Home Team Science and Technology Agency Act 2019

• Act Code: HTSTAA2019
• Edition: 2020 Rev Ed
• Commencement: 30 Nov 2019
• Version as at: 18 Jul 2026
• Enacted by: Parliament

Section 1 — Short title

This Act is the Home Team Science and Technology Agency Act 2019.

Section 2 — Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires —“Agency” means the Home Team Science and Technology Agency established by section 3; “Chairperson”, in relation to the Agency, means the member of the Agency who is appointed under section

Section 3 — Home Team Science and Technology Agency

A body called the Home Team Science and Technology Agency is established by this section.

Section 4 — Agency is body corporate

(1) The Agency —(a) is a body corporate with perpetual succession; (b) may acquire, hold and dispose of real and personal property; and (c) may sue and be sued in its corporate name. (2) The Agency may use, and operate under, one or more tr

Section 5 — Functions of Agency

(1) The Agency has the following functions:(a) to provide scientific and technological services for or in relation to a forensic purpose or public security purpose to any Home Team agency or organisation in the Singapore public sector; (b)

Section 6 — Powers of Agency

(1) The Agency has power to do all things necessary or expedient to be done for, or in connection with, the performance of its functions.(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the powers of the Agency include the following:(a) to enter into c

Section 7 — Directions of Minister, etc.

(1) The Minister may give to the Agency any direction under section 5 of the Public Sector (Governance) Act 2018.(2) To avoid doubt, the Minister is entitled —(a) to have information in the possession of the Agency; and (b) where the inform

Section 8 — Agency’s symbol, etc.

(1) The Agency has the exclusive right to the use of one or more symbols or representations as the Agency may select or devise (each called in this section the Agency’s symbol or representation), and to display or exhibit those symbols or r

Section 9 — Membership of Agency

(1) The Agency consists of at least 8 and not more than 20 members.(2) One of the members (who is not the Chairperson) may be the Chief Executive. —(1) The Agency consists of at least 8 and not more than 20 members. (2) One of the members (

Section 10 — Appointment of Agency members

(1) Each member of the Agency is to be appointed by the Minister.(2) Every appointment must be made by instrument in writing given to the member. (3) The instrument must state —(a) the term of the appointment; and (b) the date the appointme

Section 11 — Membership disqualification

(1) In appointing members of the Agency, the Minister must have regard to whether the members of the Agency will collectively possess the appropriate knowledge, skills and experience to assist the Agency to perform its functions effectively

Section 12 — Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson

(1) The Minister may, by instrument in writing, appoint —(a) a member (other than the Chief Executive) to be the Chairperson of the Agency for such period as is specified in the instrument; and (b) one or more members (other than the Chairp

Section 13 — Premature vacancies

(1) If a premature vacancy occurs in the office of any member of the Agency, the Minister may, subject to sections 9, 10 and 11, appoint an individual to fill the vacancy and hold that office for the remainder of the term for which the vaca

Section 14 — Acting Chairperson and members

(1) The Minister may appoint an individual to act temporarily as the Chairperson during any period, or during all periods, when the Chairperson —(a) is absent from duty or Singapore; or (b) is, for any reason, unable to perform the duties o

Section 15 — Removal of member

(1) The Minister may, at any time and without giving any reason, remove a member of the Agency from office.(2) Every removal under subsection (1) must be made by written notice given to the member with a copy to the Agency. (3) The notice m

Section 16 — Resignation from office

(1) A member of the Agency may resign his or her office by written notice to the Minister (with a copy to the Agency) signed by the member.(2) The resignation is effective when the notice in subsection (1) is received by the Minister or at

Section 17 — Validity of acts, etc.

(1) Despite section 33 of the Interpretation Act 1965, the exercise of any power or performance of any function of the Agency by the Agency is not affected merely because at the relevant time —(a) there was a vacancy in the membership of th

Section 18 — Term of appointment

(1) Subject to section 20, each member of the Agency holds office for a period of 3 years or any shorter period specified in the instrument of appointment.(2) A member of the Agency may be re-appointed.

Section 19 — Remuneration, etc.

The members of the Agency may be paid, out of the funds of the Agency, such salaries, fees and allowances as the Minister determines.

Section 20 — Vacation of office

(1) A member of the Agency ceases to hold office if he or she —(a) dies; (b) is adjudicated a bankrupt or makes an arrangement with any of his or her creditors; (c) becomes otherwise disqualified from being a member under section 11(2); (d)

Section 21 — Procedure generally

Subject to this Act and the Public Sector (Governance) Act 2018, the members of the Agency may regulate their own proceedings and business.

Section 22 — Notice of meetings

(1) The Agency must hold such meetings as are necessary for the performance of its functions.(2) The Chairperson must appoint the times and places of the meetings of the Agency, and cause notice of those meetings to be given to each member,

Section 23 — Quorum

(1) The quorum is the number that is one-third the number of members of the Agency.(2) No business may be transacted at a meeting of the Agency if a quorum is not present. —(1) The quorum is the number that is one-third the number of member

Section 24 — Presiding at meetings

(1) At a meeting of the Agency, the following person presides:(a) if there is a Chairperson and he or she is present and is not interested (within the meaning given by Part 4 of the Public Sector (Governance) Act 2018) in the matter — the C

Section 25 — Voting at meetings

(1) Each member of the Agency has one vote.(2) In addition to his or her general vote, the member presiding at a meeting has, in the case of an equality of votes, a casting vote. (3) A resolution of the Agency is passed if it is agreed by a

Section 26 — Execution of documents

(1) The Agency must have a seal.(2) The seal of the Agency is to be kept and used as authorised by the Agency. (3) A document is duly executed by the Agency if —(a) the seal of the Agency is affixed to the document in the presence of one of

Section 27 — Appointment of committees

(1) The Agency may, by resolution, appoint such number of committees as the Agency thinks fit for purposes which, in the opinion of the Agency, would be better regulated and managed by means of such committees.(2) A committee appointed unde

Section 28 — Proceedings of committees

(1) Section 17 applies to a committee, and to committee members or individuals purporting to be committee members, with the necessary modifications.(2) Subject to this Act and the Public Sector (Governance) Act 2018, a committee may regulat

Section 29 — Appointment of Chief Executive

(1) There must be a Chief Executive of the Agency, whose appointment, removal, discipline and promotion must be in accordance with the Public Sector (Governance) Act 2018.(2) The Agency may, subject to the Public Sector (Governance) Act 201

Section 30 — Officers, etc.

The Agency may, subject to the Public Sector (Governance) Act 2018, appoint and employ, on such terms and conditions as the Agency may determine, such other officers, employees, consultants and agents as may be necessary for the effective p

Section 31 — Preservation of secrecy

(1) A member of the Agency, an employee of the Agency, the Chief Executive or a committee member, who has information in his or her capacity as such that would not otherwise be available to him or her, must not intentionally or negligently

Section 32 — Protection from personal liability

No liability shall lie against any member, any committee member, the Chief Executive or any employee of the Agency, or any other person acting under the direction of the Agency, for anything which is done or purported to be done, or omitted

Section 33 — Financial year

The financial year of the Agency begins on 1 April of each year and ends on 31 March of the succeeding year except that the first financial year of the Agency begins on 1 December 2019 and ends on 31 March 2020.

Section 34 — Revenue and property of Agency

The funds and property of the Agency include —(a) all moneys paid to the Agency by way of grants, subsidies, donations, gifts and contributions for the purposes of the Agency; (b) all moneys paid to, and all other moneys and property lawful

Section 35 — Bank accounts

(1) The Agency must open and maintain one or more accounts with such bank or banks as the Agency thinks fit.(2) Every such account may only be operated by a person who is authorised to do so by the Agency.

Section 36 — Financial accounts and records

The Agency must —(a) keep proper accounts and records of its transactions and affairs; and (b) do all things necessary to ensure that —(i) all payments out of its moneys are correctly made and properly authorised; and (ii) adequate control

Section 37 — Power of investment

The Agency may invest its moneys in accordance with the standard investment power of statutory bodies as defined in section 33A of the Interpretation Act 1965.

Section 38 — Issue of shares, etc.

As a consequence of —(a) the vesting of any property, rights or liabilities in the Agency under this Act; or (b) any capital injection or other investment by the Government in the Agency in accordance with any other written law, the Agency

Section 39 — Borrowing power

(1) The Agency cannot raise loans for the performance of its functions under this Act or any other Act administered by the Agency except in accordance with this section.(2) Subject to subsection (3), the Agency may raise loans by —(a) mortg

Section 40 — Offences by corporations

(1) Where, in a proceeding for an offence under this Act, it is necessary to prove the state of mind of a corporation in relation to a particular conduct, evidence that —(a) an officer, employee or agent of the corporation engaged in that c

Section 41 — Offences by unincorporated associations or partnerships

(1) Where, in a proceeding for an offence under this Act, it is necessary to prove the state of mind of an unincorporated association or a partnership in relation to a particular conduct, evidence that —(a) an employee or agent of the uninc

Section 42 — Service of documents

(1) A document that is permitted or required by this Act to be served on a person may be served as described in this section.(2) A document permitted or required by this Act to be served on an individual may be served —(a) by giving it to t

Section 43 — Regulations

The Agency may, with the approval of the Minister, make regulations prescribing matters required or permitted by this Act to be prescribed, or necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act.

Section 44 — Interpretation of this Part

In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires —“asset”, in relation to the transferor, means property of any kind (whether tangible or intangible, whether arising from, accruing under, created or evidenced by or the subject of, an ins

Section 45 — Transfer of undertakings to Agency

(1) On the transfer date, all assets and liabilities of the transferor that relate solely to the functions of the Science and Technology Group of the Ministry of Home Affairs are transferred to the Agency.(2) When any assets or liabilities

Section 46 — Transferring secondments and employees to Agency

(1) On the transfer date, every transferring employee —(a) stops being an employee of the transferor; and (b) is each transferred to the service, and becomes an employee, of the Agency on terms no less favourable than those enjoyed by the e

Section 47 — General preservation of employment terms

(1) The service with the Agency of an employee transferred under section 46 (called in this section a transferred employee) must be regarded for all purposes as having been continuous with the service of the employee with the transferor imm

Section 48 — Transfer of records

On the transfer date, every record, or part of any record, of the transferor that relates to the following becomes the record of the Agency:(a) any asset or liability transferred to the Agency under section 45; (b) any transferring employee

Section 49 — Confirmation of transfer

(1) If any dispute arises —(a) as to whether an asset or a liability or a record is transferred under section 45 or 48; or (b) as to whether any, or any part of any, contract or document relates to an asset or a liability or a record, trans