PARLIAMENT

The Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, the Speaker took the Chair.


Announcements by the Speaker

A : Clarification to the announcement made on the floor of the House on 04.04.2023 regarding Determination of the Supreme Court on the Bill entitled “Central Bank of Sri Lanka”    
B : Question of privilege raised by the Hon. Ajith Rajapakse, MP


Presentation of Papers

(i)    Annual Report of the National Education Commission for the year 2021
(ii)    Annual Report of the Homoeopathic Medical Council for the year 2021
(iii)    Annual Performance Reports of the Department of Debt Conciliation Board for the years 2020 and 2021

(iv) Order made by the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies under Section 2 of the Special Commodity Levy Act, No. 48 of 2007, relating to Special Commodity Levy and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2308/17 of 30th November 2022
(v)    Order made by the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies under Section 2 of the Special Commodity Levy Act, No. 48 of 2007, relating to Special Commodity Levy and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2313/34 of 04th January 2023
(vi)    Order made by the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies under Section 2 of the Special Commodity Levy Act, No. 48 of 2007, relating to Special Commodity Levy and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2316/28 of 25th January 2023
(vii)    Order made by the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies under Sections 2 and 5 of the Special Commodity Levy Act, No. 48 of 2007, relating to Special Commodity Levy and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2320/04 of 20th February 2023
(viii)    Order made by the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies under Section 2 of the Special Commodity Levy Act, No. 48 of 2007, relating to Special Commodity Levy and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2321/76 of 04th March 2023
(ix)    Order made by the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies under Section 2 of the Special Commodity Levy Act, No. 48 of 2007, relating to Special Commodity Levy and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2322/20 of 07th March 2023
(x)    Order made by the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies under Section 5 of the Special Commodity Levy Act, No. 48 of 2007, relating to Special Commodity Levy and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2322/21 of 07th March 2023
(xi)    Order made by the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies under Sections 2 and 5 of the Special Commodity Levy Act, No. 48 of 2007, relating to Special Commodity Levy and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2323/40 of 17th March 2023
(xii)    Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme made by the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies under Section 09 of the Welfare Benefits Act, No. 24 of 2002, relating to Welfare Benefits and published in the Gazette Extraordinary        No. 2328/13 of 21st April 2023
(xiii)    Order made by the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies under Section 19A of the Customs Ordinance (Chapter 235) relating to Customs Duty on imported goods and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2321/50 of 02nd March 2023


Presentation of Petitions

(i)    The Hon. Vijitha Herath                  -   Three Petitions
(ii)    The Hon. Rohana Bandara                    
(iii)    The Hon. (Mrs.) Rajika Wickramasinghe                    
(Petitions stand referred to the Committee on Public Petitions)


Special Statement by the Honourable President

Honourable President made a Special Statement regarding the IMF agreement and other economic factors.


Questions under Standing Order 27(2) of the Parliament

(i)    The Hon. Sajith Premadasa

IMF agreement, local debt restructuring etc.

(ii) The Hon. Anura Dissanayaka

Providing meals to school children and filling of vacancies of principals

Hon. Minister of Education replied to the above Question.


Privilege

The Privilege motion that the question of privilege arising out of the matter raised by the Hon. Shehan Semasinghe, M.P. on 10th March, 2023 in Parliament to the effect that his privileges have been infringed, moved by the Hon. Leader of the House of Parliament, was referred to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges in terms of the provisions of Standing Order 118 of the Parliament.


Main Business of the House for Today

The following Items (Item Nos. (i) and (iii) to (xv)) were approved by the House. Item No. (ii) was debated and adjourned for tomorrow and Item Nos. (xvi) and (xvii) were referred to the Legislative Standing Committee:-

(i)    Resolution under the Essential Public Services Act
(ii)    Resolution for the implementation of the arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for Sri Lanka
(iii)    Annual Report of the Urban Settlement Development Authority (2021)
(iv)    Annual Report of the Sri Lanka Transport Board (2019)
(v)    Annual Report of the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute (2021)  
(vi)    Annual Report of the Paddy Marketing Board  (2016)
(vii)    Annual Report of the Paddy Marketing Board  (2019)
(viii)    Annual Report of the Sri Lanka Tea Board (2020)
(ix)    Annual Report of the Palmyrah Development Board (2016)
(x)    Annual Report of the Palmyrah Development Board (2017)
(xi)    Annual Report of the National Institute of Plantation Management (2020)
(xii)    Annual Report of the Kalubowitiyana Tea Factory Limited (2019/2020)
(xiii)    Annual Report of the Lanka Coal Company (Pvt) Ltd  (2017)
(xiv)    Annual Report of the Lanka Coal Company (Pvt) Ltd  (2020)
(xv)    Annual Report of the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board (2019)
(xvi)    Kelaniya Buddhist Women’s Charitable Society (Incorporation) Bill - Second Reading
(xvii)    Sri Lanka Institute of Taxation(Incorporation) (Amendment) Bill - Second Reading


Questions at the Adjournment Time

Two Questions were asked by following Members of Parliament:-
(i)    The Hon. Imran Maharoof
(ii)    The Hon. Akila Ellawala


The Parliament was, thereafter adjourned at 1811 Hrs. until 0930 Hrs. on Thursday 27th April 2023.

*  This is an unedited version. For the official record of this day's proceedings, please refer the Hansard.