Parliament sittings to be held from Feb. 9-12

Parliamentary sittings will be held from the 9th to 12th of February this week as decided by the Committee on Parliamentary Business, according to the Communications Department of the Parliament.

The Committee on Parliamentary Business met today (08) under the chairmanship of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena and decided to convene the Parliament during the next four days, a statement said.

Accordingly, the regulation issued by the Minister of Labor under an Extraordinary Gazette which was presented in the Parliament on January 21 under the Employees Provident Fund Act will be taken up for debate tomorrow.

Following the commencement of Parliament tomorrow (09) at 10 am, time will be allotted for the oral questions of the Members of Parliament until 11 am. Subsequently the debate will begin at 11.00 am and will continue until 04.30 pm. The adjournment motion moved by the ruling party will be taken up for debate from 04.30 pm to 5.30 pm.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister will answer the questions raised by Members of Parliament on Wednesday, (10) from 10 am to 10.30 am. Thereafter, from 10.30 am to 11 am, time has been allotted for oral questions of Members of Parliament.

On that day, the regulations imposed under the Gem and Jewelry Act will be taken up for debate, which will be held from 11 am to 4.30 pm. After that the adjournment motion moved by the Opposition will then be taken up for debate.

Three regulations under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act will be taken up for debate on Thursday (11). On the same day, from 10 am to 11 am, time will be allotted for the oral questions of the Members of Parliament and the adjournment motion moved by the Government will be taken up for debate from 04.30 pm to 5.30 pm.

Votes of Condolence on the late MPs (Ms.) Surangani Ellawala, K.P. Silva and Kapila Abeyratne will be presented in Parliament on Friday (12). The sitting will be held from 10 am to 4.30 pm on that day and no time will be allotted for the oral questions of the Members of Parliament.

The Committee on Parliamentary Business had decided to limit the oral questions of MPs to 10 per day.

PCR Tests in Parliament

Meanwhile the Serjeant-at-Arms of the Parliament Mr. Narendra Fernando announced that Members of Parliament are also invited to attend the random PCR testing program scheduled to be held tomorrow (09) from 9.00 am to 12.00 noon at the Parliament premises. 

The random checkups will be conducted once a week during Parliamentary Sitting weeks as well as during non-Sitting weeks with the full support of the Department of the Director General of Health Services.

Random PCR tests have been carried out since the 13th of January 2021 and the 190 subjects whose PCR test were carried out last on the 25th of January were held to be negative.