Thank you, hon Deputy Speaker. Contrary to the submission made by hon Oriani-Ambrosini, when this House gave us a directive as Standing Committee on Finance, they singled out key strategic or technical challenges. These challenges are succinctly covered in our report. I am not sure which report hon Oriani-Ambrosini is referring to. Anyway, I understand, because you are not part of our team most of the time. However, I must indicate that, as a committee, dealing with the cited technical challenges, we have made the following findings.
The sequencing of the BRRR processes is not an easy task. In fact, when the Bill was before this House, all of us would remember that this issue was one of the key contentious issues that was brought to the attention of this House. As a committee, we also picked up that implementing the Act, co- ordination and coercion between committees as well as adhering to the Rules require a lot of skills in limited and compressed time and space. This House should acknowledge that! We are not dealing with a simple process here that can be used for political point-scoring. We must also indicate that one other technical challenge that was identified was the establishment of a parliamentary Budget Office. This is a process, hon Harris! This is not an event; it cannot be an event!
Those who came before you; those who were with us when we visited Germany, Sweden and other countries, will agree that in those countries it took them time to develop such offices. Due to having had a number of years with this kind of establishment, they developed technical capacity as a result of experience that they accumulated over the years.
There is a myth that I must really clear up. From where we are, as the ANC, we think that any notion that the mere establishment of the Budget Office will solve our challenges is a complete misnomer. It will never be alone in a position to assist each and every committee in the BRRR process. We should rather look at our internal capacity as members.
Committees of finance have clearly indicated or demonstrated up to now that they have the required capacity. I am calling upon members to look at the aspect of own internal capacitation without necessarily expecting heaven and earth from the establishment of the Budget Office. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Question put.
Report agreed to.