PUBLIC UTILITIES (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

4.43 p.m.

The Minister for the Environment (Mr Lim Kim San): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The purpose of this Bill is to provide the Public Utilities Board with a more efficient and flexible administration.

Electricity contains both an energy component and a non-energy or wattless component. In clause 2 of the Bill, it is now proposed to substitute for the word "energy" a more appropriate word, "electricity". Consequential amendments are also made in the Bill to substitute for the words "light", "electrical energy" and "energy" wherever they appear in the Act, the word "electricity" to give uniformity.

The Bill, under clause 3 thereof, also amends the constitution of the Board from the present fixed number of ten non-public officers to not less than five but not more than ten members to be appointed by the Minister. Consequently, the quorum for meetings of the Board is also amended under clause 4 of the Bill, from seven to a majority of the members of the Board. These amendments, Sir, are necessary as, since the enactment of the provision of section 5 of the Act, it has not been possible to appoint the whole of the ten members resulting in the Board sometimes being without a quorum to conduct its business.

Clause 5 of the Bill enables the Board to perform any functions assigned to it by the Minister, and clause 6 empowers the Board to incorporate companies to carry out any of its functions. With these amendments, Sir, the Board will now be able to provide consultancy services and to form a company to provide such consultancy services.

Under clauses 7 and 8, the Board is conferred with additional power to cut off supplies of gas and electricity in case of emergency, fire and in certain other circumstances. It also empowers the Board to cut off supply of water in case of misuse or waste.

For administrative expediency, provision is made under clause 9 of the Bill for the Board to delegate to the Chairman certain of its powers, functions and duties.

Clause 10 of the Bill makes it necessary for the Board to obtain the approval of the Minister in prescribing tariffs, and it also enables the Board to fix different tariffs for consumers similarly situated for a temporary period to he approved by the Minister.

The Public Utilities Board (Provident Fund) Rules have been amended to enable the employees to appoint nominees to whom the amount standing to the credit of a deceased member may be given. Although paragraph (e) of section 31 (2) of the Public Utilities Act provides for the appointment of a nominee, paragraph (h) of the same section does not include that a receipt by the nominee or nominees is a valid discharge to the Board for any moneys payable. Clause 11 of the Bill will remedy the situation.

As the offence for obstructing or hindering the Board's employees in the performance of their duties is considered serious, it is proposed to increase the penalty under section 82 of the Public Utilities Act from $500 to $1,000, similar to such penalty as provided under the Port of Singapore Authority Act, the Jurong Town Corporation Act and the Housing and Development Act. Clause 13 of the Bill provides for this.

Mr Speaker, 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 Lim Kim San].

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

Mr Speaker: Order. I suspend this sitting now and shall take the Chair again at 5.20 p.m.

Sitting accordingly suspended at 4.50 p.m. until 5.20 p.m. Sitting resumed at 5.20 p.m.