Bills to increase child allowance and school meal subsidy were dropped from the proceedings of the Riigikogu

The Bill on Amendments to the Family Benefits Act (388 SE), initiated by the Centre Party Group, provides for raising the child allowance for the first and each subsequent child of the family to 150 euro per month to improve the livelihood of families with children. At present, the child allowance is 80 euro per month for the first and second child of the family and 100 euro per month for the third and each subsequent child.

During the debate, Aleksandr Tšaplõgin from the Centre Party Group and Riina Solman from Isamaa Parliamentary Group took the floor.

The Social Affairs Committee moved to reject the Bill.

43 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the rejection of the Bill and 10 were against. As a result of the voting, the Bill 388 SE was dropped from the proceedings of the Riigikogu.

The Bill on Amendments to the Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act and the Vocational Educational Institutions Act (404 SE), initiated by the Centre Party Group, did not pass the first reading either. It is intended to provide for a minimum rate for school meal subsidy and to determine the minimum cost of daily school meal at two euro per student. The national school meal subsidy has been one euro per student since 2018.

During the debate, Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart from the Centre Party Group took the floor.

The Cultural Affairs Committee moved to reject the Bill.

36 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the rejection of the Bill and seven were against. As a result of the voting, the Bill 404 SE was dropped from the proceedings of the Riigikogu.

The Riigikogu passed a Resolution

At the sitting, the plenary adopted the Resolution of the Riigikogu “Amendment of the Resolution of the Riigikogu “Formation of the Estonian Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe”” (491 OE) which amends the membership of the Estonian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Liisa Pakosta who became the Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs is excluded from the delegation and Kadri Tali is appointed as the new head of the delegation.

In addition, with the Resolution, the current alternate members Reili Rand and Ants Frosch are excluded from the delegation and Hanah Lahe and Martin Helme are appointed as new alternate members. Aleksei Jevgrafov and Eerik-Niiles Kross continues as members of the delegation and Tõnis Lukas continues as a substitute member. Amendments were made in consideration of the motions of parliamentary groups.

The PACE Delegation represents Estonia and protects the interests of the country in the Council of Europe which aims to promote democracy and to protect human rights and the principles of the rule of law in Europe.

63 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the Resolution, and there was one abstention. The draft Resolution 491 OE was passed as a Resolution of the Riigikogu.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

Video recording will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.

Riigikogu Press Service
Maiki Vaikla
+372 631 6456, +372 5666 9508
maiki.vaikla@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: Bills to increase child allowance and school meal subsidy were dropped from the proceedings of the Riigikogu

Source: Parliament of Estonia