Members of Parliament have disowned the controversial Welfare Bill titled: ‘Parliamentary Welfare Acts 2022’. 

According to the Clerk of Parliament Honourable Paran Umar Tarawally, the said document, being a private member’s bill has not been presented to Parliament for consideration. 

He said both the Offices of Speaker and Clerk are not aware of its existence, even though it is the right of individual Members of Parliament to prepare and pilot private member’s bills as provided for in Standing Order 61. 

He called on the public to note that the offices have nothing to do with the above-mentioned bill. 

According to him, the law provides that for a private member’s bill to be recognised by the House, it must fulfil certain conditions, including Gazetting the document and formally serving the office of the Clerk. 

He added that as at the time of his statement, the bill in question has not met the said conditions and hence, “not before Parliament”. 

The clerk said parliament therefore disassociates itself from the bill.