BUDGET WATCH- Spendthrift MPs want an additional EGP 90 bn in spending for the next budget: Parliamentary committees have recommended a total of EGP 90 bn in new spending under the FY2018-19 budget, Rep. Samir El Batikhytells Al Shorouk. Health and education get the lion’s share of the new earmarks, with parliament’s education committee looking to see spending on education increased by EGP 60 bn. The health committee is recommending an additional EGP 20 bn, while the rest is being requested for the ministries of agriculture, irrigation and manpower. As we noted yesterday, the House Budget and Planning Committee has recommended that spending on health, education, railways, and the State Information Service be increased in the FY2018-19 budget by EGP 58.2 bn. Look for much haggling between MPs and the Ismail cabinet in the days to come. Next year’s budget sees total government spending increase to EGP 1.4 tn, up from EGP 1.2 tn this year.

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