MIGRATION STATISTICS (REVOCATION) RULES, 1973

3.33 p.m.

Mr Speaker: The motion, standing in the name of the Minister for Finance as item 3 on the Supplementary Order Paper, is subject to the Speaker's consent and the general assent of Members present for notice to be dispensed with under Standing Order 33. I give my consent. Is it the pleasure of hon. Members that the motion be moved?

Hon. Members indicated assent.

The Minister for Finance (Mr Hon Sui Sen): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That this Parliament pursuant to subsection (3) of section 7 of the Statistics Act (Chapter 299) resolves that the Migration Statistics (Revocation) Rules 1973, made on the 2nd day of May, 1973, and published as Notification No. S 169 in the Gazette Subsidiary Legislation Supplement No. 23 of 11th May, 1973 as contained in Paper S.L. 23 of 1973, be approved.

Sir, the Department of Statistics has been collecting passenger statistics by sea under the Migration Statistics Rules. Passenger statistics by air, however, are compiled from the passenger manifests submitted by airlines to the Department of Civil Aviation.

The Migration Statistics Rules were enacted in 1930 and over the passage of time returns drawn up under the Rules are outdated in a number of aspects, such as in the terminology used and the scope and coverage defined. There is, therefore, a need to revise the returns and the notes contained therein from time to time. This in turn would need prior amendments to be made to the Rules. In order, therefore, to avoid the necessity of having to amend the Rules each time, the Schedules under which the statistics are collected are revised, it is proposed to collect migration statistics under the powers contained in the Statistics Act itself. This is possible as migration is included in the Schedule of subject matters covered by the Act. The Migration Statistics Rules can, therefore, be revoked. Collection of statistics under the Statistics Act would enable administrative flexibility to vary the format, scope and coverage of returns as and when circumstances arise, without having to resort to changes in subsidiary legislation.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this Parliament pursuant to subsection (3) of section 7 of the Statistics Act (Chapter 299) resolves that the Migration Statistics (Revocation) Rules 1973, made on the 2nd day of May, 1973, and published as Notification No. S 169 in the Gazette Subsidiary Legislation Supplement No. 23 of 11th May, 1973 as contained in Paper S.L. 23 of 1973, he approved.