SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISION (Sessional Paper No. Cmd. 5 of 1958)

3.39 p.m.

The Financial Secretary (Mr T. M. Hart): Sir, I have His Excellency the Governor's authority to move,

That this Assembly resolves that the sum of $610 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure and for the services specified in the Schedule B contained in Sessional Paper No. Cmd. 5 of 1958.

Sir, this motion deals with the creation of the General Executive Service of which mention was made in introducing the new schemes for the General Clerical Service and the General Clerical Assistant Service last year. The Executive Service shall be intermediate in status between the Administrative and the Professional Services on the one hand and the Clerical and lower services on the other. Members of the service will undertake responsibility for day-to-day execution of routine matters over a wide range of subjects. Their duties will include inspection work, the enforcement of laws, the issue of licences and other documents in conformity with regulations, and many other matters where policy is clearly established. As a result, higher graded officers should be freer to consider matters of more than ordinary difficulty, and questions of policy.

The schemes of service have been agreed with the representatives of the Staff Side and have been recommended for approval by the Public Service Commission. These schemes provide that candidates with a Higher School Certificate or equivalent qualification will be eligible for admission to the service. For the first three years after its introduction, special provision is made for the entry of serving officers and the Public Service Commission has already advised the selection of 250 of these.

A survey has been made of the administrative, executive and clerical work of each department and an establishment of posts for the Executive Service has been drawn up. This is shown in Schedule A attached to the Sessional Paper. In this connection it should be noted that there has been no increase in the total number of posts in the establishment as a result of the creation of the Executive Service. It is purely a matter of conversion. 331 existing posts will be converted into 8 Senior Executive Officer posts, 89 Higher Executive Officer posts and 234 Executive Officer posts.

It is not possible to estimate exactly the cost of implementing this scheme from the 1st of January, the date which has been agreed with the Staff Association, but it should be of the order of $6,000, and this can be met from savings. In the circumstances, token votes only are required to give legal sanction to the creation of the posts on the establishment of the Executive Service. I am sure hon. Members will appreciate the advantages, in terms of increased efficiency, of the creation of the Executive Service and give it their support. Sir, I beg to move.

The Minister for Education (Mr Chew Swee Kee): Sir, I beg to second.

Motion accordingly committed to Committee of Supply.

Motion and Schedule considered in Committee of Supply.

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr R. C. H. Lim) in the Chair]

3.43 p.m.

The Chairman: The summary is at page 15.

The Chairman proceeded to call the title of each head of expenditure-Head Title Supplementary Provision Required $ 2. Judicial 10 (Token) 3. Council of Ministers 10 " 4. Legislature 10 " 6. Audit 10 " 7. Chief Minister 10 8. Chief Secretary 40 "

Whereupon Mr Hart rose--

The Chairman: Yes, Mr Financial Secretary?

Mr Hart: As a matter of convenience and as we are rather short of time, might I suggest, Sir, that the Question on the Order Paper be put to the House? They are all token votes, required merely to give legal sanction to the creation of the establishment of the Executive Service. I realise this procedure is somewhat irregular, but it would save time and I do not think that any harm would come of it.

The Chairman: I am afraid I can find no provisions in the Standing Orders to allow me to take the total sum without calling the title of each head of expenditure. I will now continue.

The Chairman then proceeded to call the remaining titles of the heads of expenditure in Schedule B-Head Title Supplementary Provision Required $ 9. Broadcasting 10 (Token) 10. Chemistry 10 " 11. Defence Services 30 " 12. Film Censorship 10 " 13. Gardens, Botanic 10 " 14. Information Services 10 " 15. Police 10 " 16. Printing Office 10 " 17. Prisons 10 " 18. Registry of Marriages 10 " 19. Statistics 30 " 20. Legal 10 " 21. Official Assignee and Public Trustee 10 " 22. Treasury 10 " 26. Accountant-General 10 " 27. Customs and Excise 10 " 28. Estate Duty and Stamp Office 10 " 29. Income Tax 10 " 30. Ministry of Commerce and Industry 10 " 31. Agricultural 10 " 32. Co-operative Development 10 " 33. Exchange Control 10 " 34. Fisheries 10 " 35. Forest 10 " 36. Imports and Exports Con-trol and Registration 10 " 37. Marine 10 " 38. Marine Surveys 10 " 39. Supplies 10 " 40. Trade Marks Registry 10 " 41. Veterinary 10 " Head Title Supplementary Provision Required $ 42. Ministry of Local Government, Lands, and Housing 10 (Token) 43. Land and District Offices 10 " 44. Survey 10 " 45. Education 10 " 46. Library, Raffles National 10 " 47. Museum, Raffles 10 " 48. Medical and Health 10 " 49. Ministry of Labour and Welfare 10 " 50. Immigration and Passport 10 " 51. Labour 10 " 52. Social Welfare 30 " 53. Ministry of Communica-tions and Works 10 " 54. Civil Aviation 20 " 55. Meterological Services 10 " 57. Public Works 10 " ------ Total to be voted 610 ------

The sums stated for the Heads stated above ordered to stand part of Schedule B.

The sum of $610 for the Heads of Expenditure and for the services specified in Schedule B ordered to stand part of the motion.

Motion and Schedule reported, without amendment.

Question on the Motion put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this Assembly resolves that the sum of $610 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure and for the services specified in the Schedule B contained in Sessional Paper No. Cmd. 5 of 1958.