Committee of Supply

Mr Speaker: Committee of Supply, what day?

Mr Oon Khye Kiang: Now, Sir.

Motion and Schedule considered in Committee of Supply.

[Mr SPEAKER in the Chair]

11.44 a.m.

Mr Oon Khye Kiang: Schedule

The Chairman: We will deal with the Schedule. The summary is at page 11.

Head 1-

The sum of $4,800 for Head 1 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 2-

The sum $61,456 for Head 2 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 6-

The sum of $11,400 for Head 6 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 7-

The sum of $3,290 for Head 7 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 8-

The sum of $127,096 for Head 8 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 9-

The sum of $108,496 for Head 9 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 10-

The sum of $1,700 for Head 10 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 12-

The sum of $48,103 for Head 12 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 14-

The sum of $l,900 for Head 14 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 15-

The sum of $7,226 for Head 15 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 16-

The sum of $9,750 for Head 16 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 17-

The sum of $27,590 for Head 17 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 20-

The sum of $17,248 for Head 20 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 21-

The sum of $4,740 for Head 21 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 22-

The sum of $4,080 for Head 22 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 27-

The sum of $84,284 for Head 27 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 29-

The sum of $11,180 for Head 29 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 30-

The sum of $107,564 for Head 30 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 33-

The sum of $14,580 for Head 33 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 35-

The sum of $5,630 for Head 35 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 37-

The sum of $57,951 for Head 37 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 40-

The sum of $24,420 for Head 40 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 44-

The sum of $84,650 for Head 44 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 46-

The sum of $42,010 for Head 46 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 47-

The sum of $33,210 for Head 47 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 48-

The sum of $9,390 for Head 48 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 49-

The sum of $144,990 for Head 49 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 51-

The sum of $27,683 for Head 51 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 53-

The sum of $11,900 for Head 53 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 55-

The sum of $51,260 for Head 55 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 58-

The sum of $130,130 for Head 58 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

The Chairman: Turning to the motion, the Question is,

"That the sum of $1,279,707 for the Heads of Expenditure and for the services specified in the Schedule stand part of the motion."

11.49 a.m.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Mr Chairman, we agreed in principle to the reorganisation of the clerical services. We therefore support the financial arrangements which have to be made as a result of this reorganisation. But the Financial Secretary must be aware that there is a great deal of concern amongst the temporary clerks for quite a number of their colleagues who will be discharged as a result of this reorganisation. The House would be less anxious over their fate if we could be informed as to what the Government proposes to do to reabsorb as many of these temporaries as is possible.

11.50 a.m.

The Acting Chief Secretary (Mr S. T. Stewart): Mr Chairman, Sir, there have been two absorption schemes - one in 1955 and the other in 1956 - both negotiated and agreed with the unions concerned, and they have led to the absorption of some 850 temporary clerks out of a total of approximately 1,000. Some 120 clerks have not been found suitable for absorption, and for this reason were under notice.

I would like to say, Sir, that out of the 120 clerks who have not been absorbed, we have managed to offer employment to 25 of them as typists. We assume a number of other junior appointments which will shortly be available to be 15 and this will go towards helping to find employment for these unabsorbed clerks. We have transferred to the Census Department 20 and there remain unabsorbed 59 out of the 120, ten of whom are being retained until they reach the age of 55. In addition, 26 of them are married women.

The decision not to appoint these temporary clerks, Sir, was taken by the Public Service Commission in its executive role, and in terminating their services - that is, giving two months' notice to those with less than five years' service and four months' notice to those with more than five years' service - the Government is constitutionally carrying out the Public Service Commission's directions. The union has in fact appealed to the Government to ask the Public Service Commission to reconsider the cases of the unabsorbed clerks. That appeal has gone to the P.S.C.

I am also told that a firm of lawyers are acting on behalf of these clerks and have made representations to the P.S.C. As the matter is sub judice in the Public Service Commission, I hope the House will appreciate it if I do not say anything on the question of their absorption; but I can say this - that the Government, outside the absorption scheme, is trying its best to help find employment for the balance of these unabsorbed clerks. There are not 120 clerks, but 59, less 10.

Question put, and agreed to.

The sum of $1,279,707 for the Heads of Expenditure and for the services specified in the Schedule ordered to stand part of the motion.

Mr Oon Khye Kiang: Sir, I move,

That the motion and Schedule be reported to the Assembly.

Question put, and agreed to.

Motion and Schedule reported, without Amendment.

Question,

"That this Assembly resolves that the sum of $1,279,707 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure and for the services specified in Schedule A contained in Sessional Paper No. Cmd. 14 of 1957,"

put, and agreed to.

Resolved.

That this Assembly resolves that the sum of $1,279,707 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure and for the services specified in Schedule A contained in Sessional Paper No. Cmd. 14 of 1957.

Mr Speaker: I think this is an appropriate time to suspend. I will take the Chair again at 2.30 p.m.

Sitting accordingly suspended at 11.55 a.m. until 2.30 p.m. Sitting resumed at 2.30 p.m.