Former External Affairs Minister and Sri Lanka Podu Jana Peramuna Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday stressed that the motion submitted by the United National Front (UNF) proposing to cut the financial allocation to the Prime Minister’s office has no legal basis as the budget for 2018 has already been passed in Parliament.
He said there is no possibility for moving such a motion as the budget has already been passed and the allocation has already been made for the financial year ending December 31, 2018.
“The Budget has already been passed up to December 31, 2018 and the allocation cannot be cut,” he said.
Prof. Peiris also pointed out that the Opposition cannot move a Finance Bill in Parliament. A Finance Bill can only be moved by the government and thereby the opposition cannot move such a motion.
“It has no legal basis whatsoever. There is no possibility for the cutting of funds when funds have already been allocated for the Ministries and so on. The budget up to the end of year has already been passed in Parliament”, he said.
Professor G L Peiris added that there would have to be a budget for the next year or a Vote on Account beginning from January 01, 2018 to find the required resources.
“There would have to be a budget or a Vote on Account next year beginning from January 1,2019 to find the required resources. Right now, there is no possibility of moving such a motion proposing to cut allocations for the office of the Prime Minister,” he said.
Meanwhile, Finance and Economic Affairs Ministry Secretary S.R. Attygalle yesterday said that any motion proposing to cut financial allocation to the office of the Prime Minister will be futile as Parliament has already approved the allocation of funds for government institutions.
“I don’t know whether this proposal has any bearing as the budget for 2018 financial year has already been passed in Parliament,” Attygalle added.
However, Attygalle added that there is a procedure, if a motion is moved aiming at pruning or suspending the Financial allocation of the Office of Prime Minister. He said that the Appropriation Bill for 2019 has already been submitted to Parliament and any motion seeking to suspend the allocation for the Prime Minister’s office should be brought as an Amendment to this Bill.
“There is no point in bringing a motion for cutting the financial allocation for the Office of the Prime Minister this year as Parliament has already given approval for the allocation of funds through Budget 2018.