WEIGHTS AND MEASURES (AMENDMENT) BILL

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WEIGHTS AND MEASURES (AMENDMENT) BILL: Order for Second Reading read.

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

Sir, the Weights and Measures Act was first enacted in 1976 to safeguard fair trade by preventing unfair trading due to short-weights or measures. The Act is currently administered by SPRING Singapore, which enforces controls on weighing and measuring instruments used for trade, as well as on net contents of pre-packaged goods. SPRING issues licences to

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manufacturers and repairers of weighing and measuring instruments as well as registers instruments approved for trade use. It verifies all new or repaired instruments, and stamps and seals such instruments to indicate approval and to prevent tampering. It also inspects instruments for inaccuracies and tampering, and investigates complaints about short weights and measures.

The Weights and Measures Act was last revised in 1985. Over the years, manufacturers and repairers have developed the competency to perform verification work. The Imperial Units system is also no longer widely used. A review conducted by SPRING in 2001 has identified various areas in the current Act that would have to be updated so that it would remain relevant to our industry needs and be aligned to practices in other developed economies. We have prepared the Weights and Measures (Amendment) Bill to incorporate the various proposed updates.

Main provisions in the Bill

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, allow me to take the House through the main provisions of the Bill.

First, we will introduce the new Authorised Verifier, or AV Scheme. Under this scheme, SPRING will appoint qualified parties as AVs to take on the role of verifying weighing or measuring instruments for their fitness for trade use. The benefit of the scheme is that verification will no longer be constrained by SPRING's capacity. With a larger pool of AVs, the turnaround time for the verification of instruments will potentially be reduced from three days to less than a day.

SPRING aims to fully transfer the role of verification to AVs within three years. The AV scheme will replace the current mandatory Licensing Scheme for manufacturers and repairers of weighing and

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measuring instruments. Clause 13 repeals section 13 of the Act which mandates the licensing. Clauses 2, 7 and 25 spell out the main duties and responsibilities of an AV. Clause 11 prohibits any unauthorised persons from performing the functions of an AV.

Second, we will revoke the Metrication Order. References to imperial and traditional units will be deleted from the Act, with the exception of some local customary weights and measures used in trade transaction at Chinese medical halls. Clauses 3 and 4 remove references to imperial units, whereas clause 17 outlines the offences in respect of the failure to use the metric system in certain circumstances. In addition, clause 31 introduces the new versions of the First, Second and Third Schedules , all of which no longer contain references to imperial units.

Third, we will introduce the Accuracy Label as a mandatory mark to be affixed on all instruments used for trade through clauses 2, 6, and 7. The label will allow consumers and businesses to identify an instrument that has been verified for accuracy, as well as enable them to know when the instrument was last verified and by whom.

Finally, we will replace the current Minimum Quantity System, or MQS, which prescribes the allowable limits of error in the net quantities of pre-packaged goods with the internationally accepted Average Quantity System, or AQS. The AQS will be fairer to both manufacturers and consumers than the MQS as it does away with the need for the manufacturers to overfill the net contents in pre-packed goods, and spares consumers from bearing the cost of overfilling. The AQS is recommended by the International Organisation of Legal Metrology and is also widely accepted internationally in such countries as the United States, the

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European Union, Australia and New Zealand. Changing from MQS to AQS will therefore align us with international standards.

Clause 2 introduces the "non-standard package" as a package enclosing goods which fall short of the stated quantity by a deficiency greater than the allowable margin of error. Clause 18 introduces the offences related to the implementation of the AQS, while clause 29 allows for regulations to be made on specific matters relating to the AQS.

Conclusion

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Bill updates the provisions in the Weights and Measures Act in light of the changes in the business environment over the years. In preparation of the Bill, SPRING has consulted manufacturers, repairers and businesses and has received positive support for the proposed amendments.

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.