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12.03 hrs.
OBSERVATION BY SPEAKER
RAISING OF MATTERS OF URGENT
PUBLIC IMPORTANCE AFTER ‘QUESTION HOUR’
Title: Mr. Speaker made observation regarding regulating number of matters to be raised per day during Zero Hour and permissible limit for each member for raising per week.
: May I have your attention? This is an important matter.
Hon. Members, there has been a considerable increase in the number of notices for raising matters during the so-called ‘Zero Hour’. For instance, 75 notices have been received today. It becomes practically impossible for the Chair to accommodate all the hon. Members for raising the matters.
This matter was discussed during the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee held yesterday, the 7th December, 2004. It was observed that many notices received from the hon. Members seek to raise matters relating to their constituencies and do not involve matters of recent occurrence or of national or international importance.
The members of the Business Advisory Committee were of the view that the number of so-called ‘Zero Hour’ matters may be restricted to about 15 per day, and unless matters of emergent national or international importance are involved, each Member may be allowed to raise not more than one matter per week.
I seek the kind cooperation of all the hon. Members in this matter so that we can have very useful utilisation of this Hour.