Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698849001002.pdf (Singapore)
FOURTEENTH PARLIAMENT OF SINGAPORE ___________________ FIRST SESSION ___________________ ORDER PAPER TUESDAY, 8 NOVEMBER 2022 No.

74 12 noon 1 QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER* *1.

Prof Koh Lian Pin: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment when is Singapore expected to peak its carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.

*2.
*2.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry can carry out educational publicity to remind residents not to go to the accident and emergency departments of public hospitals except for genuine emergencies; and (b) whether the Ministry can encourage more clinics to operate on a 24-hours basis.

*3.
*3.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is being done to reduce the waiting time for (i) consultation at the accident and emergency departments of public hospitals and (ii) ward beds at public hospitals; (b) whether the waiting time has reduced; and (c) if so, by how much.

*4.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether an in-depth analysis is being done to identify the underlying causes of the hospital bed crunch problem; (b) how will hospitals ensure that care for patients in holding spaces, including those with non-critical issues, will not be compromised; (c) what mechanism is in place for the different healthcare clusters to forecast and raise the alarm about possible upward demand at emergency departments to make necessary arrangements in advance; and (d) when is the bed crunch expected to ease.
No.

74 8 NOVEMBER 2022 2 *5.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) with the activation of inpatient teams to help at emergency departments, whether this will cause other healthcare teams to be overworked; (b) where will the manpower for transitional care facilities (TCFs), particularly the TCF with 364 beds, come from; (c) how well-equipped are healthcare workers and aides in the step- down facilities to care for transferred patients; and (d) what are the immediate measures to expand our healthcare teams, considering that some services cannot be automated in the short-term.
*6.

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what are the main reasons behind the long waiting times for admission at some restructured hospitals’ emergency departments in recent weeks; and (b) what are the measures the Ministry is taking to reduce waiting time especially for patients with higher acuity conditions.

*7.
*7.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Health in light of the current hospital bed crunch (a) whether non-urgent elective surgeries in public hospitals will be postponed; (b) if so, whether this will once more result in a backlog after the current bed crunch is alleviated; and (c) how will the Ministry prevent the occurrences of deferring non-urgent treatments from turning into a vicious cycle of care backlog.

*8.
*8.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what are the critical bottlenecks in hospitals resulting in patients being held for long periods of time at emergency departments; (b) whether this has resulted in ambulances being unable to be deployed for other emergencies; and (c) what steps is the Ministry taking to more permanently resolve the lack of bed spaces in public hospitals.

*9.
*9.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether the risk of suffering from pressure injuries amongst bedridden patients who are kept for significant lengths of time at the accident and emergency departments of acute hospitals before being admitted to the wards is being monitored; and (b) whether such patients may be screened in advance for their susceptibility to develop pressure injuries and treated accordingly.

*10.
*10.

Ms Ng Ling Ling: To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will consider developing a gate-keeping role and process at the polyclinics and GP clinics to reduce the number of patients whose conditions do not require emergency care at hospital emergency departments.

*11.
*11.

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance of the estimated more than 60 percent of net GST that is accounted for by foreigners residing in Singapore, tourists, and the top 20 per cent of resident households, what is the share paid by each group.

No.

74 8 NOVEMBER 2022 3 *12.


Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance between 2016 and 2021, what is the Ministry’s estimate on the proportion and amount of GST revenue that are paid by non-residents.

*13.

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance how much has the Tourism Refund Scheme paid out in GST refunds for tourists between 2010 and 2021.

*14.
Ms Ng Ling Ling: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development since the extension of the fee waiver for Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) Form 1 application for Singapore citizens (a) how many applications have been made with the fee waiver; (b) what is the target number of LPA applications that the Ministry aims to achieve by the end of this fee waiver period on 31 March 2023; (c) whether the fee waiver strategy has been effective in encouraging more LPA applications; and (d) what other initiatives will be considered to encourage Singapore citizens to plan for the long-term and apply for a LPA.
*15.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry in relation to guardrails to ensure the security and adequacy of gas supply (a) whether this is expected to result in higher input costs and retail electricity prices; (b) what is the impact on the marginal cost of producing electricity in Singapore; and (c) what is the expected cost burden across the Government, generation companies and consumers.

*16.
*16.

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry following the Ministry’s announcement at the Singapore International Energy Week Summit to revise the electricity market structure, what are the plans to update the Code of Conduct for Retail Electricity Licensees to strengthen retail consumer protection.

*17.
Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry in relation to the stricter rules for energy retailers to strengthen the existing market structure of Singapore’s power sector (a) what are the specific enhanced regulatory requirements and tightened eligibility criteria to be introduced for better consumer protection; (b) what is the projected timetable for implementation of each area; and (c) whether there can be a prohibition on retailers prematurely terminating contracts with retail consumers.
*18.

Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng: To ask the Minister for Education how has the National Institute of Education been preparing trainee teachers to meet the changing demands of education.

No.

74 8 NOVEMBER 2022 4 *19.


Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) for each year between 2018 and 2022, what have been the Excess Wait Time (EWT) scores of (i) all buses operated by each public bus operator and (ii) service number 228; (b) whether the Public Transport Council took into account the EWT and On-Time Adherence scores of bus services when deciding on the 2.9% fare increase for the 2022 fare review exercise; and (c) if not, why not.

*20.
*20.

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Transport given that 10.6% of the maximum allowable public transport fare adjustment quantum in the Fare Review Exercise (FRE) 2022 will be carried over to future exercises (a) whether this will be on top of the maximum allowable fare adjustment quantum for future FREs; (b) when is the earliest time it will be effected; and (c) whether cost of living concerns will be considered in deciding whether this quantum will be effected.

*21.
*21.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Transport with regard to the additional Government subsidy of about $200 million in 2023 to support the public transport system (a) what is the amount of subsidy granted to (i) each public transport operator and (ii) households, respectively; and (b) whether the subsidies granted are in addition to or negates the need to implement the 10.6%- point fare increase for consumers that is carried over to future fare review exercises.

*22.
*22.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance whether the Ministry will consider conducting a review on the support measures for cost of living relief to be based on the number of family members in each household so that the larger low and middle-income families, especially those with members below 21 years, are not disadvantaged.

*23.
*23.

Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Prime Minister in light of Singapore’s core inflation at 5.3% in September 2022 being at the highest since November 2008 (a) whether Singapore will consider tightening its monetary policy again; and (b) whether the Government will consider more targeted measures to rein in food and accommodation prices.

*24.
*24.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information whether there is any Government oversight over foreign countries purchasing advertising or producing content for local consumption in mainstream and alternative media including having articles pertaining to their countries, which are unrelated to the promotion of tourism.

No.

74 8 NOVEMBER 2022 5 *25.


Ms Ng Ling Ling: To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will plan and implement social intervention and upstream preventive strategies through the Health Promotion Board and social service agencies to counter misconceptions that vaping is perceived as a sign of maturity and healthier than smoking.

*26.
*26.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Health (a) how many applications has the Rare Disease Fund (RDF) received since April 2021; (b) what is the RDF’s ratio of applicants to grants; and (c) whether the RDF has available funds to support new applicants at the current time.

*27.
*27.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment with regard to the number of Designated Smoking Points (DSP) currently available (a) what has been their utilisation rate and effectiveness in reducing second-hand smoke to non-smokers; and (b) whether the Government will consider supporting and funding more DSPs at more locations including housing estates.

*28.
*28.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether an update can be provided on when speed limiters will be required to be installed on lorries ferrying workers; and (b) what can be done to expedite the rollout.

*29.
*29.

Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether there are ongoing discussions relating to the Australia-Asia Power Link’s Sun Cable project to supply power to Singapore outside of the Request for Proposal programme under the Energy Market Authority; (b) if so, whether details on these discussions can be shared; and (c) whether there are any plans for the Government to invest in the project.

*30.
Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the flow of electricity from Lao PDR to Singapore under the Lao PDR-Thailand- Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project (LTMS-PIP) has remained stable; (b) whether an update can be provided on the amount of electricity imported to Singapore since 23 June 2022; (c) whether there are plans or discussions to expand the amount of energy imported under the LTMS-PIP; and (d) whether there are plans for the energy under the LTMS-PIP to be exported out of Singapore.
*31.

Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) since 2020, how many appeals have been received from Integrated Shield Plan insurance policyholders regarding their difficulties in making a claim that arises from the insurers’ definition of medical terminologies which diverge from how members of the public, laypersons and medical professionals may interpret the same terms; and (b) what recourse do affected policyholders have.

No.

74 8 NOVEMBER 2022 6 *32.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry with the new plans for increased reliance on low-carbon hydrogen fuel to address our power needs (a) what sources will the hydrogen come from; (b) how will the Government prepare our infrastructure to transport and store hydrogen; (c) whether the potential increase in spending on infrastructure will lead to significant cost increases for consumers; and (d) how will the Government work with regional countries to encourage the take-up and production rate of hydrogen for energy use.
*33.

Mr Ang Wei Neng: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether the war in Ukraine, intensifying competition between the United States and China, high global inflation and the threat of global recession have affected the Singapore Green Plan 2030.

*34.
*34.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether he can provide a status update on the proposed enshrinement of the guidelines of the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment into legislation given its announcement at the 2021 National Day Rally, including an update on (a) whether the Committee has completed its work and made the recommendations; Committee’s recommendations; and (c) when is the Government planning to introduce the Bill in Parliament.
the Government has accepted (b) whether *35.

Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether HDB has an initiative that allows single or estranged persons to live alone instead of requiring a co-tenant for HDB rental flats; and (b) if so, whether the Ministry can provide an update on this initiative.

*36.
*36.

Mr Ang Wei Neng: To ask the Prime Minister (a) whether the National Wages Council (NWC) has completed its review on the wage guidelines for the coming year; and (b) how will the Government work with the Public Service Commission to ensure that the wages of civil servants are consistent with the guidelines to be developed by the NWC.

*37.
*37.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether an update can be provided on the review of the penalties for animal cruelty and abuse offences under the Animals and Birds Act; and (b) when will the review be completed.

*38.
*38.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how will the Ministry enforce the requirement that employers are required to provide a rest period of at least 30 minutes to workers designated to drive their colleagues when such workers have been working onsite for at least six hours; (b) what are the penalties for employers who fail to provide such rest; and (c) what constitutes a rest period.

No.

74 8 NOVEMBER 2022 7 *39.


Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Health (a) over the past five years, how many complaints have been received regarding the sale of counterfeit healthcare products on online marketplaces; (b) what are the avenues of recourse for consumers who have been duped into buying these counterfeit products; and (c) whether any enforcement action can be taken against either the online platform or the seller for the sale of counterfeit healthcare products.

*40.
*40.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for National Development in view of the new measures to cool the property market, what is the estimated number of first-time HDB flat buyers in 2022 who were able to purchase a flat under the previous stress test rate and Loan-to-Value limit but who will no longer be able to do so under the new measures.

*41.
*41.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) whether IMDA can do more to educate businesses on the need to protect their customer's data from being hacked; and (b) whether the punishment against illegal hackers of such data can be enhanced.

*42.
*42.

Ms Hany Soh: To ask the Minister for National Development whether the scope of the Building and Construction Authority's Accessibility Fund can be extended to encourage more buildings and malls to construct a safe and conducive designated area for delivery riders to collect and drop off their deliveries.

*43.
*43.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether migrant workers who have received warnings from law enforcement agencies or have been acquitted in criminal cases are automatically barred from working in Singapore.

*44.
*44.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Ministry is reviewing the utilisation rate of open space car parks in HDB estates; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider partially converting those with lower utilisation to communal initiatives like wellness and care facilities for seniors.

*45.
*45.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether foreign workers in Singapore have been informed of (i) the available channels to seek recourse against their employers who failed to pay their salaries and (ii) the law against illegal assembly.

*46.
*46.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry will consider making permanent the role of Care Ambassadors in our healthcare institutions that is previously filled by aviation crew from the Singapore Airlines Group; (b) whether the 900 or so vacancies left by the departure of these crew members has been filled and, if so, how has the Ministry facilitated the filling of these vacancies; and (c) if not, why not.

No.

74 8 NOVEMBER 2022 8 *47.


Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for National Development how are works undertaken by Town Councils in HDB estates to prune trees with a view to reducing or modifying the habitats of wild birds at the request of NParks, which bears the responsibility for the management of wild bird populations, funded.

*48.
*48.

Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng: To ask the Minister for National Development whether an update can be provided on the implementation of HDB’s policy on conducting periodic inspections on a yearly basis to proactively identify rental flats which require repairs or maintenance.

*49.
Ms Hany Soh: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) apart from improving the productivity and efficiency of recyclable items collected, whether NEA has conducted any studies to understand if the contamination rate of recyclable waste has indeed been reduced with the adoption of the new side-loader truck blue recycling bins; and (b) whether NEA will consider increasing the collection frequency of recyclables from the blue recycling bins in HDB estates and private-landed properties.
*50.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) how is the ballot process for first-time applicants of a HDB BTO flat randomised; and (b) how does the ballot algorithm factor in the various parameters of household status, ethnic integration quota and all other priority schemes.

*51.
*51.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment since the launch of the Singapore Food Story R&D Programme in 2019 (a) what are some of the tangible outcomes from the research and development projects funded thus far; and (b) amongst the funded projects, which aspects of nutritional needs are likely to be better fulfilled for our food security with further research and development.

*52.
Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) in instances whereby tenancy agreements are signed prior to the setting up of the Fair Tenancy Industry Committee's Code of Conduct for Leasing of Retail Premises in Singapore, what avenues for advice and assistance are available for small businesses concerned about unfair tenancy terms being invoked against them, especially when these terms are invoked unexpectedly and potentially causing their business to shut down; and (b) what dispute resolution platforms exist for such instances.
No.

74 8 NOVEMBER 2022 9 *53.

Mr Ang Wei Neng: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) for the past five years, what is the number of complaints received pertaining to the noise and smell generated from live chickens located at the HDB estates and private residential estates respectively; and (b) whether there will be a review of chicken rearing policy in HDB flat, private residential apartment and private landed residential property.

*54.
*54.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Prime Minister (a) whether MAS has data on how prevalent is the use of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services among those aged below 21 years old in the past three years; (b) whether there have been cases thus far of such youths being unable to repay their debts incurred via BNPL services; and (c) what have the consequences been in these cases.

*55.
*55.

Ms Hany Soh: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) whether the Ministry monitors and keeps track of how many Singaporeans are affected by the global WhatsApp outage on 25 October 2022; and (b) whether IMDA is investigating the cause of the disruption and considering what prevention measures can be implemented.

*56.
*56.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Prime Minister (a) since the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, what have been the changes in the (i) average Loan- To-Value (LTV) ratio and (ii) percentage of mortgage loans being used to finance owner-occupied properties as against investment properties; and (b) in comparison to these changes, what is the Government’s current assessment of the risk to a higher LTV ratio through the downside to residential property valuations.

*57.
*57.

Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for National Development whether there is any requirement for individuals signing an exclusive estate agency agreement to be formally advised of the option of signing a non-exclusive agreement, especially in situations where the individual is entering into a property transaction for the first time and may not be aware of the existence of non-exclusive agreements.

*58.
*58.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) upon the commencement of the COVID-19 pandemic, how many Singapore citizens and permanent residents born before, in or after 1962 missed the 1-year deadline to re-register for their new NRICs, thereby forfeiting the option to pay the subsidised fee of $10 or $50 respectively; and (b) whether a one-off extension of time may be provided to these persons having regard to the effect of the pandemic on them.

No.

74 8 NOVEMBER 2022 10 *59.


Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry which free trade agreement that Singapore has entered into has (i) achieved the most trade benefits so far and (ii) minimised imported costs and inflationary pressures more ably and effectively.

* Members may postpone their Questions to a later sitting day if their Questions are not reached by the end of Question Time (QT).
For such Questions, Members may email to parl_cop@parl.gov.sg in advance a postponement notice that will be effected after QT.

Members must submit their notices to the Clerk within one hour after the end of QT (SO 22(3)).

Questions will be given a written answer if no such notices are received by the Clerk within the stipulated time.

ORDERS OF THE DAY 1.

Carbon Pricing (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.

27/2022] – (Minister for Sustainability and the Environment) – Second Reading.
[For amendments on the Bill, see Supplement No.

14 dated 8 November 2022.]

2.

Online Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill [Bill No.

28/2022] – (Minister for Communications and Information) – Second Reading.

3.

Accountancy Functions (Consolidation) Bill [Bill No.

29/2022] – (Second Minister for Finance) – Second Reading.

MEMORANDUM Matter proposed to be raised on the Motion for the Adjournment (SO 2(8)(b)).
Ms Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar) : Building Harmonious Communities through Responsible Use of Common Spaces in Public Housing Estates.

No.

74 8 NOVEMBER 2022 11 QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER 1.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) when was the last review conducted on the bottom-end of marginal resident personal income tax rates; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider the need to increase the tax-free threshold for the first $20,000 of chargeable income to reflect inflation over time.

2.
2.

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Defence (a) whether he can provide an update on the development of the SAF Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS); and (b) how DIS is fortifying Singapore’s digital intelligence capability to help fight against cyber military warfare and protect our country amidst cross-jurisdictional cyberthreats.

3.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the ScamShield mobile app is still relevant since telecos will be required to implement anti-scam filters; (b) whether ScamShield will be enhanced to improve anti-scam measures; (c) how will the Government increase the download rate of ScamShield among vulnerable groups; and (d) whether grants will be offered to businesses using SMS sender IDs and who have financial hardship to offset costs for registering with the Singapore SMS Sender ID Registry.
4.

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs whether HDB can consider using fire-rated glass for windows of high-rise HDB flats, to prevent glass shatter from height in the event of fire.

5.

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs whether fire-rated glass can be mandated for use in the windows of high-rise buildings or HDB flats, to prevent glass shatter from height in the event of fire.

6.
6.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether law enforcement agencies are empowered to impound the passports of ex-inmates who have been released from prison; (b) if so, pursuant to which laws and under what circumstances; and (c) what are the factors which will be considered when such a person applies to law enforcement agencies for the release of his or her passport.

7.
7.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs for each of the past five years, what is the mean and median time that has elapsed between a person being arrested for a capital offence and being given access to counsel.

No.

74 8 NOVEMBER 2022 12 8.


Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the staff turnover rate amongst white collar crime investigation officers (IOs) in the Singapore Police Force, including the Commercial Affairs Department, in the past five years; (b) of the rate, what is the split attributable to IOs resigning and retiring respectively; and (c) what percentage of retired IOs are re- employed to continue investigating white collar crime cases for the same period.

9.
9.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs having regard to the manpower crunch that the Home Team faces, whether the decision to increase the Home Team officers' retirement age to 58 by 2030 may be brought forward and adjusted accordingly.

10.

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs from 2000 to 2020, what are the statistics for the share of violent offences that are (i) committed by juveniles and (ii) gang-related.

11.
11.

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs for the years 2010, 2015 and 2020 to 2022 (to date), what is the average number of fines that are issued each year for the failure to wear seat belts in the (i) front seat and (ii) rear passenger seats of motor vehicles.

12.
12.

Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry in light of the drop in Singapore’s purchasing managers' index from August to September 2022 (a) what measures will the Ministry put in place to avoid a technical recession; and (b) how is the Government helping Singapore companies in a high interest rate and inflationary environment.

13.
13.

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry how does Singapore intend to meet its greenhouse gas emissions targets while continuing to be an international financial and economic hub.

14.

Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment given the revised National Determined Contribution 2030 (a) whether Singapore is still anticipating peak emissions at 65 MtCO2e; and (b) when is the peak expected to take place.

15.
15.

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Education whether a larger number of students with moderate-to-severe hearing loss can learn alongside students who do not have hearing loss to promote an inclusive educational learning environment.

16.
16.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Education (a) for each year in the past three years, what percentage of students in the Uplifting Pupils in Life and Inspiring Families Taskforce programme are streamed into (i) Normal (Technical) (ii) Normal (Academic) and (iii) Express standards following their PSLE; and (b) if this data is not available, whether the Ministry intends to collect it.

No.

74 8 NOVEMBER 2022 13 17.


Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development in the past four years, what has been the annual median and average monthly income of single unwed parents (i) below 35 years old (ii) between 35 and 36 years old and (iii) 36 years old and above, respectively.

18.
18.

Ms Hazel Poa: To ask the Minister for Health in each year since 2011 (a) what is the total arrears owed by patients in restructured hospitals; (b) what is the amount of arrears that has been written off as bad debt; and (c) what is the percentage of patients who default on their bills.

19.
19.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what are the projected increases in the number of hospital beds at private and public hospitals in the next five and 10 years respectively; and (b) how do these projections compare to the changes in the number of hospital beds at private and public hospitals five and 10 years ago.

20.
20.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for National Development in each year from 2010 to 2022, what is the proportion of HDB resale and BTO flat transactions where (i) all applicants are Singapore citizens (ii) at least one applicant is a permanent resident and (iii) all applicants are permanent residents respectively.

21.
21.

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for National Development how HDB is helping senior citizens apply for BTO flats as second-timers so as to find a flat more suitable to their needs.

22.

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for National Development how is HDB helping senior citizens who do not have the financial means to afford resale flats, to secure a BTO flat.

23.
23.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for National Development for seniors aged 65 and above who applied for 2-room flexi flats in HDB's Build-To-Order and Sale of Balance Flats exercises in 2022 (a) what percentage of these seniors are applying for HDB flats for a second time or more; and (b) how many of them have been unable to secure a flat for their right-sizing needs.

24.
24.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) how many HDB flats purchased in each of the last five years are made by those who were previously residing in private properties; (b) what is the average price of these transactions; and (c) for those who paid cash-over-valuation (COV), what has been the average COV paid.

No.

74 8 NOVEMBER 2022 14 25.


Ms Hazel Poa: To ask the Minister for National Development for each year since 2012 (a) what is the average waiting time for applicants of HDB rental flats under the Public Rental Scheme by ethnic group; (b) what is the breakdown of HDB rental flat residents by ethnic group; and (c) what is the percentage of HDB rental flat blocks where the ethnic limits at the block level have been reached.

26.
26.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Ministry collects data on the number of complaints received on residential rental discrimination by age or race; (b) if so, what has been the annual number for the last five years; and (c) what are the avenues of recourse they encounter rental for Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans when discrimination.

27.
Ms Carrie Tan: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) how many HDB Public Rental Scheme households have had a rent increase from 2020 to 2021; (b) how does this number compare with the five years preceding 2020; (c) what has been the lowest, highest and average rent increase in the past five years; (d) whether there is a formula for deriving the increase in relation to changes in tenants’ incomes; and (e) since 2012, how many households who progressed from rental housing to home ownership reverted to the Scheme and what is the average length of time in between.
28.

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether he can provide an update on (i) the development and land reclamation works on and around Pedra Branca and (ii) the estimated total cost of these works; and (b) what benefits these works are expected to bring to Singapore.

29.
29.

Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for National Development in each of the last five years (a) how many requests to waive the non-citizen quota for renting out HDB flats are received; (b) how many of such requests are granted; and (c) which town has the highest number of requests.

30.
30.

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Manpower from 2016 to 2021, of the 90% of retirement and re-employment disputes that are amicably resolved through a mediation process, what is the number of cases broken down by those that (i) led to re-employment of the individuals concerned (ii) led to their transfer to another employer (iii) received the Employment Assistance Payment and (iv) subsequently withdrew their appeal.
PAPER PRESENTED 2022 Date Presented S. L. 729 Carbon Pricing Act 2018 (Amendment of Fourth Schedule) Order 2022 ..... 04 November 2022