G N M PANDOR, MP MINISTER

Date: 4-03-2010

(d) Letter from the Minister in the Presidency: National Planning Commission dated 4 March 2010, to the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces explaining the delay in the submission of the tabling of Strategic Plans in terms of the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act, 2009.

Late Tabling of Statistics South Africa Strategic Plan

I have been informed by the Leader of Government Business that in terms of the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act, Parliament required all strategic plans to be tabled by 3 March 2010. This is obviously a departure from the previous guidelines in the form of Chapter 5 of the Treasury regulations that prescribed that strategic plans be tabled at least ten days before the discussion of the Budget vote in the relevant committee.

The Leader of Government Business' correspondence (dated 8 February 2010) brought this change to my attention at a somewhat late stage as departments were still working on the basis of the timeframes set out in the Treasury regulations. As the correspondence received referred to a letter received from the Speaker to the National Assembly, we therefore wish to indicate that the strategic plan of Statistics South Africa will unfortunately not be able meet this deadline.

While I am aware that the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act does not require a written apology for late tabling of strategic plans, I take our responsibility to account to Parliament very seriously and therefore feel compelled to explain our late tabling. I have made the requisite arrangements with the parliamentary committee to ensure that the documents are tabled with sufficient time for them to interrogate the information.

I trust that this explanation will be given the desired consideration.