Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698848843620.pdf (Singapore)
FOURTEENTH PARLIAMENT OF SINGAPORE ___________________ FIRST SESSION ___________________ ORDER PAPER MONDAY, 26 JULY 2021 No.

33 1.30 pm 1 *1.

*2.

*3.

*4.

*5.

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER* Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Health with regard to the Government’s COVID-19 strategy in the long term when the virus becomes endemic, what steps are being taken to develop medical treatment options for patients infected with the virus in future.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Health (a) how extensive is wastewater testing for traces of COVID-19 being currently conducted across the various HDB and private housing estates in Singapore; and (b) what are the lessons learned from wastewater testing in recent COVID-19 cases in Hougang and Yishun.
Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Health with regard to the mandatory 14-day COVID-19 testing for businesses in high-risk settings (a) whether the Government will provide assistance to one-man operations to help them comply with the new regulations; and (b) what form of supervision is there over their swabs.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry has considered revising the guidelines on indoor versus outdoor masking protocols in light of emerging evidence that outdoor transmission rates tend to be significantly lower than indoor transmission.
Ms Raeesah Khan: To ask the Minister for Health as Singapore moves towards an endemic strategy in dealing with COVID-19 (a) whether a decrease in the number of COVID-19-related temporary roles can be expected; (b) whether the demand for such roles will be expected to vary based on the prevailing COVID- 19 situation; and (c) what are the Ministry's plans to maintain flexibility in our COVID-19 response in terms of staffing so as to be able to scale up operations should the situation require it.

No.
No.

33 26 JULY 2021 2 *6.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) whether the Ministry is able to do more to limit the number of +65 scam calls made to unsuspecting Singaporeans; and (b) whether the Ministry and local telcos can expand its scam awareness outreach efforts offline particularly to the elderly who have no knowledge of such apps.

*7.
Ms Yeo Wan Ling: To ask the Prime Minister (a) in the last six months, whether there is an increase in successful bank-related cyber scams or unauthorised bank transactions involving victims not divulging their OTPs, IDs or passwords to scammers; (b) who bears the financial loss when the unauthorised transaction is not due to the banks’ lapses or non-compliance with MAS rules and the consumer has not given his login information to a third party; and (c) whether victims who suffer financial loss can be given financial help during the period of investigation and recovery.
*8.

Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what is the cause of the accident at the Bukit Batok Bus Interchange on 11 July 2021; (b) what contributing factors had led to one of the buses reportedly falling two metres and onto its side; (c) what is being done to support and help the persons injured; and (d) whether bus interchange designs undergo stress-test evaluation to assess for potential modes of accidents and consequences thereof.

*9.
*9.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) how many cases of accidents involving public transport buses have occurred in the last few years and whether such cases have increased; (b) what is the range of causes of such incidents; and (c) what mitigating measures can be taken to minimise these types of incidents happening so as to reduce the risk of injuries and fatalities to commuters and pedestrians.

*10.
*10.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) in the past five years, what is the number of accidents reported within bus interchanges and bus depots; (b) how many of these accidents have been due to speeding or blind spots; and (c) what are the safety measures put in place at bus interchanges and bus depots to prevent accidents.

*11.
*11.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Transport what training, continuous training and refresher courses or programmes are in place to ensure that drivers of heavy vehicles and buses stay updated on road safety and take extra precautions to prevent accidents.

*12.
*12.

Ms Tin Pei Ling: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) how has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted construction costs in Singapore; (b) what are the contributing factors; and (c) how will public estate upgrading and construction projects that are in the pipeline before the COVID-19 pandemic but only had the tender called this year be affected.

No.

33 26 JULY 2021 3 *13.


Ms Tin Pei Ling: To ask the Minister for National Development given the current high construction costs, how will this affect the demand for green building projects and Singapore’s Green Plan.

*14.
*14.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) how have HDB resale flat prices and cash-over-valuation trended over the last 12 months; and (b) what are the new measures that HDB will put in place to support families opting for resale flats in view of the prolonged completion of BTO flats due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

*15.
*15.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for National Development whether HDB can increase the supply of BTO flats by 10,000 units per year for booking in the next three years to make up for the construction delays due to the pandemic since 2020.

*16.
*16.

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development whether there are plans to increase the offering of non-Chinese official languages as a mother tongue language at the preschool and kindergarten levels for MOE-registered institutions located within Sengkang Town.

*17.
*17.

Mr Mohd Fahmi Bin Aliman: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information in light of the recent global cyberattack that forced Swedish Coop supermarkets to close, whether there have been any attempts to attack Singapore’s supply chain software in the past three years.

*18.
Ms Raeesah Khan: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what proportion of training resources provided by organisations such as e2i and Workforce Singapore are conducted on a flexible basis so as to allow individuals who work shift hours to upskill or reskill themselves; and (b) what are the Ministry's plans to help individuals currently holding temporary COVID-19-related roles such as safe distancing ambassadors and swabbers, to transition to permanent roles as Singapore moves towards an endemic strategy in dealing with COVID-19.
*19.
Mr Sharael Taha: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how many people are employed in COVID-19-related temporary roles such as swabbers, safe entry and temperature screeners, safe distancing ambassadors and vaccination staff; (b) whether the number of workers required for these roles will be reduced as more residents are vaccinated; (c) what is being done for these workers to prepare them for their next job; and (d) how does the Government ensure that unemployment numbers do not increase when these jobs are phased out.
No.

33 *20.

26 JULY 2021 4 Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Education with regard to the new enhanced curricular structure for ITE students whereby students will experience a three-year pathway leading directly to a Higher Nitec certification (a) what are the Ministry’s plans for students who find it more difficult to cope under the new structure; and (b) what are the plans to provide additional support and academic coaching to support them in completing their Higher Nitec certification.

*21.
*21.

Ms Carrie Tan: To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the mental health or stress levels of students are being tracked and evaluated as the new subject-based banding system is being rolled out in the 28 pilot schools; and (b) whether there are any observations on how the new system may have improved the situation in terms of minimising the labelling and stigmatisation towards and among students so far.

*22.
*22.

Ms Ng Ling Ling: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) since January 2021, what is the number of foreign domestic workers who have had their entry approval postponed due to the border restrictions; (b) how long is the waiting time before an entry approval can be given; and (c) whether the Ministry will allow the entry of these workers on an exception basis for families with a member who is delivering a baby soon, or an elderly who is immobile or with disabilities needing urgent caregiver support.

*23.
*23.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the prices of vegetables and fresh produce imported from Malaysia have risen since June 2021; (b) if so, what are the underlying causes; and (c) how can the Government help to mitigate the impact of cost increases, especially for families.

*24.
*24.

Ms Raeesah Khan: To ask the Minister for National Development in light of the findings in the Census of Population 2020, what are the reasons for the large number of Malays moving to three-room or smaller flats.

*25.
*25.

Mr Mohd Fahmi Bin Aliman: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what are the common causes of house fires in the past five years; (b) how has the SCDF been spreading awareness about fire safety at home within the community; and (c) whether SCDF plans to come up with new initiatives to increase awareness about fire safety at home.

*26.
*26.

Ms Poh Li San: To ask the Minister for Health (a) how many people have taken the Sinovac vaccines thus far; and (b) whether the people vaccinated with Sinovac vaccine are included in the national COVID-19 vaccination rate.

No.

33 26 JULY 2021 5 *27.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry has studied a possible correlation between COVID-19 vaccine efficacy and risk factors such as old age, chronic diseases, smoking and poor health behaviours like chronic sleep deprivation or chronic stress; (b) whether the vaccinated persons who later contracted COVID-19 have been profiled for these risk factors; (c) if so, how prevalent are these risk factors among them; and (d) whether the Ministry has looked into providing (i) antibody testing and (ii) a third vaccine booster shot for those identified to have these risk factors.
*28.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Health (a) how many doses of the Sinovac vaccine have been administered so far; (b) how many people have received both doses of the vaccine; and (c) whether there are plans to obtain further supply of the Sinovac vaccine beyond Singapore’s current stock.

*29.
*29.

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether HDB has conducted any studies on the effectiveness of the various architectural designs of the common areas of HDB blocks such as the corridors and lift lobbies over the years in facilitating social interaction between residents in a particular block; and (b) whether the common areas on a floor, block or precinct level can be better designed to promote greater social interaction among residents.

*30.
*30.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether there is a current shortage or surplus of social workers; and (b) if there is a shortage, what are the plans to address this shortage.

*31.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) how many Safe, Sound Sleeping Places (S3Ps) are currently in existence; (b) what is the current utilisation of spaces in S3Ps; (c) what proportion of current S3P users are regulars; (d) what is the median number of nights spent by users at S3Ps; (e) whether the Government is keeping track of the profile of S3Ps users; and (f) whether the Government aims to continue working with the expanded number of S3Ps post-COVID to maintain continuity and accessibility.
*32.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for National Development for each year in the past five years (a) how many single unwed parents applied for interim housing under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) while awaiting completion of their new flat; (b) how many of such applications have been successful; and (c) for applicants who are rejected, whether HDB followed up with them and offered alternative housing.

No.

33 26 JULY 2021 6 *33.


Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether the Ministry will consider banning the use of styrofoam packaging for food takeaways.

*34.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Prime Minister in view of a broader trend of financial institutions and companies selling micro-investment products (a) what is the situation in Singapore; and (b) how will MAS seek to regulate such products and educate Singaporeans about such investments.

*35.
*35.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Prime Minister (a) to date, what is the total number of digital payment token service provider applicants, with a breakdown by applications that are (i) withdrawn (ii) rejected and (iii) approved; (b) what is the number of entities currently exempted from holding a licence under the Payment Services Act for the provision of digital payment token services; and (c) what is the average duration of exemption to date.

*36.
*36.

Ms Yeo Wan Ling: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) in the last 12 months, whether there has been an increase in reports from theft victims of their belongings being sold in secondhand shops and pawn shops; (b) whether there are regulations imposed on secondhand shops and pawn shops on checks needed when accepting these items brought to them; and (c) what is the recourse for victims in claiming back these items when the items are proven to be stolen.

*37.
*37.

Ms Foo Mee Har: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry can quantify the current extent of Singapore’s reliance on Filipino nurses; and (b) what is the impact on the Singapore healthcare system by Philippines’ move to suspend permits for nurses to work overseas.

*38.
*38.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry can allow the foreign spouse of a Singaporean who is holding a Long-Term Visit Pass Plus and who has Singaporean children to have CPF contributions that can be used to help support the family's housing loan.

*39.
*39.

Ms Foo Mee Har: To ask the Minister for Manpower with increasing number of Singaporeans in PMET jobs, whether CPF Life will be updated to allow the option for more voluntary savings under the CPF scheme to provide for retirement payouts closer to PMETs' pre-retirement income.

*40.
*40.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether he can give an update on the introduction and roll-out of the EV Common Charger Grant; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider extending the grant beyond the first 2,000 chargers.

No.

33 26 JULY 2021 7 *41.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Ministry has conducted any studies on the environmental impact of private en-bloc sales; (b) whether the Ministry has conducted any studies on the price impact of en-bloc sales; (c) if so, what are the results of such studies; and (d) whether the Ministry will introduce legislation limiting en-bloc sales of newer developments in order to prevent unnecessary environmental damage and rises in housing prices.

*42.
*42.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) to date, how many public transport concession cards are issued to commuters; (b) what is the breakdown between the different demographics; and (c) how much does the Ministry spend annually in subsidies for these concession cards over the past 10 years.

*43.
*43.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what are the reasons behind the unsuccessful six-month trial of on-demand public buses in Joo Koon, Marina-Downtown and the Central Business District to Bedok/Tampines; (b) whether the concept of on-demand public buses can work for new towns with low ridership demand and limited public transport connectivity such as the upcoming Tengah estate; and (c) whether the Ministry is open to conducting such a trial in Tengah.

*44.
*44.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Government has undertaken a study on shorter work weeks; and (b) whether the Government can consider a limited trial of a four-day work week in Singapore.

*45.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) as visitorship at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve has increased from 400,000 to 700,000 people in 2020, what is the ecological impact of the increased footfall on the core nature areas; (b) what are the visitorship rates at adjacent buffer parks like Hindhede, Dairy Farm and Bukit Batok Nature Park; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider limiting the traffic to core nature areas through strategic trail closures and by redirecting the public to less sensitive buffer parks.
*46.
Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) how many visitors have been to our Southern Islands between June 2020 and June 2021; (b) whether the Government will consider designating specific sea spaces around the Southern Islands as protected areas for purposes such as environmental conservation and education, scientific research and protection of our marine biodiversity and ecosystems, and recreational use; and (c) whether the Government sees a need to issue guidelines for public education on the same.
No.

33 26 JULY 2021 8 *47.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for National Development whether sentencing options for the offence of wildlife feeding under Section 5A of the Wildlife Act can be extended to include the mandatory treatment order and community work order to deal with the prevalence of repeat offenders and offenders with psychiatric issues.

*48.
*48.

Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether, under the Ministry’s new Child and Maternal Health and Well-being Strategy, mental health screening and support for new and expectant mothers can be made a mandatory part of pregnancy health check-ups in the public and private sectors; and (b) whether support can also be extended to fathers, especially for mothers experiencing post-partum depression.

*49.
*49.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Health (a) how many elderly persons have benefitted from CareLine since its roll-out and what is being done to raise awareness and encourage its usage; (b) whether more resources will be given to befriender services and suicide prevention groups; (c) whether the Silver Generation Office can increase the number of house visits to seniors living alone; and (d) what is the protocol when the senior declines assistance.

*50.
*50.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Health with elderly suicides on the rise, whether the Ministry can provide resources to religious organisations to help address this issue.

*51.
*51.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what is the current number of NEA enforcement officers who carry out surveillances and enforcements on smoking related offences; (b) what is the average number of complaints related to smoking received each month; and (c) what is the average number of smoking related enforcements meted out.

*52.
*52.

Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) how does the Ministry ensure safe distancing measures are being enforced onboard trains and public buses; and (b) what are the standing instructions for public transport operators for managing commuter volume during Phase Three (Heightened Alert) especially during peak hours.

*53.
*53.

Mr Xie Yao Quan: To ask the Minister for National Development with regard to the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) (a) whether the Ministry will consider introducing a discount to the fixed resale levy payable by non-Chinese homeowners selling at lower prices in Chinese-constrained transactions as a way to reduce the economic impact of the EIP on minorities; and (b) if so, what may be a suitable price benchmark to determine such a discount.

No.

33 26 JULY 2021 9 *54.


Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for National Development whether HDB can consider other policy options to alleviate the financial burden of HDB flat owners who are unable to secure a purchaser of a particular race in adherence with the Ethnic Integration Policy such as by providing greater subsidies to attract potential buyers of that particular race to purchase such flat units.

*55.
*55.

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for National Development given that HDB flats tenanted out in the open market are not subject to the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP), whether HDB monitors the frequency and tenure of the letting out of HDB flat units and take a proactive step to ensure that the EIP is adhered to in spirit, especially for longer term leases or HDB flat units which are frequently leased out.

*56.
Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for National Development with regard to the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) and resale flats sold below market valuation due to EIP constraints (a) in each of the last three years, what was the median price differential (i) in absolute terms and (ii) as a proportion of the respective prevailing market valuation; and (b) whether HDB will consider establishing a risk pooling mechanism to underwrite and reduce the economic impact for homeowners selling below market valuation due to EIP constraints.
*57.

Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Minister for National Development what is the difference in the gains from sale of HDB flats in neighbourhoods where the Ethnic Integration Policy limits are reached and the open market, broken down by (i) BTO flats and (ii) resale flats at the time of purchase.

*58.
*58.

Ms Carrie Tan: To ask the Prime Minister (a) whether the public service takes into account the completion of national service when deciding on starting salaries; (b) if so, what is the rationale and how many positions’ starting salaries factor this in; and (c) whether there are current efforts to equalise salaries between the genders as public service employees' careers progress.

*59.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Education (a) how many Singaporean students have applied for computer science degrees in each autonomous university in each of the last 10 years; (b) of these, how many have been offered admission in each year and each university; (c) why has the number of local graduates holding computer science degrees been insufficient to meet demand in the local IT sector; and (d) what plans have been considered to increase the intake of computer science students to meet industry demand for tech talent.
*60.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether HDB has received increasing numbers of noise related complaints since December 2020; and (b) what are the new measures implemented to provide a more conducive work-from-home environment.

No.

33 26 JULY 2021 10 *61.


Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) how has Singapore supported ASEAN countries in mitigating the effects of COVID- 19; and (b) how can Singapore help to build a concerted effort for better COVID-19 and pandemic management in ASEAN.

*62.
*62.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) how much of Singapore's contribution to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund has been used to procure critical supplies; (b) with the worsening of the COVID-19 situation in some ASEAN countries, whether Singapore is exploring further solutions and provision of resources; and (c) how many countries have approached Singapore for bilateral assistance and how has Singapore responded to their requests.

*63.
*63.

Mr Alex Yam Ziming: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether he can provide an update on the Ministry’s assessment of any meaningful progress on the implementation of the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus for an end to violence and start of dialogue in Myanmar.

*64.
*64.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Education (a) since the COVID-19 pandemic started, how many students have been reported to have committed suicide, attempted suicide or suffered from mental health issues; (b) whether the numbers suggest an uptick from the corresponding numbers before the pandemic; (c) what are the contributory factors to the current state of affairs; and (d) what steps are being or will be taken by his Ministry to improve the mental resilience of our students.

*65.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) how many incidents of foreign state-sponsored disinformation about COVID-19 vaccines, the pandemic and associated health issues on private messaging networks have been detected since January 2020; (b) what is the nature of such disinformation efforts; (c) what impact have they had on national cohesion and Singapore's response to COVID-19; (d) how such cases have been dealt with; and (e) what plans are being considered towards reviewing and improving on current responses.
*66.
Mr Alex Yam Ziming: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information with social media and digital communication platforms widely used to promote various political materials from overseas, with several addressing audiences in Singapore (a) how is the Ministry tackling this matter especially materials which can undermine trust in our public institutions and our social stability; (b) whether the Ministry tracks who are behind such propaganda; and (c) how will the Ministry remind Singaporeans to stay vigilant and not be swayed by the onslaught of propaganda.
No.

33 26 JULY 2021 11 *67.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Prime Minister with regard to the Code of Corporate Governance (a) in the past five years, what is the total number and percentage of companies that fail to comply with (i) Provision 8.1(a) and (ii) Provision 8.1(b); and (b) whether MAS has plans to mandate compliance and what are its considerations for doing so and not doing so.

*68.
*68.

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether the Government can strongly encourage all organisations related to the Government, Ministries and Statutory Boards outside of the public service that receive significant direct or indirect Government funding, to raise their re- employment age limit to 68 years with immediate effect.

*69.
*69.

Mr Sharael Taha: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) from 2020 to March 2021, what is the total number of rectification works for ceiling and wall water leakages in HDB flats that have yet to be completed; and (b) what is the plan to complete the outstanding rectification works before the start of the rainy season in November this year.

*70.
*70.

Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: To ask the Minister for Manpower for each of the years from 2010 to 2020 (a) how many persons are working as human resource professionals; (b) which industries are they in; (c) what human resource function are they working in; and (d) what is the breakdown for such persons in terms of whether they are in full-time or part-time employment, educational qualifications, age, gender and number who are Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans.

*71.
*71.

Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Minister for Health with regard to the introduction of claims-based health insurance pricing, what avenues exist to protect the interests of older policyholders and policyholders with pre-existing conditions.

*72.

Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Minister for Health with regard to the introduction of claims based insurance pricing, what is the number of Integrated Shield Plan holders who have switched to MediShield Life and moved into the public healthcare system.

*73.
*73.

Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what is the average waiting time for mature estate BTO flat applications for first- and second-timers, as well as other applicants who have failed balloting more than twice; and (b) what are the mean, modal and median number of attempts for non-mature estate BTO flat applications.

*74.
*74.

Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether the ballot system for HDB’s BTO flats automatically factors in applicants’ eligibility for priority schemes or flags out the schemes which they qualify for, so applicants need not apply themselves; (b) whether the eligible party has to make a new application and submit the relevant documents for every new balloting exercise; and (c) how long do eligible parties have to wait on average for their applications to be approved.

No.
No.

33 *75.
26 JULY 2021 12 Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Health with regard to oral morphine syrup used to treat patients with pain and breathlessness (a) why have certain batches been procured with different concentration and formulation containing 10% ethanol; (b) what is done to minimise error risk from different medication concentrations especially when administered by caregivers at home; and (c) for patients uncomfortable with ethanol-containing medication, what has been done to help patients access ethanol-free alternatives.
* 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.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS 1.


Minister for Health: 2.

Minister for Trade and Industry: 3.

Minister for Finance: Fifth Update on Whole-of-Government Responses to COVID-19.

4.

Minister for Finance: Support Measures for Phase 2 (Heightened Alert).

Note: Notice is given for the Ministerial Statement to be debated under SO 44 on an available sitting on 27 July 2021.

AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF PUBLIC BUSINESS Introduction of Government Bills 1.

Minister for Law: Courts (Civil and Criminal Justice) Reform Bill.
No.

33 26 JULY 2021 13 2.

Minister for Finance: Supplementary Supply and Budget Adjustments (FY 2021) Bill.

(President's recommendation signified).

MEMORANDUM Matter proposed to be raised on the Motion for the Adjournment (SO 2(8)(b)).

Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan (Pioneer) : Strengthening the Singaporean Core.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Prime Minister whether there are any plans to consider incorporating vaccination status information into the SingPass record, which is the most official register of personal information that can also potentially be recognised abroad, instead of just the TraceTogether or HealthHub app.
Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs what is the current number of Singapore permanent residents who are from South East Asia, Asia, Europe and others, respectively.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs what are the plans to prevent large quantities of potentially dangerous substances, such as fuel, from being misappropriated and landing in the wrong hands.
Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs what is the process by which the Government will fulfil its assurances to the Government of the United Kingdom (UK) that Mr David Roach, who was extradited from the UK, will not suffer the punishment of caning that has been imposed on him by the Singapore courts upon his conviction for robbery of a bank in 2016.
Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin: To ask the Minister for Law whether there are concerted island management plans to protect and promote the natural and historical heritage of our Southern Islands, so that people can visit and access them safely while not damaging the natural environment and protect the rich biodiversity of the Southern Islands.

No.

33 26 JULY 2021 14 6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.


Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is the economic impact on Singapore from surges in COVID-19 cases in ASEAN countries; and (b) whether it will have a material impact on Singapore's economic growth this year.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) how many of the 97,000 locals hired by Singaporean companies with investments in India are new jobs that can be attributed to the signing of the India- Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA); and (b) how many are existing jobs that are re-designated.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry what actions will the Government take to fulfil its obligations for Mutual Recognition Agreements India-Singapore (MRAs) under Article 7.11 of Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.

the Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Transport whether compulsory licences can be issued to all road cyclists after they complete online courses on the Highway Code.
Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Transport whether the Government will consider creating special bicycle lanes on public roads so as to increase safety for both pedestrians and cyclists.

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Transport whether introducing mandatory insurance for cyclists and registration of bicycles will increase accountability and provide better coverage for cycling-related accidents.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Transport when any unidentified aircraft is detected flying within the Flight Information Region under the responsibility of Singapore Air Traffic Control Centre (SATCC) (a) whether SATCC or its air traffic controllers will make contact with such aircraft to establish their flight intentions regardless of whether they are civil aircraft which failed to make prior declarations or state aircraft; and (b) whether SATCC will provide the necessary advisory to other civil aircraft flying near such aircraft in the interest of air safety.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Transport as the Government seeks to support the International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s call to provide vaccination services for foreign seafarers (a) whether such vaccination will be provided to both foreign crew arriving in Singapore onboard the vessels they are serving as well as crew members flying to Singapore for crew change; and (b) whether Singapore will consider also allowing vaccination services directly onboard visiting vessels.

No.
No.

33 26 JULY 2021 15 14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

Miss Rachel Ong: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment what will be done to improve cleanliness and surveillance in public restrooms in markets and food centres given the likely spread of viruses via the restrooms.
Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment what can be done to continue encouraging Singaporeans to patronise hawkers in view of the pandemic and stiffer competition from food delivery apps and portals.
Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment in light of the desire of many young Singaporeans to support hawkers, whether more platforms can be created and more awareness can be raised for hawkers in need such that the support can be channelled appropriately.
Mr Don Wee: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment in view of the impact of meat production on climate change and the environment (a) whether the Ministry has set any targets to reduce the consumption of animal protein in Singapore; and (b) what measures there are to encourage Singaporeans and residents to consume less meat and dairy products.
Dr Shahira Abdullah: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) how much waste is expected to be sent to Semakau landfill every year if the 30% reduction of waste to landfill per capita target is achieved; (b) what is the expected lifespan of Semakau landfill if the 30% reduction of waste to landfill target is achieved; (c) what measures, beyond increasing recycling rates, will be taken to meet the target of 30% reduction of waste to landfill per capita; and (d) what will Singapore do with our incinerated waste after Semakau landfill reaches its full capacity.
Dr Shahira Abdullah: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) how many blue recycling bins have been deployed in private condominiums; (b) whether there are requirements for condominium management to engage a licensed public waste collector to collect the recyclables from the blue bins in the condominiums; and (c) how much recyclables are collected from condominiums every year.
Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Education what are the efforts made by schools in educating students to report any attempts of improper sexual conduct by any staff member towards them.

No.

33 21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.
26.

27.

26 JULY 2021 16 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry is considering increasing the number of places for full-time undergraduate degrees and Continuing Education and Training (CET) programmes (such as part-time undergraduate degrees, graduate diplomas, and master’s by coursework programmes) in social work so as to increase the supply of social workers; (b) if so, when will the increase likely take place and by how many places; and (c) if not, why not.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Finance (a) in each of the last 10 years, what is the total number and percentage of companies that are loss- making and their (i) total revenues (ii) loss before tax (iii) corporate income tax paid and (iv) average effective tax; and (b) what is the breakdown by SMEs and non-SMEs.
Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development since the extension of the foreign domestic worker levy concession and Home Caregiving Grant to families with adult members suffering from cognitive impairments (a) how many families have benefitted from these schemes; and (b) what steps have been or are being taken to increase awareness of these schemes.
Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development what steps has his Ministry taken to continue with the programme to celebrate couples’ Golden Jubilee wedding anniversaries in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development for the past three years broken down on a yearly basis (a) what is the number of cases of women and their children who have sought help from Family Service Centres and Family Violence Specialist Centres and received shelter; (b) what is the average duration of their stay at these shelters; and (c) what is the proportion of them that move on to either rental housing or transitional shelters upon discharge from these shelters.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development whether there is any requirement for MOE-registered preschools and kindergartens to conduct meet-the-parent sessions in English unless the parent specifically requests that meetings be conducted in a vernacular language.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs out of the 7,700 applications received for the COVID-19 MUIS Support Grant, how many applications are successful and how many of the successful applicants will continue to be supported by zakat or other financial assistance schemes.

No.

33 26 JULY 2021 17 28.

29.

30.

31.

32.

33.

34.

35.


Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Health (a) how many incidences of myocarditis linked to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have been recorded in Singapore; (b) what are the most commonly affected age groups; and (c) whether any cases have been recorded amongst SAF and police cohorts.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Health (a) to date, what has been the take-up rate of the Sinovac vaccine; (b) what are the cases of adverse reactions; (c) given that HSA has been unable to obtain the required data on Sinovac, whether there are plans to purchase more of this vaccine for any future booster shots; and (d) whether HSA is reviewing the approval of alternative non-mRNA vaccines besides the Novavax vaccine.
Ms Carrie Tan: To ask the Minister for Health on a monthly and annual basis, how much does the Government spend on each elderly person who is cared for in nursing homes or other residential care facilities including salaries for staff, hygiene consumables and other paraphernalia related to care costs.
Ms Tin Pei Ling: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the latest status of the home-based COVID-19 vaccination programme; (b) how many recipients of this programme are seniors; and (c) how effective may this programme be in encouraging seniors to receive the COVID-19 vaccination.
Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Health in order to encourage more senior citizens to vaccinate against COVID-19, whether the Ministry will consider enlisting the help of volunteer nurses to work with grassroots volunteers during its house-to-house engagement efforts.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for Health in light of plans to manage COVID-19 as an endemic disease and to scale down case-by- case information releases, whether the Ministry will consider the routine release of more aggregate summary statistics to the public such as estimates of R0, case counts for each variant, and source country/region for imported cases.
Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether it is mandatory for medical personnel to refer vulnerable pregnant women they encounter (including but not limited to single mothers or teenage mothers) to avenues for support and assistance during and post-pregnancy; and (b) what types of assistance are available to such individuals.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Health in each of the past five years (a) what is the number of suicides and attempted suicides by age group; and (b) in 2021 to date, what is the number of programmes and amount of funds dedicated specifically to suicide prevention services and promoting awareness of suicide warning signs.

No.

33 26 JULY 2021 18 36.

37.

38.

39.

40.

41.

42.


Ms Hazel Poa: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the current quarantine procedure for foreign domestic workers (FDWs) arriving to work in Singapore; (b) under what circumstances can these FDWs be released early from their Stay-Home Notices (SHNs); and (c) to date, how many FDWs have been released early from their SHNs.
Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) in each of the past three years, with regard to HDB-resident Singaporeans over the age of 65, what are the median, 75th, 90th and 95th percentile outpatient polyclinic and specialist outpatient clinic attendance rates in the public hospitals, broken down by flat type; and (b) whether the Ministry can provide statistics on whether such residents have barrier-free access from their home to the nearest lift landing.
Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) in each of the past three years, with regard to HDB-resident Singaporeans over the age of 65, what are the median, 75th, 90th and 95th percentile inpatient admission rates in the public hospitals by frequency of admission and total inpatient days, broken down by flat type; and (b) whether the Ministry can provide statistics on whether such residents have barrier-free access from their home to the nearest lift landing.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Health given the recommendation in the HPB-MOH Clinical Practice Guidelines on Obesity (2016) that waist circumference measurement should be used in conjunction with Body Mass Index to identify increased disease risk (a) what is the rationale for the exclusion of the waist circumference measurement in obesity screening under the Screen for Life programme; and (b) whether the Government will consider the inclusion of waist circumference measurement in the Screen for Life programme and other standardised health screening tests.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for National Development with regard to the new section in HDB's website dedicated to addressing common housing queries from single unwed parents (a) to date, how many single unwed parents has HDB helped; and (b) to date, how many of these single unwed parents have secured housing from HDB.
Miss Rachel Ong: To ask the Minister for National Development whether first- timer applicants who have applied for BTO flats in non-mature estates and still failed to secure a flat three or more times can be placed in a priority scheme beyond being given additional ballot chances and provided with access to a HDB officer to guide their next BTO application to exclude failure due to application errors.
Miss Rachel Ong: To ask the Minister for National Development for each year since 2019, how many first-timer applicants failed to secure a HDB flat from Built-To-Order (BTO) exercises in non-mature estates after their (i) first attempt (ii) second attempt and (iii) third attempt respectively.

No.

33 43.

44.

45.

46.

47.
26 JULY 2021 19 Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for National Development with regard to the HDB Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) (a) what is the ethnic breakdown for all HDB neighbourhoods in percentage terms on an annual basis from 1989 at 31 December each year to date, including the population size of each neighbourhood as at the same date; (b) how many blocks in each neighbourhood surpassed the EIP limits for at least one race at any given year from 1989; and (c) since 1989, how many times has HDB purchased a flat affected by the EIP at the flat’s posted price, market price or valuation price.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) how many HDB flats have been installed with the Elderly Monitoring System; (b) what is the average yearly activation rate; and (c) whether there are plans to upgrade or expand the system.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) how many workers from the People’s Republic of China have entered Singapore to join our construction industry since May 2021 following the relaxation of measures for construction companies to recruit workers from China; (b) what is the average monthly outflow of migrant workers in the construction sector who have decided to return home since April 2020; and (c) what more can be done to stem the acute shortage of manpower that the construction sector faces.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what is the total number of rental flats available under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS); (b) in the last five years, what is the yearly demand for PPHS rental flats; and (c) what percentage of this demand has been met.
Mr Don Wee: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether more manpower and resources can be allocated to expedite enforcements of orders to remove items, especially flammable or hazardous ones, from the hoarders' homes and surroundings; (b) whether penalties can be increased due to the danger that such items pose; (c) whether authorised personnel can be empowered to enter their homes to remove fire hazards; and (d) whether those with hoarding issues can be ordered to attend counselling sessions with mental health professionals.
48.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry will review the current policy and introduce the CPF contribution scheme to Employment Pass and EntrePass holders.

No.

33 49.

50.

51.

52.

53.

54.
26 JULY 2021 20 Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) in the recent Phase Two (Heightened Alert) period, how many reports have been received concerning employers and workplaces breaching safe distancing measures; (b) how have these cases been dealt with; (c) how does the Ministry take into consideration employees’ concerns about losing employment and causing the business to be shuttered if they whistleblow; and (d) how does the Ministry address employers’ concerns with the goal to create a safe and pandemic-proof workplace.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) in the past year, how many incidences of poor safety practices or inappropriate procedures have been logged at the workplace; (b) whether the current manpower crunch is giving rise to more workplace accidents; and (c) how is the Ministry working with employers to ensure that workers’ mental wellbeing does not affect their ability to deliver quality work in a safe manner.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) in each of the last five years, how many employers have lodged complaints against employment agencies for having obscured important information such as the past employment records of migrant domestic workers; (b) what are the outcomes of any investigations that took place relating to these incidents; and (c) what redress or compensation is extended to employers who are found to have been victims of unlawful actions by employment agencies.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) in each of the last five years, how many complaints have been lodged by migrant domestic workers against their employers for abuse or exploitation; (b) how many have been found, after investigation, to be frivolous and vexatious; and (c) what actions have been taken against workers who make such allegations.
Ms Raeesah Khan: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Government has considered ratifying the International Labour Organization (ILO) Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No.

111); (b) if so, what are the reasons why Singapore has not ratified the Convention; and (c) if not, whether the Government will consider ratifying the Convention.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how does the Ministry ensure that employers have obtained a work pass holder’s written consent when applying for the renewal of his work pass; (b) to date, how many complaints have been received by the Ministry from work pass holders objecting to renewals of their work passes; and (c) what penalties have been imposed on employers who are found to have applied for work pass renewals without first obtaining the work pass holder’s written consent.

55.
55.

Ms Hazel Poa: To ask the Minister for Manpower what is the current unemployment rate of citizens by wage decile based on last drawn salary.

No.

33 26 JULY 2021 21 56.

57.

58.

59.

60.

61.

62.


Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry has received complaints from employees who are not granted paid sick leave for COVID-19 related conditions and procedures such as quarantine orders and severe side effects from vaccination; and (b) if so, how many complaints have been received to date.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Manpower with regard to Employment Pass holders employed in the finance sector, infocomm sector, professional services sector, and other sectors, what is the breakdown by monthly salary bands of (i) less than $6,000 (ii) $6,000 to less than $8,000 (iii) $8,000 to less than $10,000 (iv) $10,000 to less than $12,000 (v) $12,000 to less than $16,000 (vi) $16,000 to less than $20,000 and (vii) $20,000 and above, for each respective sector.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) as at June 2021, how many work passes have been issued under the “Other Work Passes” category of the foreign workforce numbers published on the Ministry's website; and (b) how many of these are attributable to dependants of permanent residents, Employment Pass holders and S Pass holders respectively.

Ms Hazel Poa: To ask the Minister for Manpower from 2005 to 2020, what are the annual breakdown numbers of local Professionals, Managers and Executives.
Ms Hazel Poa: To ask the Minister for Manpower from 2005 to 2020, what is the annual breakdown number of self-employed workers.

Ms Hazel Poa: To ask the Minister for Manpower what is the current number of citizens, permanent residents, Employment Pass holders and S Pass holders in each of the (i) finance (ii) infocomm (iii) professional services and (iv) other sectors.
Ms Raeesah Khan: To ask the Minister for Manpower in light of efforts to improve non-discrimination in employment by the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) (a) what are the measures being considered to improve existing corrective and signalling instruments; and (b) whether there will be a review of changes to such instruments and, if so, how and when will it occur and be publicly reported.

No.
No.

33 26 JULY 2021 22 PAPERS PRESENTED 2021 Date Presented S. L. 272 Small Motorised Vehicles (Safety) Act 2020 (Commencement) (No.
2) Notification 2021 ..... 06 July 2021 S. L. 273 Small Motorised Vehicles (Safety) (Excluded Personal Mobility Devices) Order 2021 ..... 06 July 2021 S. L. 274 Small Motorised Vehicles Regulations 2021 (Safety) ..... 06 July 2021 S. L. 275 Small Motorised Vehicles (Safety) (Compoundable Offences) Regulations 2021 ..... 06 July 2021 S. L. 276 Small Motorised Vehicles (Temporary Exemption) Order 2021 (Safety) ..... 06 July 2021 S. L. 277 Road Traffic (Power-Assisted Bicycles - Approval) (Amendment) Rules 2021 ..... 07 July 2021 S. L. 278 Road Traffic (Registration of Power-Assisted Bicycles) (Amendment) Rules 2021 ..... 07 July 2021 S. 130 Merdeka Generation Fund Audited Financial Statements for the financial year from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021 ..... 09 July 2021 S. L. 279 Singapore Armed Forces (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (Saver Plan) ..... 09 July 2021 S. L. 280 Singapore Armed Forces (Premium Plan) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 ..... 09 July 2021 S. L. 281 Singapore Armed Forces (Military Domain Experts Service) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 ..... 09 July 2021 S. S. S. S. 131 MAS Annual Report 2020/2021 ..... 09 July 2021 132 MAS Financial Statements 2020/2021 ..... 09 July 2021 133 134 Financial Sector Development Fund Annual Report 2020/2021 ..... 09 July 2021 Financial Financial Statements 2020/2021 Sector Development Fund ..... 09 July 2021 No.
33 26 JULY 2021 23 PAPERS PRESENTED - continued 2021 Date Presented S. L. 282 Protection from Harassment (Public Service Worker) (Amendment) Order 2021 ..... 09 July 2021 S. L. 283 Electricity Exemption) Regulations 2021 (Electrical Installations- ..... 12 July 2021 S. L. 284 Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) (Amendment No.

3) Rules 2021 ..... 14 July 2021 S. L. 285 COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) (Amendment No.
12) Regulations 2021 ..... 15 July 2021 S. L. 286 COVID-19 Measures) (Temporary (Religious Gatherings - Control Order) Regulations 2021 ..... 15 July 2021 S. L. 287 COVID-19 Measures) (Temporary (Performances and Other Activities - Control Order) (Amendment No.

8) Regulations 2021 ..... 15 July 2021 S. L. 288 COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Sporting Events and Activities - Control Order) (Amendment No.
5) Regulations 2021 ..... 15 July 2021 S. L. 289 COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Foreign Employee Dormitories - Control Order) (Amendment No.

3) Regulations 2021 ..... 15 July 2021 Pres.

Co. 22 Pres.
Co. 22 Pres.

Co. 23 the Presidential Council for Report of Minority Rights on the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill [Bill No 11/2021] the Presidential Council for Report of Minority Rights on the Registration of Births and Deaths Bill [Bill No 13/2021] ..... 16 July 2021 ..... 16 July 2021 S. L. 290 Active Mobility Regulations 2021 (Competency Tests) ..... 19 July 2021 No.

33 26 JULY 2021 24 PAPERS PRESENTED - continued 2021 S. L. 291 COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) (Amendment No.
13) Regulations 2021 ..... 19 July 2021 Date Presented S. L. 292 Measures) (Temporary COVID-19 (Performances and Other Activities - Control Order) (Amendment No.

9) Regulations 2021 ..... 19 July 2021 S. L. 293 Measures) (Temporary COVID-19 (Religious Gatherings - Control Order) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 ..... 19 July 2021 S. L. 294 COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Sporting Events and Activities - Control Order) (Amendment No.

6) Regulations 2021 ..... 19 July 2021 Cmd.


8 Report of Financial Year 2020/2021 the Auditor-General for the ..... 21 July 2021 S. 135 Savings & Employee Retirement and Premium Fund (Saver-Premium Fund) Annual Report for Financial Year 2020 ..... 22 July 2021