The text
PERMISSION TO MEMBER TO BE ABSENT Under the provisions of clause 2 (d) of Article 30 of the Constitution of Singapore, I have granted permission to the following Member to be or to remain absent from sittings of Parliament (or any committee of Parliament to which he has been appointed) for the period stated:- Mr Chan Chee Seng (Jalan Besar), Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Affairs - from 21st to 25th February, 1973. YEOH GHIM SENG Speaker, Parliament of Singapore
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - BUS ACCIDENTS - (Measures to minimise) asked the Minister for Communications what measures he is taking or proposes to take to minimise serious bus accidents.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - BUS ACCIDENTS - (Measures to minimise) Mr Speaker, Sir, during 1972, there was a total number of 3,982 serious and fatal accidents involving motor vehicles. Of this number of accidents, only 348 or 8.74 per cent involved public buses. This figure is not disproportionately high if one were to consider that each public bus plies along the road continuously for almost 18 hours a day. In terms of percentage of the total fleet, the accident rate is less than 2 per cent. Mr Speaker, Sir, I have handed to the Clerk of Parliament, for circulation to Members of Parliament, Annex (See cols. 483-6) A and B giving detailed information of statistics showing the number of the public buses as compared with all other motor vehicles involved in serious and fatal accidents, and statistics showing the number of serious and fatal accidents involving public buses as compared with the total bus fleet, respectively. The Ministry of Communications, however, is not taking a complacent view of this matter and will take steps to further reduce the number of serious accidents involving public buses. The most important step is the training courses conducted by the Public Service Vehicles Training School to raise the standards of our drivers and conductors. To-date 2,106 bus drivers and 1,806 bus conductors had successfully completed their training and were issued vocational licences. A refresher course for bus drivers will be introduced in April 1973. Another measure undertaken was the establishment of an Enforcement Squad within the Registry of Vehicles on 1st April, 1972. The main function of this Squad is to ensure that we get a more disciplined and organised public transport service in the Republic. Annex to Oral Answers on Bus Accidents (cols.440-1) (Cols 0483-0486)
ST. MARK'S HOSPITAL - (Site reservation) asked the Minister for Law and National Development whether the St. Mark's Hospital site can be reserved as a site for a hospital only and that no residential flats be allowed to be built there.
ST. MARK'S HOSPITAL - (Site reservation) Mr Speaker, Sir, the St. Mark's Hospital at Joo Chiat Place is on 28,874 square feet of private land presently zoned Clinic and Health Centre in the Master Plan, while the surrounding area is zoned Residential. No change in zoning is required if the site is developed for a hospital or a clinic. However, the existing development surrounding the area is mainly residential. My Ministry will consider any proposal for redeveloping the said land on its merits.
BILLS INTRODUCED 2.35 p.m.
ROAD VEHICLES (SPECIAL POWERS) (AMENDMENT) BILL "to amend the Road Vehicles (Special Powers) Act (Chapter 120 of the Revised Edition)", presented by the Minister for Health and Home Affairs (Mr Chua Sian Chin); read the First time, to be read a Second time on the next available sitting of Parliament, and to be printed.
ENTERTAINMENTS DUTY (AMENDMENT) BILL "to amend the Entertainments Duty Act (Chapter 136 of the Revised Edition)", presented by the Minister for Finance (Mr Hon Sui Sen); read the First time, to be read a Second time on the next available sitting of Parliament, and to be printed.
SUPPLY BILL "to provide for the issue from the Consolidated Fund of the sums necessary to meet the estimated expenditure for the public services of Singapore for the financial year 1st April, 1973 to 31st March, 1974", recommendation of President signified; presented by Mr Hon Sui Sen; read the First time, to be read a Second time on the next available sitting of Parliament, and to be printed.
SUPPLEMENTARY SUPPLY BILL "for making Supplementary Provision for the public services for the financial year 1st April, 1972 to 31st March, 1973". recommendation of President signified; presented by Mr Hon Sui Sen; read the First time, to be read a Second time on the next available sitting of Parliament, and to be printed.
RECLAMATION (PASIR PANJANG) 2.38 p.m.
RECLAMATION (PASIR PANJANG) Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move the motion* standing in my name, as it appears on the Order Paper. * The motion, standing in the name of the Minister for Law and National Development, reads as follows: That this Parliament, in accordance with section 4 of the Foreshores Act (Chapter 270), approves the reclamation by Government of that portion of the foreshore and seabed at Pasir Panjang containing an area of approximately 102 acres as shown edged in purple on the plan marked "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 3 /73" which is deposited in the Land Office, Singapore. This is the Third Phase of the reclamations planned for Pasir Panjang. Members will recall that, at its sitting on 30th July, 1971, this House approved the reclamation of about 91 acres of the foreshore and seabed at Pasir Panjang as shown edged red on the plan marked "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 3/73", a copy of which is displayed in the Library of this House for the information of Members. Subsequently, on 26th October, 1972, the reclamation of another 25 acres of the area shown edged green on the plan was also approved. Both reclamations are being undertaken by the Port of Singapore Authority as agent of the Government, using surplus earth from the Telok Blangah new town site. Owing to engineering difficulties encountered in the area edged red and the presence of squatters in the area edged green, the Port of Singapore Authority was able to complete the reclamation of only 64 acres (47 acres within the area edged red and 17 acres within the area edged green) out of the total of 116 acres so far approved under the Foreshores Act, leaving about 52 acres yet to he reclaimed. Meanwhile, the Port of Singapore Authority, faced by the need to urgently remove earth from the Housing Board's Telok Blangah new town preparatory site in order not to delay the construction of Housing Board flats the demand for which considerably exceeds the supply, has been forced to dump fill in that part of the foreshore and seabed shown hatched red within the area shown edged purple on the plan. Approval of this House is now sought to regularise the reclamation done so far, as well as to provide for the reclamation of an additional area within the area edged purple. This will give time for the problems (squatters and engineering difficulties) to be overcome when the reclamation of the remaining 52 acres already approved where reclamation works have been held up, can be completed. The area edged purple, when reclaimed, will he developed for recreational purposes in accordance with Singapore's Concept Plan. Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move.
RECLAMATION (PASIR PANJANG) Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, That this Parliament, in accordance with section 4 of the Foreshores Act (Chapter 270), approves the reclamation by Government of that portion of the foreshore and seabed at Pasir Panjang containing an area of approximately 102 acres as shown edged in purple on the plan marked "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 3/73" which is deposited in the Land Office, Singapore.
CIVIL LIST 2.41 p.m.
CIVIL LIST Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That this Parliament, pursuant to section 7 of the Civil List and Pension Act (Chapter 52), resolves that the Schedule to the said Act be varied by deleting the figures "$48,000". "$508,620", "$108,680" and "523,000" appearing in the second column thereof and substituting therefor the figures "$52,000", "$594,010", "$135,270" and "$91,000" respectively. The provision approved under the Civil List is insufficient to meet increasing expenses, such as the non-pensionable annual allowance for staff, revised wages of daily-rated employees and increasing cost of household requisites. Also, provision has to be made for the purchase of chairs and tables, silver ware and crockery for official use at the Istana. Hiring of such items has proved to be unsatisfactory. It is, therefore, necessary to augment the provision for the Privy Purse from $48,000 to $52,000; the provisions for Salaries to Personal Staff from $508,620 to $594,010; the provision for Expenses of Household from $108,680 to $135,270 and the provision for Special Services from $23,000 to $91,000. Sir, I beg to move.
CIVIL LIST Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, That this Parliament, pursuant to section 7 of the Civil List and Pension Act (Chapter 52), resolves that the Schedule to the said Act be varied by deleting the figures "$48,000", "$508,620", "$108,680" and "$23,000" appearing in the second column thereof and substituting therefor the figures "$52,000", "$594,010". "$135,270" and "$91,000" respectively.
ANNUAL BUDGET STATEMENT 2.44 p.m.