Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698846538279.pdf (Singapore)
FOURTEENTH PARLIAMENT OF SINGAPORE ___________________ FIRST SESSION ___________________ ORDER PAPER THURSDAY, 23 FEBRUARY 2023 No.

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QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER* Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry will consider holding consultations with the cleaning and waste management industry to introduce a system similar to the Foreign Construction Worker Directory to facilitate job matching between employers and foreign workers in the cleaning and waste management sector; and (b) if not, why not.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) in the past three years, how many individuals have leveraged on the Global Investor Programme and invested at least $2.5 million in a business, fund, or family office in order to qualify for permanent residency; and (b) what steps has the Government taken to facilitate their integration and eventual conversion to Singapore citizenship.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what measures are being put in place to deter and detect road touts; and (b) whether there have been any convictions for road touting in the last five years and, if so, how many.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the Ministry has studied the performance of managers of Singapore companies vis-a-vis those in other developed countries as measured in the World Management Survey; (b) if not, will it do so; and (c) whether the Ministry is considering how the current eco-system of academic and non-academic training for managerial skills can be improved, to enhance the corporate performance of Singapore companies and hence their value add to the economy.
No.

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Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: To ask the Minister for Law whether an undischarged bankrupt is required to seek approval from the Ministry of Law or the Insolvency and Public Trustee’s Office before they can file an employment dispute to the Tripartite Alliance for Disputes Management.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Manpower in each year since 2019 (a) how many employers have informed the Ministry in writing of modifications to the salary terms for a work permit holder to less favourable terms than declared and stated in their in-principle approval letter; (b) how many employers have been fined for not having done so; (c) how many notices of salary reduction have been issued to workers; and (d) on what grounds does the Ministry determine whether a salary reduction can be allowed.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what does PUB check for during fire hydrant inspections; (b) what is the frequency of such inspections; (c) whether PUB can consider increasing the frequency of such inspections; and (d) what are the differences in the respective checks carried out by SCDF and PUB.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Health with regard to the pay rise in starting salaries for junior doctors in the public healthcare system (a) what is the percentage increase in take home pay applied to house officers, medical officers and junior residents respectively; and (b) what are the reasons for the different increments for different levels of junior doctor.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance regarding the recent surge of wealth from foreign investors establishing family offices in Singapore (a) what is the projected impact on our income gap; (b) whether there are any ongoing assessments of inequality and the widening income gap in Singapore; and (c) how does the Government plan to strike a balance between staying attractive to wealthy foreigners looking to invest in and relocate to Singapore, and ensuring that low-income Singaporeans have access to opportunities for social mobility and benefit from these investments.
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Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) how does the latest EU ban on Russian oil export products from 5 February 2023 affect the import, trading, storage, blending and handling of Russian oil products in Singapore including Singapore-based terminals and facilities as well as at its Outside Port Limits (OPL) waters; and (b) whether Singapore is reviewing its position in light of the latest EU ban.

No.

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Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) whether individuals who are volunteers but not staff of the People's Association have the authority to approve decisions in relation to the engagement and payment of vendors for grassroots services; (b) if so, what is the rationale for such a convention; and (c) whether the Government will consider enhancing safeguards to deter improper procurement practices, in light of the conviction of a Residents Network ex-chairman for cheating offences.
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Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Manpower how will the Ministry support elderly and unskilled workers who are at risk of being replaced by automation.

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Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Health (a) how has the number of drugs under the Cancer Drug List (CDL) changed since the introduction of the CDL in August 2021; and (b) what is the current CDL coverage of cancer treatments used in the public healthcare institutions as compared to private healthcare providers.

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Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Health in relation to the Cancer Drug List (CDL), with changes to Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) taking effect from 1 April 2023 (a) what is the number of cancer patients currently on a course of cancer drug treatment based on drugs not on the CDL; and (b) what measures will be put in place for such patients whose IPs’ coverage will cease from 30 September 2023.

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Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) in each of the past five years, what is the number of officers under the National Parks Board Wildlife Trade branch; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider increasing the manpower allocated to the Wildlife Trade branch.

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Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: To ask the Minister for Health in each of the past five years, what is the number of CPF account holders who at the point of death have monies left in their CPF MediSave accounts to the sum of (i) less than $1,000 (ii) between $1,000 and $10,000 (iii) between $10,000 and $20,000 (iv) between $20,000 and $30,000 (v) between $30,000 and $40,000 (vi) between $40,000 and $50,000 and (vii) between $50,000 and the MediSave account limit.
* 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.

No.

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ORDER OF THE DAY BUDGET STATEMENT: Resumption of Debate on Question (14 February 2023) (2nd Allotted Day), “That Parliament approves the financial policy of the Government for the financial year 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.”.

– (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance).
QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Prime Minister how does MAS ensure that banks do their due diligence and investigate and interview new clients who wish to open accounts so as to prevent mule accounts for scams.

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Prime Minister how is MAS working with international partners and financial institutions to tackle cross-border money laundering.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance why are married women without school-going children qualified to claim for Foreign Domestic Worker Levy Relief for their income taxes while divorced and widowed women without school-going children are not.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) why and how were two Chinese nationals able to remain in Singapore illegally for 13 and 15 years respectively before being arrested; (b) when and how does the Ministry take enforcement actions after it is notified that a foreigner’s work pass has been cancelled; and (c) in the last five years, what is the median duration of unlawfully remaining in Singapore for overstayers who are arrested.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry whether anti-competitive behaviours by market players are factors contributing to continuing high prices of food such as chicken, pork and seafood.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether the Ministry has data on the annual number of rides in private-hire cars in the past five years where a child car seat supplied by the driver is used; (b) what is the annual number of private-hire car drivers who have been caught for failing to comply with the regulations on using appropriate child restraints; and (c) if this data is not collected, whether the Ministry will consider collecting such data.

No.

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Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment for each year in the past five years (a) what is the contamination rate of recyclables for HDB flats with a centralised chute for recyclables; and (b) if this data is not currently collected, whether the Ministry will consider collecting such data.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether primary schools have the discretion to admit primary one students directly and ahead of any balloting conducted, should the number of registrants exceed the school vacancies; and (b) if so, what are the circumstances under which direct admission is permissible and what is the number of such students admitted annually in the last five years.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Health (a) why was the "It's OKAY to Reach Out" campaign for mental health discontinued in March 2022; and (b) whether the Ministry is considering launching similar programmes in the future to encourage help-seeking behaviour and awareness of avenues for help for mental health challenges.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what is the current average site expiry in years, for HDB flats introduced under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS); and (b) in each year over the last five years, what is the breakdown of PPHS units by flat type, such as flats under the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme, unsold HDB units, HDB rental units and polytechnic staff apartments.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) to date, whether any companies have been investigated for making unauthorised salary deductions from Employment Pass (EP) holders such that these EP holders are effectively paid less than the minimum qualifying EP salary; and (b) if so, how many companies have been investigated.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how many Stay- At-Home Mums (SAHMs) are there currently in Singapore; (b) of these, how many are seeking employment; (c) how is the Ministry helping SAHMs who have been upskilling but are still rejected by potential employers and recruiters; and (d) whether the Ministry will consider a place-and-train programme for SAHMs.

No.
No.

85 23 FEBRUARY 2023 6 2023 S. 342 S. L. 805 PAPERS PRESENTED Date Presented Corrigendum to Singapore Totalisator Board's Audited Financial Statements 2021/2022 and Environmental Management (Hazardous Substances) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 Protection ..... 21 February 2023 ..... 21 February 2023