Resolved by the House—23 May 2000, 2nd Session, Minutes No. 41, Items 16 & 20. That the Budget Estimates and related documents presenting the amounts to be appropriated from the Consolidated Fund be referred to the General Purpose Standing Committees for inquiry and report. That the Committees consider the Budget Estimates in accordance with the allocation of portfolios to the Committees. For the purposes of this inquiry any Member of the House may attend a meeting of a Committee in relation to the Budget Estimates and question witnesses, participate in the deliberations of the Committee at such meeting and make a dissenting statement relating to the Budget Estimates, but may not vote or be counted for the purpose of any quorum. The Committees must hear evidence on the Budget Estimates in public. Not more than 3 Committees are to hear evidence on the Budget Estimates simultaneously. When a Committee hears evidence on the Budget Estimates, the Chair is to call on items of expenditure in the order decided on and declare the proposed expenditure open for examination. The Committees may ask for explanations from Ministers in the House, or officers of departments, statutory bodies or corporations, relating to the items of proposed expenditure. The report of a Committee on the Budget Estimates may propose the further consideration of any items. A daily Hansard record of the hearings of a Committee on the Budget Estimates is to be published as soon as practicable after each day’s proceedings. The Committees have leave to sit during the sittings or any adjournment of the House. After a Committee has considered proposed expenditure referred to it by the House and agreed to its report to the House, the Committee must fix: (a) a day for the submission to the Committee of any written answers or additional information relating to the proposed expenditure, and (b) a day for the commencement of supplementary meetings of the Committee to consider matters relating to the proposed expenditure, which day must be not less than 10 days after the day fixed under subparagraph (a). (1) A Member may lodge with a Committee, not less than 3 working days before the day fixed under subparagraph (11) (b), notice of matters relating to the written answers or additional information, or otherwise relating to the proposed expenditure referred to the committee, which the Member wishes to raise at the supplementary meetings of the Committee. (2) Any notice lodged with a Committee must be forwarded by the Committee to the Minister in the House responsible for the matters to which the notice relates. A Committee may determine at any time the number and duration of any supplementary meetings. At a supplementary meeting, questions may be put to Ministers or officers of departments, statutory bodies or corporations, relating to matters of which notice has been given, and the proceedings of the Committee must be confined to those matters. A Committee may report to the House any recommendation for further action by the House arising from the Committee’s supplementary meetings. Written questions relating to the Budget Estimates may be supplied to the Clerk of the Committee, who must distribute them to the relevant Minister and to Members of the Committee. Answers must be supplied to, and circulated by, the Clerk. The Committees must: (a) present a first report to the House before the House adjourns for the winter recess, and (b) present a final report to the House by the first sitting day in August 2000. (Minutes of the Proceedings, No.41, 23 May 2000, pp.443-444)

That the Budget Estimates and related documents presenting the amounts to be appropriated from the Consolidated Fund be referred to the General Purpose Standing Committees for inquiry and report. That the Committees consider the Budget Estimates in accordance with the allocation of portfolios to the Committees. For the purposes of this inquiry any Member of the House may attend a meeting of a Committee in relation to the Budget Estimates and question witnesses, participate in the deliberations of the Committee at such meeting and make a dissenting statement relating to the Budget Estimates, but may not vote or be counted for the purpose of any quorum. The Committees must hear evidence on the Budget Estimates in public. Not more than 3 Committees are to hear evidence on the Budget Estimates simultaneously. When a Committee hears evidence on the Budget Estimates, the Chair is to call on items of expenditure in the order decided on and declare the proposed expenditure open for examination. The Committees may ask for explanations from Ministers in the House, or officers of departments, statutory bodies or corporations, relating to the items of proposed expenditure. The report of a Committee on the Budget Estimates may propose the further consideration of any items. A daily Hansard record of the hearings of a Committee on the Budget Estimates is to be published as soon as practicable after each day’s proceedings. The Committees have leave to sit during the sittings or any adjournment of the House. After a Committee has considered proposed expenditure referred to it by the House and agreed to its report to the House, the Committee must fix: (a) a day for the submission to the Committee of any written answers or additional information relating to the proposed expenditure, and (b) a day for the commencement of supplementary meetings of the Committee to consider matters relating to the proposed expenditure, which day must be not less than 10 days after the day fixed under subparagraph (a). (1) A Member may lodge with a Committee, not less than 3 working days before the day fixed under subparagraph (11) (b), notice of matters relating to the written answers or additional information, or otherwise relating to the proposed expenditure referred to the committee, which the Member wishes to raise at the supplementary meetings of the Committee. (2) Any notice lodged with a Committee must be forwarded by the Committee to the Minister in the House responsible for the matters to which the notice relates. A Committee may determine at any time the number and duration of any supplementary meetings. At a supplementary meeting, questions may be put to Ministers or officers of departments, statutory bodies or corporations, relating to matters of which notice has been given, and the proceedings of the Committee must be confined to those matters. A Committee may report to the House any recommendation for further action by the House arising from the Committee’s supplementary meetings. Written questions relating to the Budget Estimates may be supplied to the Clerk of the Committee, who must distribute them to the relevant Minister and to Members of the Committee. Answers must be supplied to, and circulated by, the Clerk. The Committees must: (a) present a first report to the House before the House adjourns for the winter recess, and (b) present a final report to the House by the first sitting day in August 2000. (Minutes of the Proceedings, No.41, 23 May 2000, pp.443-444)