NATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY BOARD (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

3.02 p.m.

The Minister for Labour (Mr Ong Pang Boon): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

Mr Speaker, Sir, clause 2 of the Bill seeks to amend section 16 of the National Productivity Board Act to provide for the accounts of the Board to be audited by the Auditor-General or by an auditor appointed annually by the Minister in consultation with the Auditor-General. Besides spelling out the powers of the auditor, it also deals with the Boards financial year, the financial procedure to he adopted and preparation and publication of annual financial statements and reports. It provides that a copy of the audited financial statements and of the report of the auditor shall he presented to Parliament, and hence be subject to the scrutiny of the Public Accounts Committee where necessary. These amendments are aimed at placing the accountability of the Board on a more firm footing.

The Bill also introduces a new section 23 which will grant the Board an exclusive right to the use of a symbol as set out in the Schedule to the Act. Any infringement of this right will render the person liable to a fine exceeding $1,000.

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 Ong Pang Boon]

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