ARCHITECTS (AMENDMENT) BILL

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ARCHITECTS (AMENDMENT) BILL: Order for Second Reading read.

The Minister of State for National Development (Mr Heng Chee How): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The Architects Act was enacted to provide a framework for registration of architects and to regulate ethics, conduct and professionalism of architects. The Act also enables the Board of Architects, or BOA, to license corporations to supply architectural services in Singapore. Similar to the Professional Engineers Act, the last set of amendments came into operation on 1st January 2004 to provide for continuing professional development as well as some other consequential amendments.

In the changing landscape of today's industry, Registered Architects face similar challenges to those outlined earlier for the Professional Engineers. The BOA would need to streamline their operations and have greater autonomy, and place greater emphasis on upholding the professional standards of Registered Architects. As such, a comprehensive review was also done for the Architects Act. My Ministry has actively consulted the Singapore Institute of Architects during the preparation of this Bill. The Institute has given its support for the Bill.

Sir, as the architectural and engineering professions are closely linked to each other, the changes proposed in the Architects (Amendment) Bill are largely similar to those recommended in the Professional Engineers (Amendment) Bill. The following amendments are replicated in this Bill:

(a) to enlarge the composition of the Board and allow for the election of representatives;

(b) to set up a two-tier discipliniary

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process comprising the Investigation Committee and Disciplinary Committee;

(c) to deter unprofessional conduct by tightening penalties against errant professionals; and

(d) to allow for licensing of limited liability partnerships to provide architectural services, and revise start-up requirements.

Power to reject names of new architectural practices

In addition to these four key features, this Bill has another amendment to allow the BOA to reject the registration of names of new architectural practices, if it deems that proposed names are likely to cause confusion to the public.

Architects attach a high value to the name of their practice because the design of the completed building is highly visible to the public. Buildings are often associated with the architects who designed them. This is why successful Singapore architects are being commissioned to design buildings overseas such as those in China, India, the Middle East and elsewhere.

Building designs are the intellectual property of the architect and the firm to which the architect belongs. The Board has received complaints that some newly formed practices have chosen names that are very similar to established firms. This will cause confusion to potential clients. The proposed amendment will empower the Board to reject the registration of names of new practices where there is a high likelihood of such names causing confusion.

Conclusion

Sir, the challenges that are facing the architectural profession would be to uphold professional standards and raise

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the quality of architectural designs. The amendments proposed in this Bill will enable the Board of Architects to play a more effective role in helping the profession meet these challenges.

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 Heng Chee How].

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