PENSIONS BILL

Order for Committee stage read.

Mr W. A. C. Goode: Sir, I move,

That the Assembly do resolve itself into Committee on the Bill.

Bill considered in Committee.

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Clauses 1 to 8 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 9 -

Mr John Ede (Tanglin): Sir, representations have been made to me that the intentions of the Government in connection with clause 9 are ambiguous, and I therefore seek clarification from the Hon. the Chief Secretary. The marginal note reads "Compulsory retirement", whereas the phrasing of the clause states:

"It shall be lawful for the Governor... to require any officer to retire..."

Am I to understand that this clause allows officers at present in service, who are willing, to continue in Government service beyond the age of 55, should Government require their services? Furthermore, does this clause allow an officer to remain on the establishment after the age of 55 without a break in his service?

The Chairman: Do I take it that the hon. Member is going to move an amendment?

Mr John Ede: No, Sir.

Question proposed, "That clause 9 stand part of the Bill."

Mr Goode: I am sorry there should appear to be a contradiction between the marginal note and the wording of the clause. What this clause does is to lay down the circumstances in which it is lawful for the Government to compel an officer to retire, but it is not mandatory on the Government in the sense that the Governor is not required to call upon an officer to retire on reaching the age of 55 under clause 9 (a).

The meaning of clause 9 (a) is that it is lawful for the Government, when an officer reaches the age of 55, to call upon him to retire from the service, but it is not mandatory that he shall be required to retire. In fact, there are a number of cases where officers have reached the age of 55, and because it has been in the public interests to continue an officer in service, he has been allowed to serve on. In those circumstances, there would be no break in service. If the officer desires to continue to serve after 55 and if the Government considers that the interests of the public service are benefited by his staying on, he remains and his service is unbroken until such time as he does retire.

As I stated in moving the Second Reading of this Bill, the present Government policy is that the normal age of retirement should be 55. That policy is, of course, subject to exceptions where there are circumstances which justify giving permission to an officer to stay on; but the policy, broadly, is based on considerations at the present time and this is in conformity with agreement with the Staff Associations. The wording of this clause of the Bill, however, in no way prevents the Government reconsidering that policy, and if in the light of future circumstances, such as the progress of Malayanisation, the Government wished, as a general rule, to ask officers to serve on over 55, it could certainly do so in so far as the law is concerned. It would, of course, be right, in honouring our obligations to the Staff side, that we should consult them before we made a major change of policy. I can assure the hon. Member that, as the clause is worded, the Government is free to use its discretion in deciding its policy, and there is no break in service if an officer stays on.

Question put, and agreed to.

Clause ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 10 -

Mr Goode: Sir, I move,

In page 7, line 20, after the word "pension", to add the words "and in the case of Home Civil Service Pension to be four-thirds of its actual amount".

This is a technical amendment, Sir. The clause deals with the method of' calculating the value of a gratuity and the amendment I move explains how the gratuity shall be calculated in cases where there is no reduction of pension. The method now being provided is that a gratuity shall be calculated as increasing the pension by one-third. That particular circumstance applies to what is known as the Home Civil Service in the United Kingdom, and we have in recent years had a certain number of officers who have served in Singapore and it is necessary to provide for their case. Sir, I beg to move.

Question, "That the words proposed to be added, be there added," put, and agreed to.

Clause, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 11 to 17 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 18 -

Mr Goode: Sir, I have an amendment to correct an error,

In page 12, line 9, to leave out the figure "17" and insert "16".

This is to correct a cross-reference due to renumbering.

Question, "That the figure proposed to be left out, be left out," put, and agreed to.

Question, "That the figure proposed to be inserted, be there inserted," put, and agreed to.

Clause, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 19 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

First Schedule ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Second Schedule -

Mr Goode: Sir, I have amendments to move in the Second Schedule. I move,

In page 24, Regulation 20, line 10 of paragraph (1), and in page 27, Regulation 21, line 3 of paragraph (6), in each case to leave out the figure "17" and insert "16".

Both of those amendments are to correct the same error in numbering that I have referred to previously.

Question, "That the figure proposed to be left out in both cases, be left out," put, and agreed to.

Question, "That the figure proposed to be inserted in both cases, be there inserted." put, and agreed to.

Mr Goode: Sir, I move,

In page 27, Regulation 21, line 5 of paragraph (6), to leave out the word "diseased" and insert "deceased".

Question, "That the word proposed to be left out, be left out," put, and agreed to.

Question, "That the word proposed to be inserted, be there inserted," put, and agreed to.

Mr Goode: Schedule B of the Second Schedule, Sir, on page 35 of the printed Bill, I move the following insertions, (a) after "East African Railways and Harbours Administration", to add "Eastern, Northern and Western Regions of Nigeria"; (b) after "Federation of Malaya", to add "Federated Malay States", "Federation of Nigeria" and "Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland"; (c) after "Leeward Islands", to add "Malayan Union"; (d) after "Nyasaland", to add "Overseas Audit Department (Home Establishment)"; and (e) after "Tanganyika Territory", to add "Tonga".

These are merely amendments, Sir, to include in that list other administrations with whom we wish to make reciprocal arrangements.

The Chairman: I notice that the word "Tonga" appears a little lower down in Schedule B. Is that deliberate?

Mr Goode: I am sorry, Sir. Thank you very much, Sir, for drawing my attention to it. I would like to withdraw amendment (e), Sir.

The Chairman: Yes.

Amendment (e), by leave, withdrawn.

Question, "That the words proposed to be added, be there added," put, and agreed to.

Second Schedule, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Mr Goode: Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill, as amended, be reported to the Assembly."

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill reported, with Amendments.

Third Reading

Mr Speaker: Third Reading, what day?

Mr Goode: Now, Sir. Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill, as amended, be now read the Third time."

Mr Chew Swee Kee: I second it.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill, as amended, accordingly read the Third time.