PARLIAMENT

The Hon. Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, the Deputy Speaker and the Chair of Committees took the Chair.


Announcements by the Speaker

A : Members to serve in the Committee on Public Finance
B : Meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business


Presentation of Papers by the Speaker

A.    
(i)    
•    Fourth Instalment – Part XVIII of the Report of the Auditor–General for the Financial Year 2017;
•    Fourth Instalment – Part XVIII of the Report of the Auditor–General for the Financial Year 2018;
•    Fourth Instalment – Part XVIII of the Report of the Auditor–General for the Financial Year 2019; and  
•    First Instalment – Parts XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XIX, XX, XXI and XXII and Fourth Instalment – Parts VII, VIII and IX of the Report of the Auditor–General for the Financial Year 2020
in terms of Article 154(6) of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

(ii) Eighth Instalment – Part VI of the Report of the Auditor-General on Evaluation on the Performance of Clinical Waste Management Project Implemented at Hospitals by the Ministry of Health under Australian and Domestic Loans in terms of Article 154(6) of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

B.   
•    Third Instalment – Parts XVI and XVII and Ninth Instalment – Part XX of the Report of the Auditor–General for the Financial Year 2016;
•    Third Instalment – Part XIII of the Report of the Auditor–General for the Financial Year 2017;
•    Second Instalment – Part XXXV and Ninth Instalment – Part XXVIII of the Report of the Auditor–General for the Financial Year 2018;
•    Second Instalment – Parts XXIX, XXX and XXXI, Third Instalment – Part XIII and Ninth Instalment – Part XXII of the Report of the Auditor–General for the Financial Year 2019; and
•    Second Instalment – Parts VIII, IX, X and XI of the Report of the Auditor–General for the Financial Year 2020
in terms of Article 154(6) of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.


Presentation of Papers

(i)    Annual Report of the State Engineering Corporation of Sri Lanka for the year 2016
(ii)    Annual Performance Report of the Department of Sri Lanka Coast Guard for the year 2020
(iii)    Annual Performance Report of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption for the year 2020
(iv)    Annual Report of the Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka for the year 2015
(v)    Annual Report of the Cey Nor Foundation Limited for the year 2016
(vi)    Annual Report of the Sri Lanka State Trading (General) Corporation Ltd for the year 2019/2020
(vii)    Annual Performance Reports and Accounts of the National Intellectual Property Office of Sri Lanka for the years 2015 and 2016
(viii)    Annual Performance Report of the Department of National Zoological Gardens for the year 2020
(ix)    Annual Report of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation for the year 2018
(x)    Annual Reports of the Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Bank of Sri Lanka for the years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018
(xi)    Annual Report of the National Institute of Post Harvest Management for the year 2018
(xii)    Annual Report of the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute for the year 2019
(xiii)    Annual Report of the Chilaw Plantations Ltd for the year 2019
(xiv)    Annual Report of the Legal Aid Commission of Sri Lanka for the year 2018

(xv) Report on the submission of observations and steps taken in terms of the Standing Order 119(4) of the Parliament with regard to the matters mentioned on the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (Ombudsman) in the report of the Committee on Public Accounts which was presented to Parliament
(xvi)    Report on the submission of observations and steps taken in terms of the Standing Order 119(4) of the Parliament with regard to the matters mentioned on the National Police Commission in the report of the Committee on Public Accounts which was presented to Parliament
(xvii)    Report on the submission of observations and steps taken in terms of the Standing Order 119(4) of the Parliament with regard to the matters mentioned on the Judges of the Superior Court — Head 04 in the report of the Committee on Public Accounts which was presented to Parliament
(xviii)    Report on the submission of observations and steps taken in terms of the Standing Order 119(4) of the Parliament with regard to the matters mentioned on the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption in the report of the Committee on Public Accounts which was presented to Parliament
(xix)    Report on the submission of observations and steps taken in terms of the Standing Order 119(4) of the Parliament with regard to the matters mentioned on the Ministry of Health in the report of the Committee on Public Accounts which was presented to Parliament
(xx)    Order made by the Minister of Finance under Section 19A of the Customs Ordinance (Chapter 235), as amended by the Customs (Amendment) Law No. 35 of 1974 and the Customs (Amendment) Act, No. 83 of 1988, and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2256/37 of 02nd December 2021
(xxi)    Report on the submission of observations and steps taken in terms of the Standing Order 119(4) of the Parliament with regard to the matters mentioned on the Ministry of Water Supply in the report of the Committee on Public Accounts which was presented to Parliament
(xxii)    Report on the submission of observations and steps taken in terms of the Standing Order 119(4) of the Parliament with regard to the matters mentioned on the Ministry of Tourism Development, Wildlife and Christian Religious Affairs in the report of the Committee on Public Accounts which was presented to Parliament


Presentation of Bills

The Hon. Minister of Lands moved the Bill entitled

“Land Development (Amendment)”

to amend the Land Development Ordinance (Chapter 464).


House agreed to the following Motions moved by the Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena, the Leader of the House of Parliament-

(i) Ministerial Consultative Committees

Thirty Two (32) Ministerial Consultative Committees be appointed to be designated as follows:—
1.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Defence
2.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Finance
3.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Buddhasasana, Religious & Cultural Affairs
4.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Urban Development & Housing
5.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Justice
6.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Foreign
7.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Public Services, Provincial Councils & Local Government
8.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Education
9.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Health
10.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Labour
11.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Environment
12.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Wildlife & Forest Conservation
13.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Agriculture
14.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Irrigation
15.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Lands
16.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Fisheries
17.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Plantation
18.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Water Supply
19.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Power
20.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Energy
21.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Ports & Shipping
22.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Highways
23.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Transport
24.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Youth & Sports
25.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Tourism
26.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Trade
27.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Industries
28.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Mass Media
29.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Technology
30.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Public Security
31.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Economic Policies & Plan Implementation
32.    Ministerial Consultative Committee on Development Co-ordination and Monitering

Each Ministerial Consultative Committee shall consist of the Cabinet Minister in charge of the relevant subject as the Chair, State Minister, Deputy Minister and Five (5) other Members of Parliament to be nominated by the Committee of Selection to discuss and report upon such matters as are referred to the Committee in terms of Standing Order 112 of the Parliament;

The quorum of each Ministerial Consultative Committee shall be three (3) Members.

(ii)    Legislative Standing Committee

That notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 113 of the Parliament, the Legislative Standing Committee shall consist of the Deputy Speaker as the Chair, the Deputy Chairperson of Committees and fifteen (15) other Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection to serve in the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament

(iii) Committee on Standing Orders

That notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 116 of the Parliament, the Committee on Standing Orders shall consist of the Speaker as the Chair, the Deputy Speaker, the Deputy Chairperson of Committees and nine (9) other Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection to serve in the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament

(iv) House Committee

That notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 117 of the Parliament, the House Committee shall consist of the Speaker as the Chair and fourteen (14) other Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection to serve in the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament

(v) Committee on Ethics and Privileges

That notwithstanding the provisions of the Standing Order 118 of the Parliament, the Committee on Ethics and Privileges shall consist of sixteen (16) Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection to serve in the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament

(vi) Committee on Public Accounts

That notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 119 of the Parliament, the Committee on Public Accounts shall consist of twenty two (22) Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection to serve in the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament

(vii) Committee on Public Enterprises

That notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 120 of the Parliament, the Committee on Public Enterprises shall consist of twenty two (22) Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection to serve in the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament

(viii) Committee on Public Petitions

That notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 122 of the Parliament, the Committee on Public Petitions shall consist of twenty three (23) Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection to serve in the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament

(ix) Backbencher Committee

That notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 126 of the Parliament, the Backbencher Committee shall consist of  the Chief Government Whip, the Chief Opposition Whip, eight (8) Backbenchers from the Government and eight (8) Backbenchers from the Opposition to be nominated by the Committee of Selection to serve in the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament

(x) Committee on High Posts

That notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 127(1) of the Parliament, the Committee on High Posts shall be Chaired by the Speaker in the Ninth Parliament


Adjournment Motion

Adjourned debate on “Statement of Government Policy by the President” was continued and concluded.


The Parliament was, thereafter adjourned at 1730 Hrs. until 1000 Hrs. on Tuesday 8th February 2022.

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