§ 32. Mr. Prittasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he will take to secure the annulment of the recent declaration of the Governor of Singapore that the Singapore Federation of Trade Unions and fifty separate trade unions are 19W illegal for want of registration, and the amendment of the trade union legislation in the Colony to remove its restrictive features including, in particular, the prohibition on the use of funds for political purposes.
Mr. Creech JonesI am assured by the acting Governor that no such declaration has been made. The only applications to form friendly societies and trade unions which have been rejected are from 19 bodies, 16 of which were from political organisations, friendly societies and others which for one reason or another fall outside the definition of "trade union" in the Singapore Trade Union legislation. Ninety-four trade unions have already been registered in Singapore and 66 are in process of being registered.