Question NW1442 to the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services
15 June 2017 - NW1442
Groenewald, Mr HB to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services
What (a) is the budget allocated to the process of researching, writing and conducting (i) socio economic impact assessments and (ii) public hearings pertaining to the (aa) Digital Development Fund Bill, (bb) ICT Economic Regulator and Tribunal Bill, (cc) Electronic Communications Amendment Bill and (dd) Electronic Communications and Transactions Amendment Bill, arising from the National Integrated ICT Policy White Paper as outlined in the 2017-20 Medium Term Expenditure Framework, (b) proportion of the projected expenditure will be spent on (i) departmental resources and (ii) external resources such as specialist consultants and (c) is the timeline drawn up to complete the drafting and submission to Cabinet of each piece of legislation?
Reply:
I have been advised by the department as follows:
(a) Internal human resources capacity will be utilised to research, write and conduct socio economic impact assessments. The Department will, with the assistance of the Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation and Office of the Chief State Law Advisor conduct this area of work.
No public hearings will be conducted in the current financial year. The Minister will consult the public through the publication in the Gazette of the draft Bills for public comment, as required by PAJA. The estimated expenditure for publication of each Bill in the Gazette is R150, 000.00.
(b) An amount of R2, 5 million has been budgeted for the procurement of external specialist consultants for the development of Business Cases for the establishment of these new institutions in line with the Treasury Guidelines.
(c) In line with the approved Annual Performance Plan, the Department will submit the draft Bills to Cabinet to approve for public consultation in third quarter of the 2017/18 financial year.