Mevrou die Voorsitter, minister Manuel en lede, die redes vir hierdie wetsontwerp is suiwer tegnies van aard, en is daarop gerig om aangesuiwerde bedrae vir die behoeftes van die staat te bewillig ten opsigte van die boekjaar wat reeds op 31 Maart 2000 geindig het.
Kragtens artikel 7(1) van die Skatkiswet, Wet 66 van 1975, word die Minister van Finansies gemagtig om in sekere omstandighede gelde in die Nasionale Inkomstefonds aan te wend. Artikel 7(2) van die Skatkiswet van 1975 bepaal dat stappe nie later nie as die daaropvolgende sitting van die Parlement gedoen moet word om dan enige bedrae wat kragtens artikel 7(1) aangewend is, te bewillig. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Dr E A CONROY: Madam Chairperson, Minister Manuel and members, the reasons for this Bill are purely technical in nature and are aimed at voting adjusted amounts for the needs of the state with regard to the financial year which already ended on 31 March 2000.
In terms of section 7(1) of the Exchequer Act, Act 66 of 1975, the Minister of Finance is authorised to utilise money in the National Revenue Fund under certain conditions. Section 7(2) of the Exchequer Act of 1975 stipulates that steps must be taken not later than the following sitting of Parliament to vote any amounts utilised in terms of section 7(1).]
After tabling the adjustments estimates for 1999-2000 in October 1999 - in other words, exactly one year ago - circumstances now require the Minister of Finance to authorise certain spending which is now being tabled for appropriation. I will be referring to only one of these circumstances and that is the appropriation of adjusted amounts as far as the Department of Justice and, more specifically, the Legal Aid Board is concerned.
An amount of R107 million was included in the adjustments estimate in respect of the year 1999-2000 for the Legal Aid Board for the payment of arrear amounts owed to legal practitioners. The amount was, however, not shown in the adjustments estimate as a column 2 item, and the Minister of Finance authorised the augmentation of the column 2 item by shifting funds from column 1 of the Second Adjustments Appropriation Act of 1999 to column 2, in terms of section 7(1) of the Exchequer Act of 1975.
This Bill is therefore, as I have already mentioned, and as is clear from the facts before us, basically of a technical nature.
Volgens inligting wat van die Regshulpraad bekom is, is die R107 miljoen reeds in Desember 1999 deur hom aangewend om 'n deel van die opgehoopte agterstallige bedrae te vereffen wat aan regspraktisyns verskuldig was. Dit mag dan ook interessantheidshalwe aan die agbare Huis genoem word dat daar in die tydperk van 1 Januarie tot 30 September 2000 reeds bykans 133 800 betalings ter waarde van meer as R204 miljoen aan regspraktisyns gedoen is. Aangesien hierdie 'n tegniese regstelling is en dit nodig is dat die finansile huishouding van die Departement van Justisie in orde kom, steun die Nuwe NP hierdie wetsontwerp. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[According to information received from the Legal Aid Board, the R107 million had already been utilised by it in December 1999 to pay a portion of the accumulated amounts in arrears owed to legal practitioners. It might also be mentioned for the interest of the honourable House that in the period from 1 January to 30 September 2000 approximately 133 800 payments totalling more than R204 million were made to legal practitioners. Due to the fact that this is a technical correction and it is necessary for the financial housekeeping of the Department of Justice to be in order, the New NP supports this Bill.]