JUDGES' REMUNERATION (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

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

Provision for the payment of salaries of the Chief Justice and Judges in Singapore is made in the Judges' Remuneration Act (Chapter 7 of the Revised Edition). As a consequence of Government's decision to consolidate the 1973-1977 NWC allowances into salary scales with effect from 1st November 1977, the pensionable salaries of the Chief Justice and Judges have been correspondingly increased. The pensionable salary of the Chief Justice has been increased from $7.500 per mensem to $10,815 per mensem, that of the most senior of the Puisne Judges from $6,000 per mensem to $8,650 per mensem and the pensionable salaries of the other Puisne Judges from $5,500 per mensem to $7,930 per mensem. These increases in salaries have been effected administratively.

The purpose of this Bill is to give legal effect to the above increases.

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.