Before I recognise the Minister, hon members, I just want to point out that copies of the Portfolio Committee on Finance's report on the Bill have been put on all members' desks.
Chairperson, hon members, today we take the unusual step of tabling a Special Adjustments Appropriation Bill.
Although we have occasionally had to table second adjustments budgets in previous years, this is the first time that an appropriation has been required before the usual adjustments budget which is scheduled to be tabled in this House on 30 October.
We tabled a Special Adjustments Appropriation Bill owing to the fact that in this case we unfortunately do not have the option of waiting for the normal adjustments budget. Both the government in general and I as Minister of Finance have been hesitant to introduce more than one adjustments budget a year.
Where we have done this, it was either due to an emergency or a clearly and unambiguously unavoidable situation. While the items that we request additional resources for today cannot be considered a natural or economic emergency, we table this Special Adjustments Appropriation Bill after exploring all options to meet the cash flow requirements in this instance. Not providing this financial support may in some cases cost government more than the amounts requested.
The first of these cases relates to stadiums. We want to ensure the speedy completion of our 2010 Fifa World Cup stadium projects. In the Budget in February this year we announced an amount of R8,4 billion over four years for the 10 stadium upgrade and construction projects.
Today we are pleased to announce that in certain cases construction is proceeding faster than anticipated. For this reason we are requesting that R1,9 billion be brought forward from next year's allocation to the present year.
In addition to faster progress on the projects the additional funds will be used to prefund the procurement of roofing structures, which in some cases involves importing expensive fabricated steel products. Early payment reduces the risks of cost escalation and currency risk. Particularly the Soccer City Stadium project in Johannesburg and the Moses Mabhida Stadium in eTthekwini entail complex roofing structures.
Since we announced the R8,4 billion ceiling on the stadium projects, we've had a number of requests for additional resources. We've been firm in our resolve not to provide additional resources for these projects and we commend those city municipalities for ensuring that we do not exceed the financial limits on all of these projects.
A review of all 10 stadium projects shows that we're on track to meet the deadline set by Fifa. This is again testimony to South Africa's ability to organise and manage large international projects to the highest standards. We wish each of the host cities and local organising committees well in their endeavours to host a memorable tournament.
Hon members, in 2004 government signalled a strategic shift in its approach towards state-owned enterprises and our development finance institutions. We signalled a stronger role for these enterprises and institutions in driving our developmental agenda.
When we took this decision we were mindful of the fact that in some cases our enterprises were not well managed in the past and not well capitalised, and that governance and oversight were sometimes lacking.
In implementing this strategy we've had to work tirelessly in increasing this strategic focus on improving management. Our approach attempted to steer away from the sterile ideological debates about whether the public sector or the private sector was better able to deliver the services to businesses and households. Instead, we've adopted a pragmatic approach that recognised that there were areas where government had to exit from providing the service, but there were also areas where we felt that the public sector could play a positive role in driving investment.
In the Budget in February we announced a number of developments in state- owned enterprises and development finance institutions in which we're working to assess business plans and increase the strategic focus. In particular, we informed Parliament that we were reviewing the business plans and activities of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor project, Sentech, the Land Bank and Broadband Infraco.
In respect of Sentech we are pleased to announce today that an agreement has been reached on the business plan of Sentech. Government has approved Sentech's role in developing a national wireless network that can be used by a number of enterprises, including private companies, to enhance wireless Internet connectivity both to businesses and households. For this purpose government is providing R500 million as an initial capital investment in the infrastructure of Sentech.
The Land Bank is a key development finance institution, providing access to credit in the agricultural sector. Clearly it's a very topical issue; hence so much time was consumed this afternoon in debating matters relating to land and agriculture. The bank has played a pivotal role for almost a century in the development of commercial agriculture in South Africa. If we are to expand our agricultural industry and, in particular, if we are going to succeed in bringing black farmers into the agricultural supply chain, the Land Bank is going to have to continue to be a key player in this sector.
There have been difficulties, but we must also report progress. Given the progress that we have made, and noting the low level of capital on the balance sheet, it's prudent for government to recommend an injection of R700 million in cash and the provision of R1,5 billion by way of a government guarantee to ensure the sustainable operations of the bank.
I will give this House the assurance that I will continue to work with my colleague the Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs, but also with the board of the bank to ensure that we can have the desired outcomes.
In respect of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor, members of this House will be aware that considerable progress has been made in recent years in the design of an entirely new-generation nuclear power plant, know as a PBMR. The construction of the demonstration plant has now begun, for which government has made a financial commitment of R6 billion over three years.
This is a commitment that was made in the Budget Speech in February this year. At the time of the Budget the amount required this year and the details of the business plans had not been finalised. At this stage external funding for the project is not available and an amount of R1,8 billion is therefore required for the period April to December this year.
This amount will allow for the project to fund the ongoing recurrent expenses as well as provide for contractual obligations related to the design components of the demonstration plant.
In respect of Alexkor, I think we all are aware of the government's efforts to exit from diamond mining, but there was a need to resolve the protracted land claim with the Richtersveld community. A deed of settlement was signed on 22 April this year. The settlement constitutes the conclusion of a lengthy court case in which billions of rands were claimed.
There's now a joint venture with the Richtersveld Mining Company, which will become the owner of converted land mining rights that currently belong to Alexkor. Funding of R44,7 million is required for the operational costs and working capital of the mine.
The final item in this special appropriation relates to an indemnity claim in favour of Denel's aerostructure subsidiary. The claim is currently being verified by auditors appointed by the DPE and an amount of R222 million is required as provision against this contingent liability.
In conclusion, in each of these cases it's not possible to wait until the normal adjustments at the end of October. It's not the intention of government to request approval for the appropriation of resources more often than is absolutely necessary. If we could have avoided the need for a special adjustments budget today, we certainly would have done so.
Turning our state-owned enterprises and development finance institutions around so that they can become effective tools in the hands of a developmental state requires huge efforts on all fronts.
I confess that in some cases we've been disappointed with our efforts to focus the activities in a manner that ensures financial stability. We have much more work to do to improve the quality of management and the strategic direction of these enterprises. However, as a shareholder, it is also our obligation to ensure that these entities do not engage in risky financial arrangements that would inevitably cost consumers more in the long term.
It is our obligation to provide funding, after due diligence has been completed, where these funds are required to increase investment or to lower the cost of doing business in South Africa. In total an additional appropriation of R5,195 billion is required for the Departments of Agriculture and Land Affairs, Communications, Sport and Recreation and Public Enterprises.
The anticipated revised total expenditure, and how it is to be financed, will be dealt with as usual in the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement to be tabled here on 30 October this year. I thank you very much. [Applause.]
Chairperson, hon members, allow me to focus on the Special Adjustments Appropriation Bill of three entities reporting to the Department of Public Enterprises and briefly speak on the Land Bank. The hon Mbili will be dealing with the special appropriations for the Department of Sport and Recreation and the Department of Communications.
State-owned enterprises play a critical role in the realisation of our developmental objectives. They make a critical intervention in key sectors of our economy. Therefore, it is important that state-owned enterprises should operate efficiently and rely less on a constant cash injection from the fiscus.
It is understandable for government to inject cash in state-owned enterprises during their initial start-up phase. After the initial capitalisation, it is assumed that they have to rely on the strength of their balance sheet to borrow from capital markets. Obviously, we do not want to burden the state-owned enterprises with so much debt to the extent that they would have to increase their tariffs sharply to compensate for much-needed capital expenditure and investment.
The sale of noncore businesses and assets is critical to the strengthening of their balance sheet. It is also understandable for government to recapitalise state-owned enterprises under special circumstances, especially when undertaking a major turnaround strategy.
I must also caution that for such a strategy to succeed, Parliament has to exercise proper oversight on the activities of the state-owned enterprises and their turnaround strategies. Failure to do so will lead to state-owned enterprises constantly depending on the fiscus for capital injections.
The core business for Alexkor is the mining and marketing of diamonds sourced from the land and sea. The 2007 annual report of Alexkor indicates that by the end of October 2006 the company was facing increasing operating losses, resulting in a depletion of the cash reserve to the extent that government had to provide the amount of R32,9 million to enable Alexkor to continue operations. The annual report indicates that Alexkor's solvency position remains critical given the limited operating cash reserves. The report indicates that Alexkor will continue to operate at a loss until the recapitalisation programme of the joint venture with the Richtersveld community is agreed upon and implemented. The R44,7 million allocated to Alexkor in this special adjustment is meant to cover the operational expenses until the end of March 2007. It is estimated that by March 2007 an agreement would have been reached with the Richtersveld community on the recapitalisation of the joint venture agreement. We hope that the turnaround strategy considered by Alexkor on the transfer of noncore activities from the mining operations to the relevant structures will be successful.
Regarding the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor, government expects nuclear power to make a significant contribution as a primary source of electricity. Government has made a commitment to finance 51% of the capital requirements of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor.
The development and commercialisation of the PBMR will unfold in four phases: Phase 1 would involve the design and construction of the demonstration power plant at Koeberg and the pilot fuel plant at Phelindaba. Phase 2 would involve the commercial phase, which entails the supply of power to Eskom. Phase 3 would involve the export of electric nuclear power plants to the rest of the world, and phase 4 would involve the development and supply of Pebble Bed Modular Reactors for process heat applications.
The R1,8 billion allocated to the PBMR is an interim arrangement to finance the operational expenses and meet contractual obligations until the end of December 2007.
The 2007-08 corporate plan of the Land Bank indicates that in the past years the Land Bank's net capital and reserves have been reduced substantially due to large bad debt write-offs and provisions for bad debts in line with new accounting standards.
This led to a reduction of the Land Bank's capital adequacy ratio to below 10%. In fact, the current bank capital adequacy stands at 7%. This has major implications as it impacts negatively on the bank's ability for growth and funding development. This makes private sector investors nervous as they assume a greater risk for each of the bank's loans.
National Treasury gave the bank a R1,5 billion letter of support to reduce the concerns of the financial markets. The R700 million allocated to the Land Bank in this special adjustment is meant to address the capital adequacy ratio and liquidity shortfall.
The R222 million for Denel is required to pay for a claim against the government guarantee granted to Denel. Denel is making major progress in the implementation of the turnaround strategy it has adopted. There are significant contracts that have been secured in the domestic markets. We hope that it will break even in the coming few years.
Lastly, let me thank the chairperson of the portfolio committee, Mr Nhlanhla Nene, and also the members of the portfolio committee for insisting that heads of these state-owned enterprises and entities should give a full explanation of why they need the money. Indeed, it was a very robust engagement. Thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson, we know from the Bible that the Lord loves a cheerful giver. I regret to tell the Minister that today I am a little reluctant as a giver.
Members of the Portfolio Committee on Finance at the hearings on the Bill showed their teeth. The message was conveyed loudly and clearly to the National Treasury and the other departments concerned that a special adjustments appropriation is very special indeed and should not be resorted to lightly.
There was a feeling in the committee that some of the items in this Bill should have been foreseen and might therefore have been included in the main Budget, while the ordinary adjustments appropriation, to follow next month, could have been used for some of the other amounts. I am relieved to have the hon Minister's assurances today in this regard and I am sure that has impressed all the departments concerned.
I must say that my colleague, the hon Ms Smuts, says that the amount for Sentech could and should have been foreseen and is because the Minister and the Deputy Minister are not properly in control of their department. They don't know what is happening there. [Laughter.]
Let us deal with a few of the items. One of them is the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor. This is experimental and requires continued financing. It was a political decision to continue with this project and we have now spent R4,2 billon since 1999. There is a worldwide swing towards nuclear energy. If the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor is a success it could have huge implications for South Africa. My party supports it because we are green and we therefore support clean energy. We will keep a beady eye on the PBMR to help ensure that taxpayers receive value for money.
Let us talk about Alexkor. This must be the only diamond mine in the world that makes a loss. I have a concern about whether there is a reasonable prospect of returning it to profitability. We are now entering into an arrangement in which the people of the area are going to have a share in this. I hope they are going to have a share in something that is worthwhile and not in something that makes a loss. The taxpayers have invested hundreds of millions of rand in this and we haven't received any recent dividend.
As far as Denel is concerned, we have some doubts about the amount there but I intend pursuing this at a later stage when I have got more time.
Let us have a look at the Land Bank. They are receiving a big dollop of money. It is a fact that many farmers in South Africa are dependent on the Land Bank continuing and it would be a disaster for agriculture if the Land Bank were to go insolvent. But, surely, it is more than time that there was a proper turnaround strategy agreed upon, put into operation and more than that that the turnaround actually happened. A financial institution such as this should not operate at a loss.
I would like to deal briefly with the 2010 Soccer World Cup. We are prepared to support these payments to local authorities for the erection of football stadiums. It did concern me greatly to hear from National Treasury that inadequate planning has been done for the use and management of the stadiums after the World Cup. I want to suggest to the hon Minister that we need some rigorous cross-questioning of local authorities that fail to have viable plans in place when the taxpayer is providing hundreds of millions of rand to help them to construct stadiums. We must avoid having white elephants after our successful 2010 experience.
The hon Minister may be relieved to know that despite the few misgivings I have expressed the DA will vote for the Special Adjustments Appropriation Bill. I thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson and hon members, I thought the preserve of the IFP was to speak about elephants. I was also going to talk about white elephants and hon Gibson has already said something about them. Maybe that is where I should start, hon Minister.
The IFP support this Special Adjustments Appropriation Bill, but we note it is an unusual step and it is only the second time in the history of this Parliament that there has been a special adjustment - we are informed that the last time when there was a disaster of some sort in the country.
However, I don't think it was possible for us in the committee to suggest any amendments or to amend this Bill even if we were satisfied that some of the departments should not have gone this route of a special adjustment, because if I look at the Constitution, section 77(3) says that an Act of Parliament must provide for procedures to amend money Bills before Parliament. I am sure the hon Minister of Finance may introduce such a Bill in due course in this House.
As far as the funding for 2010 stadiums is concerned, we are pleased that they are ahead of schedule, but I want to re-emphasise the point made by hon Gibson that the hon Minister, as he has assured us, would work with the Department of Agriculture and Land Affairs in terms of the R700 million. Here as well we need the hon Minister to give us an assurance that business plans submitted by host cities include sustained economic viability of the stadiums post 2010.
We also would like the hon Minister to note that we were informed by Land Bank officials that the R700 million would be used for development programmes and would be ring-fenced as such. I think it is important that that money be used for that.
With regard to the PBMR, we would just like to know whether the foreign exchange rate was factored into fluctuations because a lot of the services that are being acquired are denominated in foreign currencies.
We support the Bill and we trust that the relevant portfolio committees will continue to interrogate these amounts that have been granted to each of the departments. Also, with regard to the PBMR, hon Minister, we have been informed that since 1999 R4,2 billion has been spent and in total R21 billion has been spent. So, that is why it is important for the exchange rate fluctuations to be taken into account. [Time expired.] We support the Bill.
Chairperson, the UDM has no problem with the appropriation of additional funding for the requirements of Sport and Recreation South Africa. The funds are intended for use by host cities of the 2010 World Cup under the 2010 Fifa World Cup Stadiums Development Grant provided for in the Division of Revenue Act.
We do, however, have a problem with the appropriation of additional funding for the requirements of the Department of Agriculture and Land Affairs for buying land and the Department of Public Enterprises for Denel. These two state-owned enterprises, that is, the Land Bank and Denel, show weaknesses in their administrations, but to oppose the appropriation of funding to them would be to shut them down. Shutting them down would not be in the interests of South Africa as a result of the roles, aims and objectives of these institutions. It is imperative that the funding of R5,2 billion be granted.
Emanating from the aforesaid, the UDM supports the Bill. Thank you.
Chairperson, as far as the additional R700 million to the Land Bank is concerned, committee members expressed grave concern at the performance of the Land Bank, in particular the rapid turnover of senior staff and alleged disappearance of assets, and have queried the sustainability of the bank's continued operation. We trust, however, that the new business model will enable the Land Bank to be able to fulfil its mandate.
As far as the PBMR is concerned, we undeniably need additional electrical power sources and therefore we should support the research and development of this project. Parliament needs, however, to closely monitor the massive cost implications of this project where an additional R1,8 billion is now allocated.
The ACDP also shares the concerns around budgets for stadium construction, namely that they may be exceeded or that there may be cash flow problems. Clearly, in view of the narrow timeframes agreed on for the completion of these stadiums, they should not and cannot be constrained by cash flow shortages; therefore, we support the additional amount of R1,9 billion which will allay such concerns.
The ACDP will accordingly support the Special Adjustments Appropriation Bill.
Chairperson and hon members, there is always need for flexibility to accommodate contingencies and unforeseeable and unavoidable expenditure. The Bill seeks to do just that. We in the UCDP would like to emphasise, though, that in so far as the allocation for agriculture is concerned, special oversight should be exercised over the Land Bank and the money used subject to such conditions as the Minister of Finance may determine.
This we say in the light of the fact that experience has shown that the Land Bank is wont to extend loans even for matters not really core agricultural business. We are also aware that millions have been loaned to people whose creditworthiness is suspect. Some of them have become regular visitors to courts in this country.
We fully support the extension of funding to host cities of the 2010 Fifa World Cup. The commitment by government to stage the best ever World Cup revolves around the availability of resources which this Bill is asking for.
Regarding the Department of Communications and state-owned enterprises, the UCDP supports all efforts to modernise equipment and make the country ready for international competitiveness.
The UCDP supports the Special Adjustments Appropriation Bill. Thank you.
The MF accepts and acknowledges the need for adjustment made in the budget allocated to Sport and Recreation South Africa, Public Enterprises, Communications and Agriculture. However, an explanation for this needed adjustment would be advisable in terms of adjudicating reasons for the requirement and maintaining our system of checks and balances.
We appreciate that by this time of the year departments' allocations are already being utilised well and to fulfil their year's endeavours. I use this platform to enquire in terms of co-operative banks as to whether tax relief is being considered and what the reasons may be for either exercising this relief or instituting a payable tax.
We also call for faster pension reform to a more liveable rate and hope the hon Minister of Finance will bring our pensioners greatest relief in 2008.
The MF supports the Special Adjustments Appropriation Bill. I thank you, Chairperson.
Chair, the purpose of this Bill is to provide for both the additional and interim funding requirements with regard to the departments in question. The Minister of Finance, in terms of section 30 of the PFMA, may table this adjustment budget in the National Assembly as and when it is necessary. This adjustment, therefore, has been awarded special status because the allocation cannot be delayed until October 2007.
The affected state-owned enterprises are confronted with unprecedented financial pressures and, as a consequence, an early adjustment is required. The amount of R1,9 billion requested with regard to the 2010 Fifa World Cup stadium development conditional grant is provided for in the Division of Revenue Act of 2007. This is not a new allocation; rather, as mentioned, it seeks to fast-track the funding requirement flow for the upfront procurement of input materials for stadiums such as roofs, structural steel and site development, in order to minimise the cost owing to inflation and exchange rate volatility.
Tight deadlines have been set for the completion of stadiums. Therefore, it was necessary to bring forward R1,9 billion from the 2008-09 budget to ensure that construction was not constrained by cash flow shortages. Members, all this means, therefore, is that construction for the 2010 stadiums by host cities is well ahead of schedule.
In addition, stadiums such as Ellis Park, the Royal Bafokeng Stadium and Loftus Versveld, should be renovated and ready for the Confederation Cup in September 2009. The early allocation, therefore, for the construction of soccer stadiums in terms of this Special Adjustments Appropriation Bill will ensure that affordable facilities are constructed in accordance with Fifa standards.
South Africa is convinced more than ever before that it will host a world- class Fifa World Cup in 2010 here in South Africa for all the people of this continent. There is no turning back, for we believe that the stakes are too high and our people cannot be disappointed, at least not by the ANC government as a trusted servant of the people.
Now, let me turn to the R700 million allocation agreed to by Cabinet to recapitalise the Land Bank, subject to conditions in respect of its executive mandate and provision of a turnaround strategy. Members are aware that agriculture is the backbone of this country in terms of making sure that it addresses poverty alleviation, hunger and, most importantly, food security for our nation.
It is also important to address the thorny issue of access to land for the majority of our people. In this regard, we have been assured by the management of the Land Bank that all of the R700 million requested will go towards development, amongst other things, to address this issue. It is also important to immediately address the issue of the deteriorating position of the bank, which has resulted from the writing off of large sums of money owing to nonperforming loans.
It is worth noting, however, that of the R15 billion written off over the past six to seven years, 95% of that was for white commercial farmers. We do understand that the farming business is very complicated and has many challenges. Some of these are beyond the control of the bank and the farming communities themselves - issues like droughts and floods. We therefore felt that this was a reasonable request in the short to medium term to address the challenges mentioned above.
On the issue of Sentech, the committee was unanimous about the allocation of R500 million to position Sentech as the wireless broadband wholesale provider and infrastructure developer. We are of the view that this is a highly competitive environment and requires highly skilled personnel. Therefore this allocation, we believe, will go a long way towards helping Sentech to retain and attract new skills.
On many occasions government entities or state-owned enterprises have been accused of having a shortage of skills, which hampers service delivery. We believe that this allocation seeks to address this question. Sentech is expected to address the issue of network coverage which will cover the rest of the country and, in particular, the underdeveloped areas of our country. For instance, you can tune in to SAfm from anywhere in the country and it will be predominantly white in nature.
The question therefore is: When will Sentech extend the coverage network enjoyed by SAfm to other radio stations such as Ukhozi and Umhlobowenene, to mention but a few? This is a critical issue which Sentech, through the Department of Communications, must address honestly because it talks to the issue of transformation.
We cannot, in this day and age, still speak about the underdeveloped areas in which people cannot access the services of this department. Therefore I take this opportunity to ask the Portfolio Committee on Communications, particularly comrades serving in that committee, to make sure that this issue is addressed as one of utmost importance, because in this day and age we cannot stand tall and say why this has not happened 13 years after our democracy.
The ANC therefore appeals to the National Assembly, because even though there were questions on some of the issues, as I have mentioned, most of the issues we were unanimous about, that this Bill must be passed. The ANC supports this Bill, and I thank you. [Applause.]
Thank you very much, Chairperson. Had I known it would have been this easy and that the Special Adjustments Appropriation Bill would be supported so gallantly by the House, it would have been five times the size that it is. But, thank you very much for the support. [Laughter.]
The one thing I do acknowledge is that the process here was incredibly rushed, but I hope that in the spirit in which the hon Gibson spoke, when the adjustments are tabled at the end of October, committees will give all of these issues attention so that the understanding of each and every line item funded in here will be properly interrogated by Parliament as part of the oversight function.
Regarding the issue of Sentech that the hon Gibson said he was raising on behalf of the hon Smuts, the difficulty hasn't been on our side. I think that the least that taxpayers must expect of us is a rigourous analysis in due diligence. If there isn't a business plan that will pass muster, our approach is that we shouldn't fund it. So, it is not that there is a breakdown. There has to be a business plan. The hon Mbili may be disappointed because this money is about broadband rather than all of the signal distribution that South Africa needs. There are going to be a series of other things that Sentech needs to undertake, including the digitisation ahead of 2010. It is a very costly exercise, but we must ensure that we aren't just going to go out on a wing and a prayer; we need properly supported business plans that we can interrogate. And, I'm sure Parliament needs that as well.
In respect of Alexkor, the issue to deal with in Alexander Bay is, of course, the pigeons, but here we have a durable solution. The pigeons arise because the pigeons are taken into the mine and the diamonds leave by the route of pigeon post traditionally.
In respect of the Land Bank, we are dealing with two sets of issues. The one is that the Land Bank, over decades, has not foreclosed anywhere and the liabilities have actually just built up in the institution. Now they come to a crunch and there is a huge difficulty with the liquidity of the organisation. I gave the undertaking earlier - there is a forensic report that has just been completed - that we will act, as we must act, to ensure that this is a well-run financial institution. In all the development finance institutions we are looking for a different model that will ensure that it supports the developmental objectives more broadly.
On 2010: The Minister, Rev Dr Stofile, knows that we have spoken about this. From the side of the Treasury, we've been bold enough to put on the table for municipalities a ratio of 10% of maintenance a year. So the R4 billion in current terms would require R400 million of maintenance a year, failing which these stadiums look like a lot of those in the former Bantustans and so on. We have that responsibility and that is what we must ensure is delivered.
On the PBMR - the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor - the hon Singh spoke about R21 billion - no, it's the other number. I know that the Director-General of Public Enterprises raised a number like this. But the commitment that government has made is a R6 billion commitment, and we have to squeeze maximally to ensure that we can get a return, get the new technology and ensure that it's clean and safe at the same time. Thank you very much, and thanks to all parties for the support. Thank you. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
Bill read a first time.