The Acting Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr G Q M Doidge, presents the First Report of the Rules Committee, dated 20 October 2005, as follows:

The Rules Committee having on 14 October 2005 considered the composition of portfolio committees and sequence of members’ statements after floor-crossing, reports as follows:

(1) Composition of portfolio committees

The Committee decided that as a general principle the number of members on portfolio committees be reduced from 17 to 13 members as follows: ANC 8, DA 2, IFP 1 and other parties 2.

This decision requires a consequential amendment to Rule 200(2) which determines that a portfolio committee must have no fewer than 15 members.

It is therefore recommended that, in order to give effect to the decision of the Rules Committee, Rule 200(2) be amended by the deletion of the number in bold and insertion of the number underlined:

Rule 200. (2) A portfolio committee must have no fewer than [15] 13 and no more than 40 members.

(2) Sequence of parties for members’ statements

The Committee decided that the number of statements allowed on a day on which members’ statements are taken be increased from a maximum of fourteen to a maximum of fifteen.

The maximum of Ministers who may respond to members’ statements has been increased from five to six.

A trial period is to be allowed for the new arrangement and the new order of parties will be as follows: ANC; DA; IFP; ANC; group 1 of smaller parties; group 2 of smaller parties; ANC; group 3 of smaller parties; group 4 of smaller parties; DA; ANC; IFP; ANC; DA; ANC.

The grouping of smaller parties is to be decided by the smaller parties themselves.

It is recommended that this temporary arrangement be endorsed and, accordingly, Rule 105(5) and (9) be suspended until the end of the trial period.

Report to be considered.

APPROVED:

..……………………………….

Date:…………………

G Q M DOIDGE

ACTING SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY