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Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
10th Parliament· 154 sittings on record · 30,475 speeches · latest 10 June 2026

Sitting of Thursday, 21 August 2025

10th Parliament· 16 debates· 164 speeches· 75 speakers

Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1757391500023637 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard

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Order of business

Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.

  8. 8 Oral question Oral Question: Vehicle Emission Testing Programme (Q.868/2025) 6 speeches
    • The Hon. Lal Premanath JJB

      AI summary Hon. Lal Premanath asked the Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation to provide details on Sri Lanka’s Vehicle Emission Testing Programme, including its objective, commencement date, annual revenue by vehicle category, and the institution collecting that revenue. He also sought information on the Vehicle Emission Testing Trust Fund, including who initiated it, whether it generates government revenue, and the amount earned.

      EnvironmentPublic Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake – Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation

      AI summary The Minister explained that the Vehicle Emission Testing Programme was introduced following a Supreme Court fundamental rights ruling on vehicular air pollution and was expanded islandwide by 2013. He provided 2024 revenue figures by vehicle category, identified the two companies collecting fees, and stated that 7.5 per cent of test fees goes to the Vehicular Emission Test Trust Fund while 17.5 per cent is collected as VAT, amounting to Rs. 852.2 million in 2024. He said the Trust Fund was established to coordinate air-quality measures without relying on the Treasury, and noted related roadside testing, monitoring, tree-planting, and traffic-signal projects, while acknowledging contract-management shortcomings and indicating plans for a more transparent framework after the current concession ends in December 2026.

      Public FinanceEnvironmentInfrastructure Full speech →
    • The Hon. Lal Premanath JJB

      AI summary Lal Premanath asked whether legal action would be taken against individuals and institutions allegedly using improper methods to pass vehicle tests, despite the programme’s environmental objectives. He framed the issue as irregularities undermining the intended purpose of the vehicle-related programme.

      EnvironmentLaw & OrderJustice & Human Rights Full speech →
    • The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake – Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation

      AI summary The Minister said vehicle emissions are a major contributor to declining air quality in Colombo and other urban areas, particularly due to weaknesses in public transport, and argued that emissions testing remains necessary despite operational shortcomings. He noted that the relevant Trust funds are also used for roadside emissions checks, air quality monitoring, tree planting, and traffic-signal countdown systems. He acknowledged weaknesses in contracts and supervision that allowed improper issuance of certificates, and stated that a stronger and more transparent system is planned after the current agreement expires on 31 December 2026.

      EnvironmentInfrastructurePublic Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. Lal Premanath JJB

      AI summary Lal Premanath asked whether the Government would consider restructuring the relevant revenue collection mechanism, noting that although a large sum is collected, only a small portion reaches the State. He sought a response on increasing the share retained as government revenue.

      Public Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake – Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation

      AI summary Minister Bimal Rathnayake stated that private testing companies had made substantial investments to establish islandwide stations, reducing the need for major government capital expenditure, while acknowledging weaknesses in monitoring. He said that when the current agreement expires at the end of 2026, future concessions could be structured with greater transparency, and noted that the expansion of electric vehicles would proportionately reduce the scope of such testing services.

      InfrastructurePublic Finance Full speech →