House Committee seeks enhanced fuel allowance for MPs

The House Committee has recently directed the Acting Secretary General of Parliament to increase the fuel allowance of MPs.

The directive was given at a meeting chaired by Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara. Members of the House Committee, Agriculture Minister Hemakumara Nanayakkara, Water Supply Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, JVP MP Nihal Galappaththi and UNP MP Edward Gunasekera were present at the meeting.

Well informed sources said Cabinet Ministers, Deputy Ministers and non-Cabinet rankers, too, would benefit from the latest increase. This would be outside the allocations they were entitled to as Ministers, Deputy Ministers and non-Cabinet Ministers. The sources said the Treasury had approved the revision with effect from April 1, 2008 on the basis of the fuel allowance given to MPs on October 1, 2006.

The House Committee has requested the Treasury to increase the allowance on the basis of the allocation given on July 15, 2003 during the UNP led regime which was more beneficial.

The sources said the Treasury had assured the House Committee that its recommendation would be studied. Ministerial sources said the House Committee was awaiting the Treasury’s response. The sources expressed confidence the Treasury would accept their recommendation.

The sources said the SLFP-led ruling coalition and the Opposition wanted a substantial fuel allowance due to recent increases in the price of both diesel and petrol.

The House Committee had met immediately after the Speaker adjourned sittings at 2.30 p.m. amidst a noisy UNP-led protest against the Acting Secretary General’s appointment. Earlier in the day the Speaker had suspended sittings twice as UNP MPs disrupted proceedings to protest against the decision to bring in Kitulgoda for his second stint as the Secretary General.