CENSUS (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

The Acting Minister for Trade and Industry (BG Lee Hsien Loong): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

Sir, the purpose of this Bill is to amend Section 2 of the Census Act by deleting the definition of the word "Minister". At present all references to the Minister in the Census Act 1973 mean the Minister for Finance. This was not amended when the Ministry of Trade and Industry was formed and the subjects covered in this Act brought under the portfolio of MTI. Currently, therefore, although MTI has been administering census matters, legal authority to direct that a census be taken, appoint a Superintendent of Census, etc, still lies with the Minister for Finance. This is obviously unsatisfactory, and the Bill seeks to rationalize this. To cater for possible future changes in portfolios, the definition of "Minister" is being deleted. The effect of this deletion is that, under the Interpretation Act, the Minister will be the Minister for the time being charged by the Prime Minister with the responsibility for the Act.

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. - [BG Lee Hsien Loong].

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