PARLIAMENTARY MEMBERSHIP BILL (Statement by the Minister for Law and the Environment)

Mr E. W. Barker: Mr Speaker, Sir, a White Paper on the Report of the Electoral Boundaries Delineation Committee has been presented to Parliament as Command 10 of 1976. The Government has decided to accept the recommendations of the Committee. The recommendations, inter a/ia, of the Committee will bring the electorates of all constituencies within the range of 13,000 to 20,000 electors. Also in re-delineating the boundaries of 54 of the existing 65 constituencies, the following six constituencies, whose electorates are very unlikely to increase substantially, have been eliminated:- 1 Bras Basah 2 Crawford 3 Hong Lim 4 Kampong Kapor 5 Sepoy Lines 6 Stamford Mr Speaker, Sir, as the total electorate for the next General Elections is expected to increase by 180.000 electors, the Committee recommended the creation of ten new constituencies, namely:- 1 Ang Mo Kio 2 Bedok 3 Boon Lay 4 Braddell Heights 5 Brickworks 6 Buona Vista 7 Khe Bong 8 Kolam Ayer 9 Marine Parade 10 Radin Mas

The acceptance of the Committee's recommendation will therefore increase the number of electoral divisions from 65 to 69. This increase will come into effect only at the next general elections, which means the status quo in this House remains. Consequent to the increase of the electoral divisions to 69, it is necessary again to introduce the Parliamentary Membership Bill, 1976, to provide for the increase in the number of Members to 69. I will be tabling the Bill in a few moments, Sir.