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The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the referral of the National Planning Commission’s (NPC's) National Development Plan (NDP), reported in the most recent ATC dated Friday 25 November, to all Portfolio Committees and to the Standing Committee on Finance and the Standing Committee on Appropriations, by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Max Sisulu.

For too long Parliament has acted only as a rubber stamp for executive decisions. This needs to change. The tabling of the NDP provides all MPs with an opportunity to play a prominent role in ensuring that its excellent proposals are implemented, by providing a forum for its debate as policy and a legislative framework for its implementation.

The DA caucus in Parliament will enthusiastically engage with this report within these committees, and will do everything possible to ensure that the NDP does not become yet another pipe dream. It must stay on the agenda and we will keep it there.

I will be writing to the Speaker of the National Assembly to request information on the programme which has been formulated to enable Parliament to make a meaningful contribution on the NDP during the course of 2012. My Chief Whip, Watty Watson MP, will also ensure that this matter is discussed and kept on the agenda at the Chief Whip’s Forum and Parliamentary Oversight Authority next year.

Parliament has a constitutional responsibility to not only to legislate but also to hold the Executive and their programme of action to account. Elected by the people, it is the forum for debate and constructive consideration of such matters of national and strategic importance. The DA, and our members in parliament, will do everything possible to ensure that this principle is adhered to when considering the NDP.