) presented with report, 105 (3) reports brought up by Members to be entered in, 103 (15) (a) motion in, no notice required, 33 (b) opinion and observations, leave to report, 103 (2) power to send for persons, papers and records, 103 (1), (2) proceedings of no reference to them before presentation of report to Parliament, 21 (1) (f), 50 (11) procedure, 103 question in fully put definition, 104 (3) how decided, 104 (1) Member cannot speak after, 104 (2) quorum of, 103 (4) reporter, services of, 103 (11) report from brought up by any Member, 103 (15) (a) motion to adopt, 105 (5) presentation to Parliament, 105 (3) procedure on consideration of, 103 (15) no reference to it before presentation, 21 (1) (f), 50 (11) special, leave to make, 105 (2) 140 INDEX Select Committee – contd.
report from – contd.
to be made before end of session, 105 (1) representation, irrelevant, may be rejected, 103 (14) Standing Committee of Privileges, 100 (7) Committee of Selection, 100 (1) Estimates Committee, 100 (3) House Committee, 100 (5) Public Accounts Committee, 100 (2) Public Petitions Committee, 100 (6) Standing Orders Committee, 100 (4) Term, 99 strangers, admission, 103 (5) term, 88 (2), 99, 106 vacancies filled by Speaker, 102 voting, 104 witnesses evidence of changes in, 103 (13) (b) copy sent to, 103 (13) (b) disclosure of, 103 (12) (a) recalcitrant, 103 (14) taken in private, 105 (3) summoning, 103 (12) 141 INDEX Serjeant at Arms powers and duties re disorderly conduct or suspension of Members, 58, 59 (4) division to lock doors, 63 (2) to unlock doors after, 63 (6) Session definition, 1 new, Clerk to give notice, 2 (1) (b) Signed, definition, 1 Speaker absence of Deputy Speaker presides, 8 (2), (4) some other person elected presides, 8 (3) affirmation or oath, 13 (1) when taken, 10 (1) (c) Chairman of Committee of Supply, 8 (5) Committee of Selection, 100 (1) (b) Committee of Privileges, 100 (7) (a) (i) Committee of the whole Parliament, 8 (5) House Committee, 100 (5) Standing Orders Committee, 100 (4) (a) Public Petitions Committee, 100 (6) 142 INDEX Speaker – contd.
defined, 8 (6) election procedure, 12 time for, 10 (1) (a) formal entry, 10 (1) (b) powers and duties re Address of Thanks termination of debate on motion, 15 (4), (5) ballot for right to raise matter on adjournment, 2 (8) (d) Bills advertisement inviting representations, 78 assent by President withholding, announcement when Parliament is not sitting, 82 (2) (b) when Parliament is sitting, 82 (2) (a) certify Bill, 81 (3) hybrid, to decide, 68 (1) inspection of, arrangements for, 32 Supplementary Supply Bill/Supply Bill assent by President, notwithstanding opinion of draw on reserves, announcement of President’s opinion when Parliament is not sitting, 93 (7) (b) when Parliament is sitting, 93 (7) (a) Business of Supply continue until a specified time after moment of interruption, 91 (3) (ba) 143 INDEX Speaker – contd.
powers and duties re – contd.
Budget Statement, Annual increase number of allotted days, 89 (3) termination of debate, 89 (4), (5) closure motion if moved, not to interrupt business at moment of interruption, 2 (6) assent required for other questions be now put, 54 (2) to decide and put question on, 54 (1) Deputy Speaker, election, 17 (2) divisions to decide on manner of taking, 63 (3) documents, arrangements for inspection of, 32 Estimates Committee, to appoint Chairman, 100 (3) Estimates, may increase number of allotted days on, 92 (2) fixes guillotine time, 92 (7) guarantees announcement of decision by President on resolution when Parliament is not sitting, 96 (2) (b) when Parliament is sitting, 96 (2) (a) certifies a true copy of resolution for President’s concurrence, 96 (1) journalists, to make rules for admission, 109 (5) loans announcement of decision by President on resolution when Parliament is not sitting, 96 (2) (b) when Parliament is sitting, 96 (2) (a) certifies a true copy of resolution for President’s concurrence, 96 (1) 144 INDEX Speaker – contd.
powers and duties re – contd.
motions, notices of admissibility, to decide, 34 (4) alteration of terms of, to decide, 36 (1) circulation of, to direct in terms handed in, 34 (4) (a) with alterations, 34 (4) (b) shortening of, to decide, 34 (2) to overrule the President, to allow when satisfied, 44A (2), (3) oath or affirmation, order to be administered, 13 (1), (2) Official Reports correctness, to rule, 29 (4) form of, to direct, 29 (1) leave to correct factual error in speech, to grant, 29 (5) Papers, to present, 31 (1) Parliament adjournment on a definite matter of urgent public importance, to grant leave to move, 24 (2) special sitting, to be satisfied on public interest, 5 vary regular order of Business, 10 (1A), (2) personal explanations, to give leave to make, 25 President, to read messages from, 16 (1) privilege, may deal summarily with breach of, 100 (7) (g) Public Accounts Committee, to appoint Chairman, 100 (2) questions alterations, to direct, 21 (2) (a) 145 INDEX Speaker – contd.
powers and duties re – contd.

questions – contd.
calling of Members to ask, 22 (2) inadmissibility of, to decide, 21 (2) (b) supplementary, may refuse, 22 (5) without notice, may permit, 20 (1) Question Time, specifying a shorter period for, 22 (1) records, arrangements for inspection of, 32 reprint, of Standing Orders direct the Clerk to prepare a reprint, 111 (1) (2) to be approved and presented to Parliament, 111 (1) residuary, 110 seats of Members, to allocate and change, 52 (a) Select Committee first meeting, to appoint time and place, 103 (7) vacancies, to fill, 102 strangers, to make rules for admission in Parliament, 109 (1) in Select Committee, 103 (5) Supplementary Estimates, to fix number of days allotted, 97 (2) Vote of Credit, Estimates containing announcement of decision by President on resolution when Parliament is not sitting, 95 (6) (b) when Parliament is sitting, 95 (6) (a) certifies a true copy of resolution for President’s concurrence, 95 (5) 146 INDEX Speaker – contd.
powers and duties re – contd.
Vote on Account, Estimates containing announcement of decision by President on resolution when Parliament is not sitting, 94 (6) (b) when Parliament is sitting, 94 (6) (a) certifies a true copy of resolution for President’s concurrence, 94 (5) Votes and Proceedings inspection, to sanction arrangements, 32 to sign, 30 (2) Speaker (or Chairman) defined, 8 (6) point of order, decision on not open to appeal, 56 reviewed on substantive motion, 56 powers and duties re amendments, to be put in writing, 40 anticipation, to rule, 53 (3) Bills amendments to before third reading, to permit certain, 81 (2) debate on similar or interdependent amendments, may allow, 74 (8) inconsistent with clause or decision, to withdraw, 74 (5) in writing, to require, 74 (3) (b) minor or drafting, to permit to be moved without notice, 74 (3) necessitated by another amendment, to give leave to move, 74 (13) 147 INDEX Speaker (or Chairman) – contd.
powers and duties re – contd.

Bills – contd.

amendments to – contd.
on recommittal, 76 (6) taking together of, may permit, 74 (7) clause number of, to call, 74 (1) question on, 74 (1) to propose and put, when principle adequately discussed, 74 (2) clauses, may take together, 74 (1) Committee of whole Parliament on Chair in, to take, 73 (1) committal to, to declare, 71 (2) new clause bring up, to desire Member to, 74 (11) questions on, to propose, 74 (11) preamble, to put question on, 74 (14) progress to be reported, to leave Chair, 73 (2) report on at conclusion of proceedings in Committee, 74 (16) to leave the Chair, 75 (1) schedules, may take together, 74 (1) Supply Bills, to bring proceedings to a conclusion, 93 (4) third reading, to permit certain amendments before, 81 (2) Business of Supply extend time for 30 minutes, 91 (3) (c) 148 INDEX Speaker (or Chairman) – contd.
powers and duties re – contd.
Committee of the whole Parliament disorderly conduct of Member, 59 (1) moment of interruption, to leave Chair, 2 (5) (a) resolution of, to leave Chair to report, 46 (4) debate irrelevance or tedious repetition, to direct Member to discontinue, 57 ruling on time taken by a Member, 48 (8) (c) suspension of, to facilitate translation of speech, 49 (2) time taken for Member’s adjournment speech, to rule, 2 (8) (b) dilatory motion, business of Supply, except with consent, 91 (5) divisions bells, to direct ringing, 63 (2) doors, to direct locking, 63 (2) numbers voting in, to direct Clerk to correct, 65 (4) question, to put again, 63 (3) result, to declare, 63 (6) votes, to decide proposing motion for disallowance of, 65 (3) languages Member to speak in a language he is proficient, to require, 49 (1) (d) Member to state language he desires to speak, to require, 48 (1) Member to call Members desiring to speak, 48 (1), (2), 51 (b) clarification, to call Member wishing to seek, 51 (b) discontinue speech for irrelevance or tedious repetition, to direct, 57 149 INDEX Speaker (or Chairman) – contd.
powers and duties re – contd.

Member – contd.

disorderly conduct, to order Member to withdraw and give orders to Serjeant at Arms in case of, 58 later day or time, to call upon Member to name, for resumption of adjourned debate, 27 (1) naming of, 58, 59 (1), (2) requirements of S.O.
49 (1), to grant time for compliance with, 49 (2) suspension of, to direct withdrawal on, 59 (3) withdrawal to draw attention recourse to force is necessary to compel, 59 (4) to order, 58, 59 (3) motion amendments order in which called, to decide on, 42 (5) part of, to put question on, 42 (4) writing, may require amendment to be put in, 40 dilatory question on, to decide putting or declining to propose, 27 (3) notice of, to consent to dispensation of, 35 question on to propose, 41 (1) to propose again after amendments disposed of, 42 (1) to put, 41 (2), 42 (1) order, points of decisions on, not open to appeal, 56 150 INDEX Speaker (or Chairman) – contd.
powers and duties re – contd.

order, points of – contd.

review of decisions on, by substantive motion, 56 to decide on, 51 (a) Parliament to adjourn without question put disorder, in case of grave, 61 half hour after motion for adjournment made, 2 (8) (b) quorum, for lack of, 6 (2), (3) under S.O.
49 (Oral translation of speeches), 49 (2) to extend a sitting, 2 (5) (d) to suspend sitting at any time, 2 (4) (b) disorder, in case of grave, 61 for such period as he may deem fit, 2 (4) (b) pecuniary interest, direct personal to decide whether to propose question on motion to disallow vote on ground of, 65 (3) quorum, to adjourn Parliament for lack of, 6 (2), (3) speeches translation of, to impose conditions, 49 (1) strangers, withdrawal of, to order, 109 (4) sub judice matter, reference to, 50 (2) voting, to collect voices and to declare result, 62 rules of order, responsibility for observance, 56 silence, Chair to be heard in, 55 151 INDEX Speaker, Deputy absence of, 8 (3) Chair, temporary taking of, 8 (4) election of procedure for, 17 (2) time for, 10 (1) (g), 17 (1) performance of functions of Speaker, 8 (1) presiding in the absence of Speaker, 8 (2) Standing Orders Committee, Member of, 100 (4) (a) Standing Orders amendment of, procedure for, 100 (4) (b) Committee, composition and duty, 100 (4) (a) reprint, 111 suspension of, 107 Standing Orders Committee, 100 (4) Statements of Excess Committee of Supply, procedure, 98 (2) to (5) proceedings on, included in Supply business, 91 (1) Public Accounts Committee reference to, 98 (1) report of, stands referred to Committee of Supply, 98 (2) 152 INDEX Strangers Parliament Chamber admission to, 109 (1) re-admission to, 109 (3) withdrawal from, 109 (2), (4) Select Committee, admission to, 103 (5) Sub Judice Matter question not to be asked on, 21 (1) (h) reference
 to, when allowable, 50 (2) Supply Bill proceedings on, included in Supply business, 91 (1) second and third readings to be read after Committee of Supply, 93 (1A) one day allotted for, 93 (2) procedure on, 93 (2) to (4) Supply, business of allotted day, number of items for discussion, 91 (2) (a) definition of, 91 (1) dilatory motion not permitted in proceedings on, except with consent of Speaker or Chairman, 91 (5) first order, stands as, 91 (2) (a) interrupted, cannot ordinarily be, 91 (5) proceedings
 postponed upon matter affecting powers and privileges of Parliament being raised, 91 (2) (b) 153 INDEX Supply, business of – contd.
time taken for, 91 (2) (a) Supporter definition, 1 introducing a Bill, 67 (2) moving a motion or amendment in a private Member’s stead, 38 (2) moving a motion for leave to bring in a Bill, 66 (3) signifying support in writing for notice of private Member’s motion, 34 (1) Translation of speeches, Oral inadequate or unsatisfactory facilities, procedure to adopt in event of, 49 misinterpretation of a Member’s speech or part thereof in, 49 (3) Tributes, time for, 10 (1) (i) Urgent Bills notice of amendments not required, 74 (3) (a) notice of, not required, 86 procedure for introduction, 86 Vote inclusion in Votes and Proceedings, 30 (3), 63 (3) in a ballot for election of Speaker, 12 (5), 12 (7) to (9) in Parliament or a Committee of the Whole Parliament at a division, 63 (4) to (6) 154 INDEX Vote – contd.
in Parliament or a Committee of the Whole Parliament – contd.
abstention from, 63 (3), 64 (4), 64 (7) counted wrongly, 64 direct personal pecuniary interest, 65 (1) disallowed, 65 error, 64 manner inconsistent with opinion expressed when voices were taken collectively, 63 (4) procedure, 63 record in Votes and Proceedings, 63 (3) to alter, 64 in Select Committees decision on all questions, 104 (1) at a division, 104 (5) to (9) abstention from, 104 (7) counted wrongly, 104 (9) direct personal pecuniary interest, 104 (10), 65 disallowed, 104 (10) error, 104 (9) manner to be consistent with opinion expressed when voices were taken collectively, 104 (7) procedure, 104 (5) to (8) record in Minutes of Proceedings, 104 (7) to alter, 104 (9) on Debate on a specific matter, not required, 44 (2) 155 INDEX Vote of Credit, Estimates containing Committee of Supply notice of allotted day, 95 (3) one day allotted, 95 (2) procedure, 95 reference to, 95 (1) resolution announcement of President’s decision on publication in Official Report, 95 (6) (b) when Parliament is not sitting, 95 (6) (b) when Parliament is sitting, 95 (6) (a) non-signification by President at the end of time limit, 95 (5A) submission to President for concurrence, 95 (5) Vote on Account, Estimates containing Committee of Supply notice of allotted day, 94 (3) one day allotted, 94 (2) procedure, 94 (4) reference to, 94 (1) proceedings on, included in Supply business, 91 (1) resolution announcement of President’s decision on publication in Official Report, 94 (6) (b) when Parliament is not sitting, 94 (6) (b) when
 Parliament is sitting, 94 (6) (a) 156 INDEX Vote on Account, Estimates containing – contd.
resolution – contd.
non-signification by President at the end of time limit, 94 (5A) submission to President for concurrence, 94 (5) Votes and Proceedings circulation, 30 (1) custody, 32 how recorded, 30 (2), (3), 31 (4), 63 (3), 67 (1) inspection of, by Members, 32 signed by Speaker, 30 (2) Withdrawal of amendment, inconsistent, 74 (5) Bill, 84 Member – see Member motion and amendment, 43 (1), (2) notice of motion, 36 (3) papers presented, 31 (3), (4) Questions to Ministers, 22 (3) Strangers from Parliament Chamber, 109 (2), 109 (4) motion on, not open to debate, 45 (l) 157