Before I conclude the business of the day, there is a ruling that I have to make. Hon members, I would like to make a ruling on a point of order put by the Chief Whip at the plenary on Wednesday, 15 June 2011.
Hon S H Plaatjie moved a motion in the House that at the next sitting of the Council he would move that the Council debate the Presidency Budget Vote. Immediately after that the Chief Whip of the Council stood up and requested that the Chairperson at the next sitting make a ruling on whether the NCOP could debate the Presidency Budget Vote.
In making my ruling I would like to remind members that there is a distinction between a notice of motion and a motion without notice. In terms of Rule 73 a delegate is afforded the privilege of proposing a matter for discussion in the Council in the form of a motion. The member who is rising to deliver a motion in the House professes his or her intention of proposing that the House debates a particular topic at the next sitting. A notice of motion does not require the Council to take a decision. However, if the hon Plaatjie delivers a motion without notice, proposing that the Council debates the Presidency Budget Vote, or any other topic proposed, and the Council adopts that motion without notice, then that topic will be debated in the House. The decision rests with the House as to whether a proposed topic can be debated in the House when raised in the form of a motion without notice.
The Council has on an annual basis debated individual Votes listed in the Appropriation Bill. The Presidency Budget Vote is one of the Votes listed in the Appropriation Bill. As current practice stands, The Presidency Budget Vote is not debated by the House. However, it is adopted by the House.
My ruling is therefore that although the Presidential Budget Vote is not debated in the House, there isn't any provision in the Council Rules that prohibits the Council from debating The Presidential Budget Vote. The question of whether or not the House can debate The Presidency Budget Vote is for the members of this august House to decide. Thank you.