DEPARTMENTAL TITLES (ALTERATION) (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Law (Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

Sir, section 3 of the Departmental Titles (Alteration) Act empowers Parliament to add to or amend the Schedule to the Act by resolution at any time. The Schedule contains a listing of old and new titles or names of departmental offices. Such titles and names of offices are subject to changes from time to time when departments are reorganised or restructured following periodic management reviews.

Sir, Parliament should not be concerned with such administrative changes. This Bill therefore seeks to give powers to the respective Ministers in charge of the departments to make changes to the departmental titles instead of Parliament. The proposed amendment to the Act is procedural and administrative in nature and will not affect the operation of the provisions in the Constitution where certain key appointments require the concurrence of the President.

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. -- [Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee].

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