CIVIL DEFENCE (SINGAPORE HOSPITAL RESERVE-FORMATION) (AMENDMENT) RULES, 1961

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health (Dr Sheng Nam Chin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move the motion standing in the name of the Minister for Health, namely,

That this Assembly, pursuant to subsection (1) of section 5 of the Civil Defence Ordinance (Cap. 73), resolves that the Civil Defence (Singapore Hospital Reserve — Formation) (Amendment) Rules, 1961, published as Notification No. S 37 in the Gazette Supplement No. 12 of 10th February, 1961, as contained in Paper S.L. 4 of 1961, be approved.

The Singapore Hospital Reserve was constituted in 1952 by the Civil Defence (Singapore Hospital Reserve — Formation) Rules, 1952, and was at first controlled by the Assistant Director of Medical Services (Defence), a post which was subsequently abolished.

Since 1954, the Reserve has been supervised by the Civil Defence Commissioner. It is organised as a volunteer unit which aims at supplementing with trained personnel a nursing and hospital staff of all hospitals in Singapore in times of civil emergency or war.

The Reserve has a strength of 672 volunteers, made up of 263 men and 409 women. The cost to Government of maintaining such a Reserve is approximately $57,000 annually. Until February 1960, the Reserve was part of the Civil Defence Corps, when Government decided that the supervisory responsibility and financial control of the Reserve should be transferred to the Ministry of Health. The Principal Matron of the Medical Department was consequently charged as the officer to control and administer the Reserve.

The Rules which are the subject of this motion are designed to amend Rules No. 2 and No. 4 of the principal Rules, so as to empower the Principal Matron of the Medical Department, Ministry of Health, to discharge the responsibilities connected with the Reserve.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this Assembly, pursuant to subsection (1) of section 5 of the Civil Defence Ordinance (Cap. 73), resolves that the Civil Defence (Singapore Hospital Reserve — Formation) (Amendment) Rules, 1961, published as Notification No. S 37 in the Gazette Supplement No. 12 of 10th February, 1961, as contained in Paper S.L. 4 of 1961, be approved.