DIPLOMATIC PRIVILEGES (COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES AND REPUBLIC OF IRELAND) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

10.58 a.m.

The Acting Chief Secretary (Mr S. T. Stewart): Mr Speaker, Sir, I have His Excellency's consent to proceed with this Bill. I beg to move, Sir, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

This is a relatively short Bill and the purpose is fully explained in the Explanatory Note attached to the Bill. In passing, Sir, I have to mention that, owing to an error in drafting, the "Republic of Northern Ireland" is mentioned in the Note; the word "Northern" should, of course, be omitted.

Sir, under the Consular Conventions Ordinance, (Chapter 264), this Government has already granted representatives of certain foreign powers certain immunities and privileges in accordance with international practice, but at present there is no law under which similar diplomatic privileges and immunities may be granted to representatives of Commonwealth countries. Up to the present, these have been granted by administrative action and it is now proposed to rectify this by means of this Bill.

This Bill before the House follows closely the Federation of Malaya Diplomatic Privileges (Commonwealth Countries and Republic of Ireland) Ordinance which was passed in 1956, and the provisions in the Consular Conventions Ordinance, (Chapter 264), regarding immunities and remission of taxes, charges, duties and fees to foreign consular representatives in Singapore.

The provisions of the Bill apply at present to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, India, Pakistan and Ceylon, but provision is made for extension by order of the Governor in Council to other countries, being (a) countries within the Commonwealth; or (b) the Republic of Ireland. Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time.