PARLIAMENTARY PENSIONS (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

3.04 p.m.

The Minister for Finance (Mr Hon Sui Sen): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

Under the existing provision of the Parliamentary Pensions Act, a Backbencher, who previously held the office of Prime Minister or a Cabinet Minister for a period of not less than three years and has completed nine years' reckonable service and has attained the age of 45 years or upon his attaining this age, shall be granted a pension calculated on his ministerial pay and the allowance received by him in respect of his service as a Member of Parliament.

It is proposed in this Bill to exclude the M P allowance in such a computation as the Backbencher concerned, whilst having ceased to hold the office of Prime Minister or Cabinet Minister, is still a Member of Parliament and therefore should not have the element of the MP allowance calculated in his pension. Section 5 (2) of the Act is therefore being amended to provide for pension to be computed only on the basis of his ministerial pay. When he finally ceases to be a Member of Parliament, section 4 (3) of the Act as it stands will enable his pension to be re-computed, taking into account his allowance as a Member of Parliament.

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 Hon Sui Sen].

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