Sitting of Tuesday, 11 November 2025

Order of business

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

1. 1 Opening Parliament Opening and Announcements 1 speeches ▸
2. 2 Papers Papers: Sri Lanka Standards Council and Institution Reports 2 speeches ▸
3. 3 Petitions Petitions: Five Citizens' Petitions Presented 5 speeches ▸
4. 4 Procedural Procedural Matters: Chief Opposition Whip, Points of Order 9 speeches ▸
5. 5 Oral question Oral Question: Personnel Recruited to Tri-Forces under Direct Entry (Q.1119/2025) 6 speeches ▸
6. 6 Oral question Oral Question: Land Plots at Industrial Park in Poonthottam (Q.1315/2025) 7 speeches ▸
7. 7 Procedural Procedural Matters: Points of Order and Ministerial Clarifications 10 speeches ▸
8. 8 Procedural Procedural Matters: Points of Order and Privilege Issues 23 speeches ▸
9. 9 Oral question Oral Question: Affected Persons Due to Construction of Broadlands Hydropower Plant (Q.1404/2025) 8 speeches ▸
10. 10 Oral question Oral Question: Sri Lanka Transport Board - Purchasing Spare Parts (Q.1428/2025) 6 speeches ▸
11. 11 Oral question Oral Question: Banks and Financial Institutions in Northern and Eastern Provinces (Q.1182/2025) 3 speeches ▸
12. 12 Procedural Procedural: Question by Private Notice - Financial Bankruptcy Declaration (SO 27(2)) 13 speeches ▸
13. 13 Procedural Ministerial Statements: Debt Sustainability and SVAT Impact 7 speeches ▾
    • The Hon. Speaker procedural
      Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha - Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning JJB

      AI summary The Minister responded to the Leader of the Opposition’s SO 27(2) question of 7 October 2025, explaining that reserve money comprises currency in circulation and commercial banks’ deposits with the Central Bank, and that foreign exchange swaps are not included in its calculation. He reported reserve money of Rs. 1,712 billion at end-August 2025 and Rs. 1,695 billion in September, tabling monthly data from January 2024 to August 2025. He also stated that total public debt at end-September was Rs. 30.9 trillion, comprising Rs. 11.3 trillion in foreign debt and Rs. 19.6 trillion in domestic debt, with further details in the Mid-Year Fiscal Report submitted to Parliament.

      Public Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF

      AI summary Ravi Karunanayake began posing a question to the Deputy Minister, but the provided excerpt is incomplete and contains no substantive argument, proposal, or policy issue to summarize.

      Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha JJB

      AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha answered a question on government borrowing, debt service, and external financing, stating that from September 2024 to August 2025 net domestic issuance of Treasury bills and bonds was Rs. 1,393 billion and external disbursements were Rs. 526 billion. He outlined current-year debt service figures, projected growth assumptions, and said external obligations would be met through inflows, FX market operations, domestic sources, Central Bank purchases and, if necessary, official reserves, which he said had risen to USD 6.2 billion by end-September 2025. He also reported FDI figures for late 2024 and 2025 and explained that the SVAT system was abolished from 1 October 2025 with a risk-based VAT refund mechanism and digitized Inland Revenue administration being implemented.

      Public Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha JJB

      AI summary Dr. Anil Jayantha stated that the Simplified VAT scheme, introduced in 2011 as a temporary arrangement using IRD credit vouchers, is being replaced by an automated VAT refund process. He said the new Risk-Based Refund Scheme will provide refunds within 45 days, with low- and medium-risk exporters refunded without pre-verification and high-risk exporters subject to pre-verification. He maintained that exporters, SMEs, and deemed exporters would not be adversely affected, noting that eligible compliant taxpayers can file early through e-filing and receive timely refunds.

      Public FinanceEmployment Full speech →
    • The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF

      AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake argued that SMEs and small manufacturers are under severe cash-flow pressure, citing tea auctions where buyers must finance an additional 18 per cent despite falling prices and refund delays of 75–106 days. He said these conditions make importing from countries such as India and China quicker and more attractive than local manufacturing in sectors including printing, rubber, textiles and ceramics. He asked the Deputy Minister to examine the issue, noting falling tea prices and a reported USD 450 million balance of payments deficit in September.

      AgricultureEmploymentPublic Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha JJB

      AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha stated that no VAT refund issues had been reported from deemed or indirect exporters, distinguishing such cases from direct re-export without value addition. He explained that suppliers providing inputs for domestically value-added exports may receive payments from exporters, supporting SME liquidity, and that refund eligibility requires direct exports to exceed 50 per cent of supplies while other transactions remain under normal VAT with input credit. He assured that reported issues would be monitored and that eligible refunds would be paid promptly regardless of size.

      Public Finance Full speech →
14. 14 Debate Debate: Second Reading of 2026 Budget Bill (Day 3, Morning) 13 speeches ▸
15. 15 Procedural Procedural: Sitting Suspended for Lunch 1 speeches ▸
16. 16 Debate Debate: Second Reading of 2026 Budget Bill (Day 3, Afternoon/Evening) 81 speeches ▸
17. 17 Adjournment Adjournment: Termination of Driving Licences for Foreign Tourists (Three-wheelers) 24 speeches ▸