URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BILL (As reported from Select Committee)

Order for Third Reading read.

5.00 p.m.

The Minister for Law and National Development (Mr E. W. Barker): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to give notice that I wish to propose amendments to clause 18 of the Bill.

Typed copies of the Notice handed in and distributed to Members.

Mr Speaker: The Minister has given notice in respect of clause 18, which has been circulated to Members. Under Standing Orders, the Bill accordingly stands recommitted to a Committee of the whole House in respect of clause 18.

Committee stage, what day?

Mr Barker: Now, Sir.

Mr Speaker: The requisite notice of the amendments has not been given. The amendments are subject to the Speaker's consent and the general assent of Members present to dispense with notice under Standing Order 33. I give my consent. Is it the pleasure of hon. Members that notice of the amendments proposed to be moved be dispensed with?

Hon. Members indicated assent.

Bill considered in Committee.

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

5.02 p.m.

Clause 18 -

Amendments made:

In page 10, line 25, to leave out "-(1)". - [Mr Barker].

In page 10, line 35, to leave out ", subject to the provisions of subsection (2),".-[Mr Barker].

Mr Barker: Sir, I beg to move,

In page 10, to leave out from line 39 to line 4 in page 11.

Sir, with the introduction of the Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill which was read for the first time today, it is necessary to effect this amendment and the earlier amendments, as provision for pegging of land values for purposes of compulsory acquisition of land has already been made in clause 7 of the Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill, which will be taken through its Second and Third Reading stages at the next sitting of Parliament. These are the reasons for the amendments which I have just moved, Sir.

Amendment agreed to.

Clause 18, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Bill reported with amendments.

Third Reading

Mr Speaker: Third Reading, what day?

Mr Barker: Now, Sir,I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Third time."

Members of the House will recall that this Bill was committed to a Select Committee by a resolution of Parliament passed on the 26th of July, 1973.

Two written representations were received, from the Port of Singapore Authority and the Singapore Institute of Surveyors, and the Select Committee heard oral evidence from four of the representors.

The Committee's Report was presented on the 8th of October, 1973 as Paper Parl. 2 of 1973. Sir, the Bill as now tabled before the House incorporates the recommendations of the Select Committee. The Committee held three meetings and has recommended, inter alia, the following amendments to the Bills:-

(a) An amendment to clause 15 of the Bill to provide that it shall be one of the functions and duties of the Urban Redevelopment Authority to superintend parking places within the meaning of the Parking Places Act (Chapter 90). It is the intention that the Urban Redevelopment Authority should upon its formation take over the functions and duties of the Car Parks Division. This amendment will also enable the transfer, under clause 12 of the Bill, of the Superintendent, officers and staff of the Car Parks Division to the service of the Urban Redevelopment Authority which is necessary in order to effect the takeover.

(b) The amendment of clause 36 of the Bill to include amendments as proposed by the Registrar of Titles. The amendments seek, inter alia, to obviate the need for the Urban Redevelopment Authority to seek its remedy in court in order to cancel any instrument or assurance which has been erroneously registered under the provisions of the Land Titles Act or the Registration of Deeds Act contrary to sub-clause (3) of clause 36 of the Bill as it previously stood.

The amendments also provide that the Authority may, in any case where an assurance, or a mortgage, transfer, charge or lease has been executed without the written consent of the Authority, lodge an instrument with the Registrar of Titles or the Registrar of Deeds as the case may be, for the vesting in the Authority of the title to or the estate or interest in the unit in respect of which the assurance, mortgage, transfer, charge or lease had been executed.

(c) The deletion of clauses 41 to 44 of the Bill and the substitution therefor of the new clauses 41 to 44 as incorporated in the reprinted Bill which is annexed to the Report as Appendix I. The deletion of clauses 41 to 44 and the insertion of the four new clauses 41 to 44 is to take into account the model provisions to be incorporated in an Act of Parliament when establishing a body corporate. The new clauses have been drafted on the advice of the Auditor-General. Briefly, these four clauses deal with the keeping of financial records, appointment of an auditor, powers and duties of the auditor and the submission of reports.

(d) An amendment to clause 48 of the Bill to delete the word "before" appearing in the second line thereof and to substitute therefor the word "when". The object of the amendment is to require any person who wishes to develop any land to submit his plans and proposals simultaneously to the competent authority appointed under the provisions of the Planning Act and the Urban Redevelopment Authority for processing. The amendment would also enable the Authority and the competent authority, appointed under the provisions of the Planning Act, to work in consultation with each other when considering any application.

As Members of the House will recall, there were several objections to the way this clause was drafted originally, and this amendment meets these objections.

(e) Lastly, there is an amendment to insert a new clause 70 which will empower the Minister to exempt, by notification in the Gazette, any organisation, person or class of persons from any or all of the provisions of the Bill if it is deemed fit or necessary.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Third time and passed.