LIMITATION (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

4.42 p.m.

Mr Yong Nyuk Lin (for the Minister for Law and National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The Bill seeks to amend the Limitation Ordinance, 1959, to reduce the period of limitation for damages for personal injuries from six years to three years. This will bring the law in line with the law in England where the period of limitation was fixed at three years by the Law Reform (Limitation of Actions) Act, 1954.

The effect of the amendment will be that in general actions for personal injuries, arising, for example, from motor-car accidents, may only be brought within three years of the accident. It is desirable that such actions should be heard as soon as possible after the accident, as, if the action is instituted, say, after four or five years, it would be difficult for witnesses to testify about the accident with any degree of accuracy. The Act will therefore prevent the institution of stale proceedings. Police investigation papers are normally destroyed by the Police two or three years after an accident and if actions are brought after that, police witnesses will be unable to refresh their memories from statements or plans made by them soon after the accident.

It is felt that the reduction of the limitation period to three years would cause no hardship to third parties. Injuries caused by motor accidents normally become obvious immediately after the accident and the wide publicity given to proceedings relating to accidents in the local Press and the availability of lawyers make it possible for any third party to take advice and action within a reasonably short time.

The Bill has been referred to the Singapore Bar Committee and they support its provisions.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

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

The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Yong Nyuk Lin].

Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed.