HC Deb 20 April 1959 vol 604 cc13-6W
Mr. Braine

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what undertakings have been given by the Government of Singapore to the members of the Gurkha unit of the Singapore police force about their position under the new constitution for the State of Singapore; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The Chief Minister of Singapore recently informed me of the wish of his Government to give certain undertakings to members of the Gurkha Unit of the Singapore Police Force concerning their position under the new Constitution of Singapore, and these undertakings are set out in an Exchange of Letters between the Chief Minister and myself on behalf of the Government of Singapore and Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. the terms of which are as followsAs you are aware, the Government of Singapore, with the agreement and assistance of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and by arrangement with the Government of the Kingdom of Nepal, recruits Gurkhas in Nepal for service in its Police Force. 2. The Gurkha Unit of the Singapore Police Force forms, and will continue to form, an integral part of the internal security arrangements of Singapore, and my Government has recently given consideration to the best means of ensuring that the services of the members of this Unit shall be retained for the future and the strength of the Unit maintained as necessary by further recruitment. 3. I wish now, on behalf of the Govern-men of Singapore to inform you that, in addition to the guarantees of their terms of service and pension rights accorded under sections 117 and 83 respectively of the Singapore (Constitution) Order in Council, 1958, the Singapore Government guarantees in respect of all members of the Gurkha police unit that under the new Constitution—

  1. (a) their pensions and gratuities will continue to be payable in Nepal at the rate 14 of two shillings and fourpence for each Malayan dollar;
  2. (b) they will be permitted freely to repatriate their savings to Nepal;
  3. (c) upon leaving the service of the Singapore Government arrangements will be made in accordance with the terms of their engagement for their repatriation to Nepal;
  4. (d) they will continue to he commanded by suitable Gurkhali speaking British officers with Army experience so long as they can be found;
  5. (e) while there is no present intention to disband the Unit, so that individual members of it have the expectation of continuous service for the duration of their engagement, compensation terms will be negotiated if at any time in the future it should be decided to disband it, provided that compensation will not be less than that provided for abolition of office in the 1956 Pensions Ordinance.
4. The Government of Singapore is aware that Gurkhas who accept service in the Singapore Police Unit do so in order to satisfy a wish to take service under the Crown, and it recognises that as the Constitution of the State of Singapore provides for a Yang di-Pertuan Negara to be Her Majesty's Representative in Singapore. the character of service in the Singapore Police Unit as service under the Crown will be in no way affected. 5. In giving this guarantee. the Government of Singapore recognises that the various matters which form the subject of it, together with the other conditions of service applicable to members of the Gurkha Police Unit, are essential terms of the contract between the Government and the individual members of the Unit, under which those individuals have undertaken to give their services to the Government of Singapore, and that subsequent variations in that contract can only he made after negotiation with the individuals concerned. The same considerations will, of course, apply to Gurkhas who may in the future be recruited for service with the Singapore Police. 6. In addition, the Government of Singapore, in seeking the approval of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom to the terms of this guarantee, acknowledge Her Majesty's Government's responsibility vis-a-vis the Government of Nepal towards the Gurkhas in the employment of the Singapore Government and under the new Constitution its continuing interest in the maintenance of internal security in Singapore and in the efficiency of all organs of the Government of Singapore which are concerned with internal security. It therefore undertakes that it will consult with and seek the agreement of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom upon any matters arising from this letter. 7. I should be grateful if you would confirm that this letter correctly sets out the understandings of our two Governments in this matter. If so, I would suggest that it and your reply should be regarded as placing those understandings on record. Thank you for your letter of 11th February. 1959, about the Gurkha Unit of the Singapore Police Force, the terms of which are as follows:— As you are aware, the Government of Singapore, with the agreement and assistance of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and by arrangement with the Government of the Kingdom of Nepal, recruits Gurkhas in Nepal for service in its Police Force. The Gurkha Unit of the Singapore Police Force forms, and will continue to form, an integral part of the internal security arrangements of Singapore, and my Government has recently given consideration to the best means of ensuring that the services of the members of this Unit shall be retained for the future and the strength of the Unit maintained as necessary by further recruitment. I wish now, on behalf of the Government of Singapore to inform you that, in addition to the guarantees of their terms of service and pension rights accorded under sections 117 and 83 respectively of the Singapore (Constitution) Order in Council, 1958, the Singapore Government guarantees in respect of all members of the Gurkha police unit that under the new Constitution—
  1. (a) their pensions and gratuities will continue to be payable in Nepal at the rate of two shillings and fourpence for each Malayan dollar;
  2. (b) they will be permitted freely to repatriate their savings to Nepal;
  3. (c) upon leaving the service of the Singapore Government arrangements will be made in accordance with the terms of their engagement for their repatriation to Nepal;
  4. (d)they will continue to be commanded by suitable Gurkhali speaking British officers with Army experience so long as they can be found;
  5. (e)while there is no present intention to disband the Unit, so that individual members of it have the expectation of continuous service for the duration of their engagement, compensation terms will be negotiated if at any time in the future it should be decided to disband it, providing that compensation will not be less than that provided for abolition of office in the 195. Pensions Ordinance.
 The Government of Singapore is aware that Gurkhas who accept service in the Singapore Police Unit do so in order to satisfy a wish to take service under the Crown, and it recognises that as the Constitution of the State of Singapore provides for a Yang di-Pertuan Negara to be Her Majesty's Representative in Singapore, the character of service in the Singapore Police Unit as service under the Crown will be in no way affected. In giving this guarantee, the Government of Singapore recognises that the various matters which form the subject of it, together with the other conditions of service applicable to members of the Gurkha Police Unit, are essential terms of the contract between the Government and the individual members of the Unit, under which those individuals have undertaken to give their services to the Government of Singapore, and that subsequent variations in that contract can only be made after negotiation with the individuals concerned. The same considerations will, of course, apply to Gurkhas who may in the future be recruited for service with the Singapore Police. In addition, the Government of Singapore, in seeking the approval of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom to the terms of this guarantee, acknowledge Her Majesty's Government's responsibility vis-a-vis the Government of Nepal towards the Gurkhas in the employment of the Singapore Government and under the new Constitution its continuing interest in the maintenance of internal security in Singapore and in the efficiency of all organs of the Government of Singapore which are concerned with internal security. It therefore undertakes that it will consult with and seek the agreement of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom upon any matters arising from this letter. I should be grateful if you would confirm that this letter correctly sets out the understandings of our two Governments in this matter. If so, I would suggest that it and your reply should be regarded as placing those understandings on record. In reply, I confirm that that letter correctly sets out the understandings on this matter between our two Governments, and I agree that it and this reply should be regarded as placing those understandings on record.