FOREIGN JUDGMENTS (RECIPROCAL ENFORCEMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

10.13 a.m.

The Attorney-General (Mr E. P. Shanks): Mr Speaker, Sir, I have His Excellency's consent to the further stages of this Bill being proceeded with, and I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

At present, the only statutory provision for the enforcement in Singapore of judgments obtained outside Singapore is contained in the Reciprocal Enforcement of Judgments Ordinance which applies only to judgments obtained in the United Kingdom and those parts of the British Commonwealth to which its provisions have been extended. It provides that the person who has obtained a judgment in such territory may apply for registration of the judgment to the High Court, whereupon the Court may, if in all the circumstances of the case it thinks that it is just and convenient so to do, order that the judgment be registered and thereby become enforceable as if it were the judgment of the Singapore High Court.

This Bill now before the Assembly goes further in that it applies not merely to countries within the Commonwealth but to foreign countries where reciprocal provision has been made for the enforcement of Singapore judgments. It follows very closely the provisions of the United Kingdom Act of 1933 and lays down detailed provisions relating to the registration of foreign judgments, with provision for its extension where substantial reciprocity is assured.

Another important difference in the procedure will be that where the provisions apply judgments shall be registered by the Court if certain prescribed conditions are satisfied. The Singapore Court must in certain cases register judgments and thereafter enforce them as though they were its own.

It is not, of course, possible at this stage to say to what foreign countries this Bill when enacted will be applied, but it is a most useful first step in giving Singapore citizens the right to enforce here judgment that they have obtained elsewhere, and in a trading community such as this, I consider this Bill to be a most useful and progressive step.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole Assembly.

Assembly immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. [Mr Shanks].

Bill considered in Committee.

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

10.17 a.m.

Clauses 1 to 7 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 8-

The Chairman: It appears to me at page 3, line 18, that it might be appropriate to insert a marginal note "Cap. 3." Perhaps the Attorney-General would like to comment?

Mr Shanks: Yes, I think it would be a most useful correction.

The Chairman: That will be done.

Clause 8 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 9 to 13 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Bill reported without Amendment; read the Third time and passed.