Sitting of Monday, 17 November 2025
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 22912 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
Order of business
Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.
- 1 Opening Opening - Parliament Sitting 1 speeches
- 2 Opening Opening - Speaker's Chair Announcement 1 speeches
- 3 Papers Papers - Annual Reports and Committee Reports Tabled 4 speeches
- 4 Petitions Petitions - Citizens' Petitions Presented 3 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Questions and Supplementaries (Q.1-Q.4 and Standing Order 27(2) Question) 41 speeches
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Ravi Karunanayake briefly indicated that he would ask the Question, making a procedural intervention rather than a substantive speech.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary On behalf of the Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources, a request was made for two weeks’ time to respond to the question raised.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Ravi Karunanayake questioned the prolonged delay in answering a Question submitted seven to eight months earlier. He noted that while Standing Order 27(2) allows time to be sought for replies, requesting another two weeks after such a delay was unreasonable and sought an explanation for the delay.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Bimal Rathnayake stated that the question had appeared on the Order Paper for the first time that day and therefore there had been no undue delay. He noted that the Minister had already informed Parliament that an answer would be provided within two weeks.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Bimal Rathnayake briefly confirmed that the matter being referred to was occurring for the first time. No further substantive argument, proposal, or policy position was stated in the excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Ravi Karunanayake stated that eight months had passed since he submitted his parliamentary question, implying concern over the delay in receiving a response.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Bimal Rathnayake stated that he was not aware of the matter being referred to.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake objected to delays in providing answers to parliamentary questions, noting that Members are limited to 12 Questions a year and that such delays undermine scrutiny. He raised the matter procedurally, implying the need for timely responses from the Government.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Bimal Rathnayake stated that Ravi Karunanayake’s question was appearing on the Order Paper for the first time and would be answered on the scheduled date under normal parliamentary procedure. The question was ordered to stand down.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law SJB
AI summary Dayasiri Jayasekara indicated that he would proceed to ask the Question before the House.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary On behalf of the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies, Bimal Rathnayake requested two weeks to provide an answer to the question. The question was accordingly ordered to stand down.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF
AI summary Asked the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government to report on State-owned official residences used by Cabinet and State Ministers under the previous Government, excluding Madiwela MP housing. He requested details on the number of such residences, their current condition, whether any have been leased or rented to institutions or businesses, and how many have been officially allocated to Ministers and Deputy Ministers of the present Government.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. (Prof.) A.H.M.H. Abayarathna - Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government JJB
AI summary The Minister answered a parliamentary question on Government housing, stating that there are 38 Government houses and that a Cabinet-appointed committee has submitted recommendations on their economically efficient use, with action being taken accordingly. He said six recovered Government bungalows have been temporarily allocated on nominal rent to the Bribery Commission, the Police Department, and the Ministry of Justice for Special Courts, while official residences have been provided to the Speaker and seven Deputy Ministers with rent deducted from salaries.
Public Finance Full speech → - The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF
AI summary Chamara Sampath Dasanayake questioned the Government’s policy on Ministerial official residences, noting that although it had earlier said Ministers would not use such houses, eight residences had been allocated to the Speaker and Deputy Ministers with rent deducted from salaries. He argued that if residences are being treated as rentable property, the same procedure should apply equally to Opposition Members who request them. He urged the Government to establish a clear policy and either use, rent, repair, or repurpose the houses to generate revenue, warning that keeping them closed would lead to deterioration.
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. (Prof.) A.H.M.H. Abayarathna - Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government JJB
AI summary The Minister clarified that no houses have been allocated to Ministers, and that allocations are being made in line with Cabinet approval granted on 9 December 2024 and subsequent committee recommendations. He said six houses have been temporarily allocated on nominal rent, further institutional requests are under consideration, and requests from Opposition Members could also be considered for allocation where appropriate.
Land & Housing Full speech → - The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF
AI summary Supported the arrangement under discussion, noting that the relevant facilities or items could be obtained by paying rent.
Land & Housing Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF
AI summary Chamara Sampath Dasanayake urged that the houses in question not be left closed for extended periods while awaiting recommendations, warning that further delay would cause deterioration. He requested that they be repaired and allocated either to generate revenue or for another appropriate use.
- The Hon. (Prof.) A.H.M.H. Abayarathna - Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government JJB
AI summary Requests for closed facilities or properties will be reviewed, and suitable allocations will be made to institutions that have applied for them. The Minister stated that it is unreasonable to keep them closed and that the Government is proceeding with allocations based on those requests.
Public Finance Full speech → - The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake raised a point of order. No substantive argument, proposal, or question was presented in the provided text.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Ravi Karunanayake raised a matter concerning the Speaker’s official residence, noting that a house is available for the Speaker and urging that it be used. He expressed concern that the residence appears to be deteriorating or collapsing.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka (on behalf of the Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha) SJB
AI summary Asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism to provide details on the reported reduction of airfares to Israel, including the date and amount of the reduction and the number of Sri Lankans currently employed there. He also sought confirmation on whether the Ministry is aware of an alleged major fraud connected to the airfare reduction and what action will be taken, or reasons if the information cannot be provided.
- The Hon. Arun Hemachandra - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment JJB
AI summary On behalf of the Minister, Arun Hemachandra tabled a response on airline ticket procurement for migrant workers, stating that after 09 October 2024 quotations were widened beyond Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Agency-registered suppliers to include Civil Aviation Authority-registered suppliers, resulting in lower ticket prices. The response said workers had previously been charged a fixed Rs. 295,000, but actual ticket costs between November 2024 and March 2025 were lower in many cases, leading to Rs. 7.72 million in refunds so far with Rs. 10.48 million still pending. It also provided a sector-wise count of 27,651 Sri Lankan workers in Israel as of 27 October 2025, and noted that CIABOC and the Bureau’s Internal Audit Division are investigating whether fraud occurred, with further action to depend on their findings.
- The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka (on behalf of the Hon. Ajith P. Perera) SJB
AI summary Asked the Minister of Justice and National Integration whether the Public Assets Recovery Agency promised in the policy statement “A Thriving Nation - A Beautiful Life” had been established. He sought details on any stolen assets recovered by the agency, its current staffing, and the 2025 allocation from the Appropriation Bill or Vote on Account, and requested reasons if it had not been established.
- The Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law - Minister of Justice and National Integration JJB
AI summary The Minister tabled an answer on implementation of the Proceeds of Crime Act, No. 5 of 2025, stating that the Police Proceeds of Crime Investigations Division and CIABOC are the recognized national institutions for stolen asset recovery. He reported that, since the Act had been in force for about one month, neither institution had yet recovered stolen assets or proceeds of crime under it. The answer set out current staffing in the Police division and CIABOC, noted that new CIABOC appointments await parliamentary approval of cadre and remuneration, and stated that no separate allocation had been made for a Public Assets Recovery Agency in the 2025 appropriations.
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. K. Kader Masthan SLLP
AI summary Under Standing Order 27(2), K. Kader Masthan asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism about delays faced by Sri Lankans abroad in renewing expired passports through overseas Missions. He requested timelines for issuance after complete submissions, statistics on applications and passports issued from previous years through 2025, reasons for delays, and information on any irregularities and monitoring mechanisms. He also asked whether improved procedures could be introduced to reduce delays for expatriate workers, students, and travellers who contribute remittances and maintain family links.
- The Hon. Ananda Wijepala - Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs JJB
AI summary The Minister responded to Hon. Kader Masthan’s Standing Order 27(2) question on passport renewals and new passports for Sri Lankans abroad, stating that current processing times range from about one month in the Middle East to about three months in North America and Europe, subject to document verification. He reported that in 2024, 61,229 applications were received and 59,285 passports issued, while in 2025 to date 52,868 applications were received and 44,805 issued, with delays in 2024 attributed to passport stock shortages. He said no irregularities had been identified, and that Cabinet approval had been obtained to introduce online passport applications through overseas Missions, with biometric enrolment units to be installed at 20 Missions under Phase 1 by end-2025 or early 2026 with IOM support.
- The Hon. K. Kader Masthan SLLP
AI summary Hon. K. Kader Masthan raised concerns that Sri Lankan expatriates continue to face delays and alleged demands for unofficial payments when renewing passports and accessing other consular services. He urged the Minister to address corruption across these services, not only passport processing, and to expedite assistance for the migrant community.
- The Hon. Ananda Wijepala - Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs JJB
AI summary The Minister stated that complaints regarding passport issuance for overseas Sri Lankans would be acted on immediately. He said the Government is working to expedite issuance through online processes, prompt document verification, and investigation of specific complaints brought to its attention.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law SJB
AI summary Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara raised a point of order. No substantive argument or proposal was presented in the excerpt provided.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law SJB
AI summary Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara raised a matter under Standing Order 31, citing Article 9 of the Constitution on the State’s duty to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana while safeguarding religious freedoms. He sought to question the Minister in relation to the previous day’s Sambuddha Jayanthi observances, but the provided excerpt ends before the specific question is stated.
- The Hon. Ananda Wijepala - Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs JJB
AI summary Minister Ananda Wijepala briefly sought permission from the Speaker to provide a clarification. No substantive policy position, proposal, or question was stated in the excerpt provided.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Ananda Wijepala - Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs JJB
AI summary The Minister reported on an incident at Sri Sambuddha Jayanthi Bodhiraja Viharaya in Trincomalee involving alleged vandalism of a newly placed Buddha statue, which Police temporarily removed for protection and have since been instructed to reinstall within the temple premises. He said security arrangements are being implemented, Police will report matters to court, and any related land issues will be resolved through judicial process. He also noted a Coast Conservation Department complaint regarding an alleged unauthorized eatery at the site, with legal action to proceed subject to the court’s decision.
- 6 Procedural Procedural - Privilege Motion and Main Business Announcement 6 speeches
- 7 Debate Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage (Heads 110, 112, 228-236, 326) 24 speeches
- 8 Debate Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage Continuation (Foreign Affairs, Justice and National Integration) 158 speeches
- 9 Papers Papers - Annual Reports of Foreign Employment and Judges' Institute 4 speeches