PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS BILL (As reported from Select Committee)

Order for Third Reading read.

The Minister for National Development (Mr S. Dhanabalan): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Third time."

Sir, this Bill was also committed to the same Select Committee as the Architects Bill and the Land Surveyors Bill when I moved its Second Reading before the House in March this year. The three Bills are linked to each other through the definition of "allied professionals" for the purpose of multi-discipline, professional consultancy practice and they contain very similar provisions. As stated, when I moved the Third Reading of the Architects Bill just now, the Select Committee received 15 written representations on the three Bills from various professional groups and individuals in the construction industry. Arising from these representations, the Committee has recommended some amendments to the Bill which are largely similar to those made in respect of the Architects Bill. These amendments have been incorporated in the reprint of the Professional Engineers Bill now before the House and the reasons for the amendments are given in the Select Committee's Report.

Multi-Discipline and Corporate Practice, Professional Liability Insurance and Government Professional Engineers

I will take these three subjects together. The amendments to the Professional Engineers Bill relating to the provisions on multi-discipline and corporate practice, professional liability insurance and exemption of Government professional engineers from paying the prescribed registration fees, are similar to the amendments in the Architects Bill. The reasons for these amendments are also the same as for the Architects Bill and, therefore, I would not repeat them. However, apart from these amendments, there are also other amendments that are peculiar to the Professional Engineers Bill which I will now highlight.

Definition of "Professional Engineering Services"

The intention of the Bill is to regulate by licence only those multi-discipline partnerships and corporations that are engaged in providing professional engineering consultancy services. However, the Bill, as drafted, may give rise to the misinterpretation that contractors and manufacturers of engineering products also need to be licensed. Clause 2 of the Bill has, therefore, been amended to include a new term "professional engineering services" which is defined to mean advisory or consultancy services relating to professional engineering work and the sale or supply for gain or reward of any plan, design, etc, relating to such work. This makes it clear that the licensing requirements of the Bill are applicable only to business entities engaged in professional engineering consultancy services. Clause 12 of the Bill is also amended to make it clear that only persons who are authorised to supply professional engineering services can claim remuneration for such services rendered.

Exempt Bodies and Persons

As in the case of the Architects Bill, clause 3 has been amended to make it clear that the Bill does not seek to license public authorities which supply professional engineering services pursuant to any written law in Singapore. In addition, clause 15 has been amended to provide that specific groups of persons, irrespective of whether they are professional engineers or not, could continue to perform certain activities that may fall within the definition of professional engineering work as defined in clause 2. These exempt classes of persons are set out in a new First Schedule to the Bill and include certificated officers under the Merchant Shipping Act, certified operators of steam boilers and internal combustion engines under the Factories Act, and licensed electrical workers and contractors under the Electrical Workers and Contractors Licensing Act. The First Schedule may be amended by the Minister through notification in the Gazette.

Miscellaneous Amendments

Finally, clause 47 of the Bill has been amended and a new Second Schedule inserted to make consequential amendments to other existing Acts, such as the Building Control Act, that presently make no reference to practising certificates as a prerequisite for engaging in professional engineering work. This will obviate the need to move a separate Bill in Parliament to make direct amendments to the other Acts.

The other amendments to the Bill are consequential amendments or amendments of a technical or drafting nature. The Bill has also been renumbered throughout to achieve uniformity in the numbering of corresponding clauses between the Professional Engineers Bill and the Architects Bill.

Mr Speaker, Sir, this Bill, when enacted, will bring the practice of professional engineers up to-date with the progress made by the construction industry over the last two decades. Together with the Architects Bill, they mark an important milestone for the course of professional practices in the construction industry.

Again, Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to express my appreciation to the many people who have contributed to the preparation and drafting of this comprehensive piece of legislation.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Third time and passed.