Statute Details
- Title: Trustees (Authorised Unit Trust Scheme) (No. 7) Order 2000
- Act Code: TA1967-S283-2000
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Enacting Formula: Made by the Minister for Law under powers conferred by section 83 of the Trustees Act
- Citation: Trustees (Authorised Unit Trust Scheme) (No. 7) Order 2000
- Legislative Instrument Number: SL 283/2000
- Date Made: 16 June 2000
- Date of Publication/Commencement (as reflected in the extract): 19 June 2000
- Status: Current version as at 27 March 2026
- Key Provision(s): Section 1 (Citation); Section 2 (Authorised unit trust scheme)
- Authorising Act: Trustees Act (Chapter 337)
- Related Legislation: Trustees Act (Ch. 337); other “Authorised Unit Trust Scheme” Orders under section 83
What Is This Legislation About?
The Trustees (Authorised Unit Trust Scheme) (No. 7) Order 2000 is a short piece of subsidiary legislation that performs a specific regulatory function: it formally declares a particular collective investment arrangement—United Asia Top-50 Fund—to be an “authorised unit trust scheme” for the purposes of the Trustees Act.
In plain language, the Order is essentially a legal “designation” instrument. It does not itself create a full regulatory framework for unit trust management, marketing, or investor protections. Instead, it operates within the broader statutory scheme under the Trustees Act, which uses the concept of an “authorised unit trust scheme” as a gateway for certain legal consequences—most notably, enabling trustees and related fiduciaries to deal with or hold units in such schemes in circumstances contemplated by the Act.
Accordingly, the practical importance of this Order lies less in what it says on its face (it is only two sections long) and more in what it triggers elsewhere in the Trustees Act. For practitioners, the key task is to connect this designation to the operative provisions of the Trustees Act that depend on whether a unit trust scheme has been declared “authorised”.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Section 1 (Citation) provides the formal short title of the instrument: Trustees (Authorised Unit Trust Scheme) (No. 7) Order 2000. While this is standard drafting, it matters for legal referencing, compliance documentation, and for ensuring that the correct instrument is cited in submissions, trustee resolutions, or regulatory correspondence.
Section 2 (Authorised unit trust scheme) is the substantive provision. It states that United Asia Top-50 Fund is hereby declared as an authorised unit trust scheme for the purpose of the Act. This is the operative legal act: the Minister for Law, exercising powers under section 83 of the Trustees Act, makes a formal declaration that the specified fund qualifies as “authorised” within the meaning used by the Trustees Act.
From a practitioner’s perspective, the legal effect of Section 2 is typically to satisfy a statutory condition. Many trustee-related regimes distinguish between investments that are permissible (or treated as permissible) and those that are not, or between schemes that have been approved/authorised by the relevant authority and those that have not. By declaring United Asia Top-50 Fund to be authorised, the Order supplies the missing legal predicate that trustees may need to rely on when making investment decisions, administering trusts, or complying with statutory duties.
Enacting formula and delegated authority. The extract includes the enacting formula: “In exercise of the powers conferred by section 83 of the Trustees Act, the Minister for Law hereby makes the following Order.” This is important for legal analysis because it confirms that the Order is an exercise of delegated legislative power. It also signals that the Minister’s authority is specifically tied to the Trustees Act’s framework for authorising unit trust schemes. If a dispute arises—e.g., whether a particular fund is covered, or whether the designation was properly made—this enacting formula is a key starting point for statutory interpretation and validity arguments.
Temporal and version considerations. The instrument is shown as “current version as at 27 March 2026” with the timeline indicating the original date (19 June 2000; SL 283/2000). For practitioners, this means that the designation remains in force in the current consolidated presentation of the legislation. However, because the extract does not show any amendments or revocations, counsel should still verify in the legislation database whether there have been later changes affecting the scheme’s status (for example, if the fund has been terminated, renamed, merged, or replaced). Even if the Order itself remains “current”, the underlying fund’s existence and identity may affect practical reliance.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This Order is structured in a very streamlined manner, reflecting its narrow purpose. It contains:
(a) A citation provision (Section 1), which identifies the instrument; and
(b) A single substantive declaration (Section 2), which designates United Asia Top-50 Fund as an authorised unit trust scheme for the purposes of the Trustees Act.
There are no schedules, definitions, procedural requirements, or detailed compliance obligations within the text provided. Instead, the Order functions as a “label” attached to a specific scheme, with the legal consequences flowing from the Trustees Act and any related regulations or guidance.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
Although the Order is addressed to the legal system generally, its practical application is directed at parties whose duties are governed by the Trustees Act—particularly trustees and other fiduciaries who must consider what investments are permissible or treated as authorised under the Act.
In practice, the Order is relevant to:
- Trustees administering trusts that may hold units in unit trust schemes;
- Trust administrators and corporate trustees responsible for investment compliance and reporting;
- Professional advisers (lawyers, investment consultants, compliance officers) advising on whether a particular fund can be used within a trust’s investment mandate; and
- Fund operators/management insofar as authorisation under the Trustees Act may affect the types of investors who can lawfully hold the fund through trust structures.
The Order itself does not impose obligations on investors directly. Rather, it changes the legal status of the fund under the Trustees Act, which in turn affects what trustees may do.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Even though the Order is brief, it can be highly significant in trustee practice. Investment powers and trustee duties often hinge on whether an investment falls within a statutory category. By declaring United Asia Top-50 Fund as an authorised unit trust scheme, the Order provides a clear legal basis for trustees to consider the fund within the framework of the Trustees Act.
From a compliance standpoint, this reduces uncertainty. Trustees typically need to demonstrate that their investment decisions are made within the bounds of their statutory and fiduciary obligations. Where the Trustees Act uses “authorised unit trust scheme” as a criterion, the existence of an Order like this one becomes a key document in the trustee’s decision-making record—supporting due diligence and enabling defensible reliance.
For legal practitioners, the Order also illustrates how Singapore’s regulatory approach can operate through targeted subsidiary instruments. Instead of embedding detailed authorisation criteria within each Order, the system relies on a central authorising power in the Trustees Act (here, section 83) and then uses individual Orders to designate specific schemes. This means that legal analysis often requires cross-referencing: you must read the Order together with the operative provisions of the Trustees Act to understand the real-world consequences.
Finally, because the instrument is dated 2000 and is still shown as current in the database, practitioners should be mindful of the “life cycle” of unit trust schemes. A fund may undergo corporate actions, name changes, or structural changes. While the Order may remain “current” as a legal instrument, the practical question for counsel is whether the fund being administered today is the same scheme as originally designated. Where there is any ambiguity, further verification (e.g., fund constitution, prospectus history, and regulatory filings) is prudent.
Related Legislation
- Trustees Act (Chapter 337), in particular section 83 (power to make orders declaring authorised unit trust schemes)
- Other “Trustees (Authorised Unit Trust Scheme) … Orders” made under section 83 of the Trustees Act (each designating different unit trust schemes)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Trustees (Authorised Unit Trust Scheme) (No. 7) Order 2000 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.