Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698849403003.pdf (Singapore)
FOURTEENTH PARLIAMENT OF SINGAPORE ___________________ FIRST SESSION ___________________ ORDER PAPER MONDAY, 1 NOVEMBER 2021 No.

41 11.00 am 1 *1.

*2.

*3.

*4.
*2.

*3.

*4.

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER* Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry is aware of any employers in the healthcare sector which at any time in the past three years have specified or indicated to their employees that their taking of medical leave may affect performance assessments or bonuses; (b) what is the Ministry’s assessment of such practices given the COVID-19 pandemic; and (c) what recourse is available to workers who encounter such practices.
Ms Poh Li San: To ask the Minister for Health with regard to the discharge of COVID-19 positive patients who required oxygen supplementation or were warded in intensive care units in August and September 2021, what is the proportion of such patients who (i) have fully recovered and (ii) suffer from long-term health consequences, with the breakdown according to patients who were unvaccinated and partially vaccinated or fully vaccinated respectively.
Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo: To ask the Minister for Health what further measures are required to reduce the number of serious cases and deaths from COVID-19.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the reason for the increased number of deaths due to COVID-19 over the last two months; and (b) what more can be done to reduce deaths among both vaccinated and unvaccinated residents.

No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 2 *5.

*6.

*7.

*8.

*9.


Dr Shahira Abdullah: To ask the Minister for Health what percentage of vaccinated patients who died from COVID-19 have underlying conditions which are actually well-controlled.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the percentage of staff in our public healthcare facilities who will not be able to clear their accumulated annual leave for 2021; (b) whether this is a significant increase as compared to 2020 and 2019; and (c) whether there are plans to help frontline healthcare workers take a break from the prolonged fight against COVID-19.
Mr Sharael Taha: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what are the main underlying conditions that resulted in the COVID-19 fatalities; and (b) whether individuals with underlying conditions are monitored and treated separately when they are infected.
Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Health (a) how many days of leave have been taken by hospital healthcare and allied staff each month since January 2020; (b) what steps will be taken to minimise and reduce leave being cancelled for such staff due to capacity issues; and (c) whether there can be mandated mental well-being off days for healthcare staff such as that announced by Tan Tock Seng Hospital recently.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Health in light of recent reports about manpower crunch in healthcare due to increase in COVID-19 cases (a) whether he can provide an update on the current healthcare manpower crunch; (b) what is being done to protect healthcare workers' physical and psychological well-being; and (c) what are the plans to provide relief to healthcare workers if the current situation is prolonged.

*10.
*10.

Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry tracks the average number of hours worked monthly by nurses in public hospitals (excluding those who are required to self-isolate) and, if so, what is the data for the past month.

*11.
*11.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is the current state of the retail electricity market; (b) what are the reasons why iSwitch Energy decided to exit the energy retail business; (c) what will be the impact to consumers and businesses; and (d) how can electricity be kept affordable for households and businesses.

No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 3 *12.
Ms Poh Li San: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is the impact of the energy supply crunch in China and India on electricity prices in Singapore; (b) what are the Energy Market Authority’s strategies to cushion the impact of the international energy supply crunch on the stability of energy supply and electricity prices in Singapore; and (c) whether additional assistance will be given to low-income families to cope with the rise in electricity prices from 1 October 2021, if such rates increase were to continue beyond 31 December 2021.
*13.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry following the recent collapse of several electricity retailers (a) what is the Ministry’s assessment of the business viability of the remaining electricity retailers; and (b) what steps will the Ministry take to maintain a competitive electricity market in Singapore.

*14.
Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry given the recent pull out of iSwitch Energy from the open electricity market (a) what is the Ministry’s current risk assessment of more retailers exiting the market due to the increases in the price of gas; (b) whether the current recourse options for consumers are sufficient and satisfactory should more retailers exit; (c) whether the Ministry is considering a longer notice period for retailers when they choose to exit the market so that consumers are better safeguarded; and (d) what are the critical success factors to ensure the continued success of Singapore’s open energy market.
*15.

Mr Vikram Nair: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry whether any steps will be taken to prevent or make it more difficult for electricity retailers to avoid their obligations to customers by withdrawing when the energy markets move against them.

*16.
*16.

Ms Ng Ling Ling: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether electricity retailers are required to report their financial status regularly; (b) whether the Ministry monitors their financial health to ensure operational viability; (c) whether there will be a review on the number of energy retail licences needed to sustain the open electricity market; and (d) what are the plans when Singapore’s long-term piped gas contracts with Indonesia start expiring beyond 2023.

*17.
*17.

Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry with the recent rise in electricity prices and the exit of two electricity retailers (a) whether there will be support for consumers especially lower income households given the increase in reliance on digital and work-from-home arrangements; and (b) what measures are in place to ensure that Singapore’s power supply remain stable and reliable.

No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 4 *18.


Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what are the causes of the sharp fluctuation in the spot prices of electricity since July 2021; and (b) based on the experience since inception of the Open Electricity Market (OEM) to date, what is the Ministry's assessment of the continued viability of the OEM for households.

*19.
*19.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry regarding the exit of some suppliers from the retail electricity market (a) what assistance will be provided to affected households and companies which will face unexpectedly higher tariff rates; and (b) whether the SP Group can honour the rates for which affected customers had contracted with the electricity retailers.

*20.
*20.

Ms Foo Mee Har: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is the Government’s assessment of the vulnerability of the current model of electricity retailing; and (b) what measures can the Government take to help moderate the impact of higher energy prices on residents.

*21.
Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry in view of the discontinuation of electricity retailers from the open electricity market (a) whether the Ministry will review the requirements for licensing electricity retailers, such as assessing their paid-up capital, financial means, risk management and compliance measures; (b) what is the recourse for consumers and whether retailers are legally obliged to compensate consumers for early termination; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider licensing financial institutions as electricity retailers as they have the resources and are under strong governance and supervision by the authorities.
(Q.

*1987) *22.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the recent exits of iSwitch Energy, SilverCloud Energy, and Ohm Energy due to the volatile global electricity market are a sign that the Open Energy Market (OEM) retailers have been too aggressive in their pricing to attract customers; (b) whether the Ministry will be doing a review to determine the optimal number of retailers in the Open Energy Market; and (c) whether there are plans to include more measures to better protect consumers from sudden exits by the OEM retailers.
(Q.

*1998) *23.
Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry given the recent withdrawal of electricity retailers (a) whether the future business model of electricity retailers will be reviewed to ensure that they are sustainable; (b) whether the Ministry will consider different selection criteria for new electricity retailers; and (c) whether the Ministry will assist families who may be impacted by the increase in electricity prices when helping them transit to more energy efficient appliances.
(Q.

*2002) No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 5 *24.

Ms Tin Pei Ling: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the SP Group will continue to honour the prices and terms of existing contracts between the private electricity retailers who recently quit the Open Energy Market and their affected users until the contracts’ expiration; and (b) how will this series of exits affect the intended liberalisation of the energy market in Singapore.

(Q.

*2004) *25.
(Q.

*2004) *25.

Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) with the rising cost of energy worldwide, what are the measures taken to secure the country’s access to energy; and (b) what are the measures taken to ensure that energy remains affordable to businesses and households in Singapore.

(Q.

*2008) *26.
(Q.

*2008) *26.

Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is the root cause of energy retailers’ exit from the market; (b) what is the impact to businesses and households; and (c) what are the additional measures taken to ensure a stable energy market.

*27.
*27.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) amid the current global fuel supply crunch and price volatility, what are its near- and longer-term implications on our energy security and affordability; (b) what are the measures and contingency plans in place to ensure energy supply reliability and resilience; and (c) whether current generating capacity can meet the electricity demand in the coming years.

*28.
*28.

Mr Sharael Taha: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) how many electricity retailers are currently left in the market; (b) what measures will the Ministry put in place to ensure that there is a viable business left for the remaining retailers and the market remains competitive; and (c) whether there will be assistance provided to affected household and companies who may now face higher tariff rates.

*29.
*29.

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry regarding the recent exit of several electricity retailers from the open electricity market (a) how many households are expected to have their contracts transferred back to SP Group in the next few months; (b) what is the expected increase in electricity prices they will face with this change; and (c) how is the Ministry assisting households negatively affected by these changes.

No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 6 *30.


Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what are the reasons for the recent curtailment of piped natural gas (PNG) from West Natuna; (b) what other disruptions to PNG supplies have been experienced in the past six months; (c) whether Singapore has had to use its reserves of liquified natural gas; (d) how long will these reserves last under current conditions; and (e) how is the Ministry exploring alternatives to natural gas for power generation.
*31.
Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) why was a foreign embassy able to respond more quickly than the dormitory operator or the Ministry with the provision of aid and support to foreign workers residing at the Westlite Jalan Tukang Dormitory; (b) what acts can be ascribed to the dormitory operator or other stakeholders that resulted in the unsatisfactory conditions at the dormitory; and (c) whether there are sufficient resources deployed to ensure minimum standards of hygiene, food quality and medical support at all foreign worker dormitories in Singapore.
*32.

Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui: To ask the Minister for Manpower given the recent issues highlighted at the Westlite Jalan Tukang Dormitory, how will the Ministry be holding the dormitory operators and their corporate clients even more accountable for delivering an acceptable level of care to our foreign workers.

*33.
*33.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what are the findings on the allegations of poor living conditions at Westlite Dormitory at Jalan Tukang; (b) what actions has the Ministry taken to rectify the issues; and (c) what are the measures taken to prevent similar issues in other dormitories.

*34.
*34.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the overall vaccination rate for all dormitory residents; (b) what is the vaccination rate at the Westlite Jalan Tukang Dormitory; and (c) what proportion of Chinese workers living at the Westlite Jalan Tukang Dormitory have been vaccinated before they arrived in Singapore.

*35.
*35.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) with regard to the Westlite Jalan Tukang Dormitory, whether there is non-segregation of workers who tested positive for COVID-19, substandard quality of food provided and lack of access to medical support; and (b) if so, who will be held responsible for these lapses in the migrant workers’ living conditions.

No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 7 *36.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what were the main reasons for the unhappiness of foreign workers at the Westlite Jalan Tukang Dormitory leading to the unrest on 12 October 2021; (b) what measures have since been taken by the Ministry to ensure that conditions have improved and that the previous conditions will not recur; and (c) whether any action will be taken against the dormitory operators, employers of the workers or service suppliers for any neglect or omission.

*37.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Government will review its current stay-in requirements for workers in dormitories who are infected with COVID-19, bearing in mind that such accommodation typically requires a number of workers to live in close proximity when sharing dormitory rooms and common facilities like toilets, bathrooms and wash basins; and (b) whether such accommodation may allow for easier virus transmission as well as promoting anxiety and fear of infection among those sharing the same rooms.
*38.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what are the reasons for the delays in isolation and treatment of COVID-19 infected workers, the extensive cross infection of workers, the serving of food unfit for consumption and the relatively low vaccination rate of workers at the Westlite Jalan Tukang dormitory; (b) what enforcement action will be taken against the operators, employers or food caterers; and (c) whether the Ministry has received and acted upon similar complaints from workers in other dormitories.
*39.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what is being done to monitor and evaluate the quality of food catered for migrant workers, including nutritional value and cultural appropriateness, food hygiene and safety standards; (b) on average, what is the time gap between production and consumption of such food; and (c) what enforcement actions have been taken against employers who fail to comply with the requisite food standards.

*40.
*40.

Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) which Singapore Police Force (SPF) units were activated in the Jalan Tukang Westlite Dormitory incident; (b) what are their roles; and (c) whether any enforcement actions were taken at site by these respective units.

*41.
*41.

Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) over the last five years, how often and under what conditions have the riot police been deployed to respond to an active situation in Singapore; and (b) whether the situation at the Jalan Tukang Westlite Dormitory on 13 October 2021 warranted their deployment.

No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 8 *42.


Mr Ang Wei Neng: To ask the Minister for Transport whether Singapore is considering accelerating Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) arrangements with more territories, especially those with lower COVID-19 infection rates such as Australia, China, Hong Kong and New Zealand.

*43.
*43.

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry: To ask the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry will consider increasing the quota for passengers from Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flights given that VTL flights are from countries with similar risks and that the adult passengers are already vaccinated and tested multiple times prior to entry.

*44.
*44.

Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs whether law enforcement agencies will review their protocols and implementation measures for dealing with crime suspects who are minors or who may have special needs.

*45.

*46.
Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs regarding persons under 18 years old who were arrested by the Police in the past five years (a) what proportion had a history of mental health conditions; (b) how many were hospitalised or died subsequently whilst under Police investigation; (c) what were the reasons for these hospitalisation cases and deaths; (d) what were the outcomes of the investigations following the arrests; and (e) what support is available to young persons with mental health conditions facing Police investigation or arrest.
Dr Shahira Abdullah: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how do law enforcement agencies identify vulnerable persons and persons with mental disorders or disabilities when they interact with the criminal justice system at first contact; (b) who conducts these assessments in the law enforcement agencies; and (c) whether law enforcement agencies are adequately staffed with qualified professionals to make these assessments.

*47.
*47.

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs in drug-related investigations involving minors, what is the approach and safeguard taken by the Central Narcotics Bureau especially in cases where the minor has a history of medical or mental health issues.

*48.
Dr Shahira Abdullah: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how can family members of a young person, whose death is suspected to be related to the person’s interaction with the criminal justice system, can request for a formal investigation into the death; (b) what are the criteria used to evaluate the need for such investigations; (c) how does the Government ensure that investigations are undertaken with neutrality by an independent party; and (d) whether the Government is committed to provide to the family the outcomes from the investigation.
No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 9 *49.

Mr Darryl David: To ask the Minister for Education (a) what is the number of students who either could not take the 2021 Primary School Leaving Exams (PSLE) or had to take their PSLE in special circumstances due to the COVID-19 situation; and (b) how does the Ministry ensure that the grades allocated to students who could not take their exams is a fair and appropriate one.

*50.
*50.

Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry will be reviewing the entry quota of migrant workers for critical sectors like construction and migrant domestic workers (especially critical caregivers) given Singapore's latest endemic position and our external assessment of higher risk countries having higher natural immunity due to earlier waves of infection.

*51.
*51.

Ms Poh Li San: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry will consider granting entry approval for construction workers who are fully vaccinated, similar to the acceptance of new entry applications for vaccinated migrant domestic workers from 15 October 2021, for their entry into Singapore from 1 November 2021.

*52.
*52.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is Singapore’s inflation outlook in the near and medium terms; (b) what are the causes of the rising inflationary pressures; (c) what is the assessment of the likely impact of these inflationary pressures on low and middle income households; and (d) whether there will be mitigating measures to reduce the impact of rising costs arising from these inflationary pressures on households and businesses.

*53.
*53.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is the expected inflation over the next 24 months; (b) what are the key drivers of the inflation; and (c) what is the impact on Singapore's economic recovery and performance over the next 24 months.

*54.
*54.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the Ministry can provide an update on the risk of a sharp accumulation of external and domestic cost pressures affecting prices of goods and services in Singapore; and (b) other than tighter monetary policy, what steps can be taken to mitigate some of the effects of rising costs over the next 12 months.

*55.
*55.

Mr Ang Wei Neng: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) from January to August 2021, what is the number of domestic helpers who were allowed entry into Singapore; and (b) whether the Ministry can provide an update on the pilot scheme to bring more migrant domestic workers to Singapore.

No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 10 *56.


Ms Yeo Wan Ling: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how many migrant domestic workers (MDWs) granted in-principle approvals are currently awaiting entry permits to start work in Singapore; (b) how many MDWs have been permitted to enter Singapore via the MDW pilot programme introduced in July 2021; and (c) whether the Ministry will be expanding the numbers and sources of MDWs allowed to enter Singapore in the pilot programme should border restrictions continue.

*57.
*57.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry is able to provide an indicative date to employers of migrant domestic workers (MDWs) on the possible dates for the MDWs’ entry into Singapore instead of leaving the employers uncertain and unable to plan.

*58.
*58.

Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry will consider prioritising approval of migrant domestic workers for households with healthcare workers so as to facilitate quality work-life balance amidst the pressures brought upon by the COVID-19 pandemic.

*59.
*59.

Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the number of migrant domestic workers (MDWs) brought into Singapore under the Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore) pilot programme since it was introduced in July 2021 for the safe entry of MDWs; (b) what are the typical agency fees charged; and (c) what more can be done for the lower and middle income households who have urgent need for MDWs but may not be easily able to afford the fees involved for the programme.

*60.
*60.

Mr Chong Kee Hiong: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is the estimated impact of global supply chain problems on our economy; (b) which sectors are more greatly affected; and (c) what measures are available to help affected SMEs cope with the disruptions.

*61.
*61.

Mr Chong Kee Hiong: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry with regard to the disruptions to the global supply chain (a) what measures is the Ministry taking to prevent potential profiteering, especially for essential products and necessities; and (b) what will be the wide-ranging impact on various sectors such as food, equipment and appliances, machineries and construction materials.

*62.
*62.

Mr Chong Kee Hiong: To ask the Minister for Transport in view of the disruptions to the global supply chain, what measures is the Ministry taking to ensure that essential supplies reach Singapore.

No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 11 *63.
Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs in relation to the decision of the State Coroner on 18 October 2021 to re-open eight coroner’s inquiries that were earlier concluded as a result of an allegation that the investigation officer who handled the cases had forged statements from relevant witnesses, what systemic steps will the Singapore Police Force take to ensure that there is no over-dependence on a single officer’s representation that material witnesses have been interviewed by the same officer.
*64.

Mr Seah Kian Peng: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development in light of the findings in the recent study by the National University of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) on the Minimum Income Standards for Households in Singapore (2021), whether the Ministry will be reviewing the various social assistance scheme payouts, in particular that of the Public Assistance Scheme.

*65.
*65.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment regarding the Clean Tables Campaign to achieve a higher tray/crockery return rate (a) how many fines have been issued so far; (b) what is the general profile of those who have been warned or fined; (c) what are the most common reasons cited for non-return of trays; and (d) whether targeted public education can be provided for these diners.

*66.
*66.

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what are the available support or intervention programmes for children whose parents or caregivers are embroiled in drug-related offences; and (b) whether the children’s mental health, physical needs and academic outcomes are tracked and followed up by these programmes.

*67.
*67.

Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap: To ask the Minister for Education (a) how different were the PSLE papers set for 2021 as compared to 2020 considering the new scoring system implemented this year; (b) what measures are taken to ensure fairness in the questions set for this year as compared to last year; (c) how will the Ministry assure parents that the PSLE results this year reflect students’ true capabilities; and (d) how many students have to sit out PSLE due to COVID-19 issues.

*68.
*68.

Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: To ask the Minister for National Development in view of construction firms continuing to face immense cost pressures and COVID-19 uncertainties (a) what is the assessment of the financial position and viability of construction firms with government contracts today compared to 2020 and whether there is an increased risk of default; and (b) whether any additional measures are considered by the Government to reduce this risk and ensure the viability of the industry.

No.
No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 12 *69.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Education whether the Government plans to (i) look into the survey findings of the Academic Freedom Survey 2021 published by AcademiaSG, notably that faculty who say they work on “politically sensitive” topics are more likely to feel constrained in their ability to research or engage the public compared with those whose work are not “politically sensitive” and (ii) take steps to improve the state of academic freedom especially in respect of Singapore studies and women academics, whom the survey reports as being more likely to feel constrained.
*70.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Health what steps have been taken by the Ministry to (i) curb the spread of misinformation through social media platforms and closed messaging systems on the use of ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine for purportedly treating COVID-19 infections and (ii) monitor the import of these drugs into Singapore, especially through online sales, for the period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

*71.
*71.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: To ask the Minister for Health whether he can provide an update on the progress of the Government’s intended purchase of an anti-viral drug to treat COVID-19.

*72.
*72.

Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry will provide more details about how the Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines are being evaluated through its evaluation process under the national vaccination programme; and (b) in order to meet the criteria to be included in the programme, what further form and type of safety and efficacy-related data will the Ministry require.

*73.
Mr Abdul Samad: To ask the Minister for National Development in light of the announcement on the Progressive Wage Model for the landscape maintenance industry (a) what efforts are being undertaken to encourage service buyers in the landscape sector to adopt outcome-based contracts instead of traditional headcount-based contracts; (b) whether there are plans to publish a service buyer’s guide on progressive procurement practices for the landscape sector; and (c) what support is being provided to landscape companies towards industry transformation.
*74.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether the to Ministry will consider extending Workfare Income Supplement Singaporean and permanent resident workers who are engaged in food delivery.

No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 13 *75.


Mr Vikram Nair: To ask the Minister for National Development given the current delays in the completion of several HDB BTO projects and the related crunch on public housing supply, whether the Ministry will consider reducing the minimum occupation periods for new and resale flats in order to provide more housing supply in the market.

*76.
*76.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Finance in each of the last 10 years, for the 1,800 multinational enterprises (MNEs) in Singapore that meet the 750 million euros revenue threshold under OECD’s Two-Pillar Solution, what is their annual (i) total revenue (ii) accounting profit before tax (iii) chargeable income (iv) corporate income tax paid and (v) average effective tax rate respectively.

*77.
Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for Health (a) how many COVID- 19-positive individuals or households have complained or given feedback about poor response times and delays from the authorities with regard to (i) their unique COVID-19 queries and (ii) arrangements for their transmission to a hospital or a community care facility; and (b) how many cases of such delays in transmission eventually resulted in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) hospitalisation and death respectively of COVID-19-positive patients.
*78.

Ms Foo Mee Har: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the probability of contracting COVID-19 from close contacts with COVID-positive family members on the Home Recovery Programme; and (b) how does this contrast with those who become infected at their workplace.

*79.
*79.

Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry is aware of cases of significant delay in transporting symptomatic COVID-19- positive persons to hospitals under the current COVID-19 management arrangements; and (b) whether such persons should instead contact SCDF ambulance services for more efficient transportation to hospitals.

*80.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the justification behind the latest vaccination differentiation measures and how long will these measures last; (b) whether the Ministry intends to reclassify those who choose not to take booster vaccine shots as unvaccinated; (c) how many unvaccinated Singaporeans are there currently in the respective categories of (i) 13 to 59 years old and (ii) over 60 years old; and (d) whether the same justifications apply to the 13 to 59 years old category.
*81.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Health whether the Government will allow better access for outside dining, grocery shopping in supermarkets, malls and other public places in respect of adults who have not received full COVID-19 vaccination due to medical reasons and in the interest of their mental health.

No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 14 *82.


Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Health whether the Government will consider exempting children under 12 years of age from the prevailing dining-in group size limit provided that they are dining-in with only family members residing in the same household.

*83.

*84.
*83.

*84.

Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the epidemiological situation for COVID-19; and (b) what is the effectiveness of the Home Recovery Programme with regard to easing the strain on the healthcare system.
Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the daily call volume to the National Care hotline; (b) what is the typical waiting time for a call to be answered; and (c) whether there are cases of call spamming that may prevent Singaporeans from receiving critical assistance.

*85.
*85.

Ms Yeo Wan Ling: To ask the Minister for Health whether there are special provisions and safety nets under the Home Recovery Programme for people who are living alone, in particular seniors and special needs adults should they exhibit symptoms and are unable to call for help independently.

*86.
*86.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Health (a) in the past three months, how many people were placed on Quarantine Order, Health Risk Warning and Health Risk Alert; and (b) among Singapore residents who travelled overseas and returned, how many have been allowed to serve SHN in their own homes.

*87.
*87.

Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what are the plans and targets to expand day care and home care capacity to promote ageing-in- place in the community; and (b) what are the plans to mainstream the new varieties of care pilot programmes such as night respite care for dementia patients.

*88.
*88.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Health whether the Government will consider establishing a bulk purchase programme to allow households who require more antigen rapid test kits to purchase them at a more competitive price from the Government rather than from retail pharmacies and shops.

*89.
*89.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Prime Minister in light of the Pandora Papers leaks (a) whether the current regulations are sufficient to monitor or uncover any illicit activities of offshore financial service providers with offices registered in Singapore; (b) whether more stringent compliances are imposed on companies that violate the regulations; and (c) whether there will be a requirement for them to be repeatedly audited by independent parties for a defined period.

No.

41 *90.
1 NOVEMBER 2021 15 Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Prime Minister in light of the disclosures in the Pandora Papers (a) whether MAS will be looking into the Singapore- based financial institutions and Singaporeans/foreigners who are implicated in the report; (b) whether any individual or financial institution will be asked to issue a clarification as to their activities disclosed in the report; and (c) how does MAS ensure that offshore wealth management services in Singapore remain lawful and legitimate by international standards.
*91.

Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: To ask the Prime Minister (a) whether Singapore is implicated in the Pandora Papers; and (b) whether the Government is investigating whether Singapore entities or individuals residing in Singapore are involved in the alleged practices.

*92.
*92.

Mr Seah Kian Peng: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what is the projected growth in plastic and packaging waste arising from the explosive growth in e-commerce in recent years; and (b) what are the measures that are being taken to reduce such waste.

*93.
Mr Sharael Taha: To ask the Minister for Health given the latest protocol on increased testing for COVID-19 using self-procured ART kits and that many different brands of ART test kits are now sold online and offline (a) how does the Ministry ensure that the quality and accuracy of antigen rapid test (ART) kits are maintained among the different brands sold; and (b) how does the Ministry ensure that the manufacturers are transferring the benefits from the economies of scale to the consumer and not overly profiteering from the sale of ART kits.
*94.

Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what efforts are made to reduce the costs of polymerase chain reaction tests for entry into and exit from Singapore through Changi Airport; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider more regular antigen rapid tests or other less costly alternatives prior to departure and upon arrival into Singapore as a means of lowering the cost of travel and to support the revival of the aerospace sector in particular.

*95.
*95.

Mr Darryl David: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry whether regulations can be made to require food delivery platforms to lower commissions charged to food and beverage establishments every time dining restrictions are tightened as such establishments are suffering losses with dining-in capped at two diners and delivery is an important channel of revenue.

No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 16 *96.
Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Health regarding the first COVID-19 stepped-up community treatment facility (CTF) repurposed from the nursing home at 1 Tampines Street 22 (a) what is the assessed risk of COVID-19 transmission to students and staffers at the nearby Angsana Primary School; (b) what are the considerations for choosing the nursing home which is near to residential areas and schools; and (c) how has the Ministry worked with the Ministry of Education to reassure the parents and students in the nearby schools.
*97.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs regarding fires (a) to date in 2021, what are the estimated costs of damage due to fires at residential premises, non-residential premises and non-building places respectively; (b) whether certain households or flat types are more vulnerable to fires; and (c) if so, whether regular inspections, counselling and targeted public education programmes can be provided.

*98.
*98.

Ms Foo Mee Har: To ask the Prime Minister how does the Government intend to respond to the combination of record low birth rates and ageing to ensure Singapore continues to be dynamic and relevant to the world.

*99.
Miss Cheng Li Hui: To ask the Prime Minister in light of the Government’s annual Population in Brief report and the registered dips in our population numbers due to COVID-19 last year (a) what is the full or expected impact of COVID-19 on our long-term population trends; (b) whether COVID-19 has resulted in any setbacks to our existing population strategies thus far; and (c) whether the Government will consider re-calibrating our existing population strategies in view of the uncertainties caused by COVID-19 and, if so, in which areas.
*100.

Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Manpower in respect of fatal workplace accidents over the past five years involving alleged negligence by workers, in how many instances were Workplace Safety and Health Act proceedings commenced against (i) a worker (ii) the employer and (iii) both worker and employer, respectively.

*101.
*101.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Health (a) since the establishment of Duke-NUS Medical School, how many doctors have graduated; (b) how many graduates stayed on to do medical research; (c) whether the objective of this collaboration between Duke University and NUS to develop a world-class medical institution has been achieved; and (d) whether NUS will be able to run this post-graduate medical school without collaboration with Duke University School of Medicine.

No.
No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 17 *102.

Ms Yeo Wan Ling: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what are the considerations for allotting foreign manpower quotas to companies which share with other companies, CPF contributions to a local staff; and (b) whether there has been an increase in workers part-timing with more than three employers.

*103.
*103.

Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development in light of the increase in job losses among middle-income PMETs, whether the Ministry will review social assistance schemes, in particular the treatment of debt such as renovation loans and insurance payments as expenses.

*104.
*104.

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry: To ask the Minister for Education whether the Ministry will consider incorporating the Class 4 licence driving courses under the SkillsFuture framework which will facilitate mid-career Singaporeans to transit into transportation drivers amidst the current labour shortage due to border restrictions.

*105.
Mr Ang Wei Neng: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) how is help being given to Singaporeans who are less digital savvy to utilise the $100 Community Development Council (CDC) e-vouchers; (b) what are the number and percentage of merchants who have participated in the previous round of accepting CDC paper vouchers; and (c) how is the Ministry helping to “onboard” more heartland merchants and coffee shop stallholders to take advantage of the CDC e-vouchers, especially when SG digital ambassadors usually pay less attention to assist merchants not operating in NEA wet markets and hawker centres.
*106.
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: To ask the Minister for Education (a) from 2011 to 2021, what is the annual number of cases of mental distress or psychiatric issues reported by teaching staff in (i) primary schools, secondary schools and junior colleges (ii) institutes of technical education (iii) polytechnics and (iv) autonomous universities; and (b) in light of the next normal of living with COVID-19 and home-based learning in 2020/2021 and beyond, what is the Ministry doing to alleviate the stress encountered by teaching staff.
*107.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry has studied the impact of movement restriction on the mental health of migrant workers who have not been allowed into the community since March 2020; (b) if not, why not; and (c) if a study has been done, when will the results be released.

No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 18 *108.
Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what proportion of frontline officers, dormitory operators, employers and Forward Assurance and Support Team officers have been trained in identifying migrant workers with mental health symptoms; (b) how have the capabilities and capacities of para-counselling and counselling services available to migrant workers been strengthened since the announcement of Project Dawn; and (c) what is the average wait time between identification of a migrant worker with poor mental health and referral to a trained professional.
*109.

Mr Darryl David: To ask the Minister for Health whether more affordable or subsidised treatment for mental health can be made available to those who need it given the likely increase of mental health issues during this COVID- 19 pandemic period.

*110.
Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for National Development regarding parents who bought and moved into HDB flats previously owned by their children, and these children moving into another flat within 4km where the parents now live (a) for the past three years, what is the number of appeals filed by these parents who were deemed ineligible for HDB’s Proximity Housing Grant (PHG); and (b) whether HDB takes into consideration that these transactions are based on latest fair market valuation in such PHG appeals.
*111.

Miss Cheng Li Hui: To ask the Minister for Defence (a) what is the percentage of military camps that currently tap on renewable sources of energy such as solar energy to generate power; (b) whether it is feasible to install solar panels in military camps; and (c) if so, whether there are plans to do so.

*112.
*112.

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin: To ask the Minister for Health how have home visits and interventions by the IMH Community Health Team and community dementia services been affected as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing safety precautions.

*113.
*113.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for National Development whether the Ministry will waive the requirement for ex-spousal consent on who can list the children as occupiers in a HDB flat application if the ex- spouse has already purchased a private property or a HDB flat following the divorce rather than reviewing this on a case-by-case basis.

*114.
*114.

Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: To ask the Minister for Manpower from 2020 to 30 September 2021, what is the number of work injury claims for each year that were (i) filed (ii) paid compensations and (iii) rejected, where the employee sustained the injury whilst working from home.

No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 19 *115.


Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether the Ministry will consider making it mandatory for lorries that are used to ferry persons in the rear decks to be fitted with foldable benches and seat belts similar to those used in the SAF 3-tonners; and (b) what studies have been done into the cost and safety benefits of such a requirement.

*116.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the breakdown by age range of individuals (including those below the age of 40) who have undergone diabetes screening in the past three years; (b) whether there are plans to improve the take-up rate of screening to detect diabetes and pre- diabetes, especially among the younger or lower income demographic groups; and (c) whether the Government will consider requiring Singaporeans to undergo diabetes screening at key stages of their lives, such as national service enlistment and pre-employment.
*117.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Prime Minister (a) whether the Government tracks retail investors' monthly fund outflows from Singapore that are invested into stocks and derivatives traded on overseas exchanges; (b) if so, what is the data for the past 12 months; (c) whether the Government has conducted any survey of the top three overseas exchanges used by Singaporeans to trade; (d) what is the Government's assessment of the volume of trade turnover on SGX; and (e) what is being done to improve the turnover and make Singapore more attractive to investors.
*118.

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin: To ask the Minister for Health given the precautions to protect seniors from COVID-19 and reduction in their activities (a) what are the plans to keep seniors meaningfully engaged; (b) how will social services agencies for seniors and their volunteers be supported to shift their engagement strategies to minimise service disruptions; and (c) what is the timeline for these plans.

*119.
*119.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for Transport with several bus contract packages up for renewal in the next five years (a) whether there are likely impending changes to the bus contracting model; and (b) whether the electrification plans of public buses will affect the existing contracting model and on-demand bus services.

*120.
*120.

Mr Vikram Nair: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs with regard to speeding vehicles and illegally modified vehicles along Woodlands Avenue 5 over the last year (a) how many (i) complaints have been received and (ii) summonses have been issued; and (b) whether the Traffic Police will consider installing a speed camera along the stretches of roads where speeding complaints are received.

No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 20 *121.


Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what is the utilisation rate for Category D COEs from January to September 2021; (b) what percentage of successful Category D COE bids are made by commercial entities and individual buyers respectively; and (c) what consideration has the Ministry given to setting a fixed quota of COEs solely for individual buyers to bid.

*122.
*122.

Mr Seah Kian Peng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether he can provide an update on the development of the proposed polyclinic at the junction of Serangoon Central and Upper Serangoon Road; and (b) whether there will be any changes to the projected completion date.

* 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 STATEMENT 1.

Senior Minister of State for Health (on behalf of the Minister for Health): Update on ICU and Hospital Capacity.
AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF PUBLIC BUSINESS Introduction of Government Bills 1.

Prime Minister: Monetary Authority of Singapore (Amendment) Bill.

(President's recommendation signified).

2.

Minister for Home Affairs: Prisons (Amendment) Bill.

No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 21 3.

Minister for Law: Intellectual Property (Amendment) Bill.

4.

Minister for Law: Legal Profession (Amendment) Bill.

5.

Second Minister for Finance: Corporate Registers (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill.

6.
6.

Minister for Social and Family Development: Women's Charter (Amendment) Bill.

7.

Minister for Finance: Gambling Duties Bill.

(President's recommendation signified).

ORDERS OF THE DAY 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Retirement and Re-employment (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.

35/2021] – (Minister for Manpower) – Second Reading Central Provident Fund (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.

36/2021] – (Minister for Manpower) – Second Reading Energy (Resilience Measures and Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill [Bill No.
34/2021] – (Second Minister for Trade and Industry) – Second Reading Preservation of Monuments (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.

33/2021] – (Minister for Culture, Community and Youth) – Second Reading Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.

31/2021] – (Minister for Finance) – Second Reading No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 6.

7.

8.

Government [Bill No.

32/2021] – (Minister for Finance) – Second Reading (Miscellaneous Borrowing Amendments) Constitution of [Bill No.
29/2021] – (Minister for Law) – Second Reading the Republic of Singapore (Amendment) Bill Judicial Service (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill [Bill No.

30/2021] – (Minister for Law) – Second Reading 22 Bill MEMORANDUM Matter proposed to be raised on the Motion for the Adjournment (SO 2(8)(b)).

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang) : Taxation for a Dynamic and Fair 21st Century Economy.

1.

2.

3.
1.

2.

3.

QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs amidst the COVID-19 pandemic when many people are struggling financially, whether sufficient protection measures are in place to protect individuals and to raise awareness on the multitude of financial scams which includes investment scams, job scams, e-commerce scams and loan scams.
Mr Abdul Samad: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) for each year in the past three years, what is the number of ex-offenders who have secured employment through the Yellow Ribbon Singapore; and (b) whether the Ministry is considering to provide incentives for employers to hire ex- offenders.
Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what has been the progress of the Ministry’s efforts to meet the target of generating at least 2 gigawatt-peak (“GWp”) of electricity through solar energy by 2030 with a view to power about 350,000 households; and (b) what steps will the Ministry be taking to encourage more private and commercial property owners to install solar energy systems in their premises.

No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 23 4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.


Mr Don Wee: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry how the Ministry is assisting households with obtaining compensation from their electricity retailers which have terminated their contracts as they exit the market, leading their customers to face substantially higher prices.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what has been the annual (i) reserve margins over the last 10 years in the electricity market (ii) the projected reserve margin over the next four years and (iii) average supply cushion year-to-date compared to the last five year’s averages; and (b) whether there are plans to step up the increase in power generation capacity to provide adequate buffer to rising electricity demand.
Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) over the past three months, what is the monthly consumption of COVID-19 antigen rapid test (ART) kits in Singapore; (b) what proportion of ART kits are domestically manufactured; and (c) given the current key role of ART testing in the community and at many workplaces, what measures are being taken to ensure supply chain resilience for ART kits.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the Ministry is monitoring the market for inflation and profiteering due to increased demand for antigen rapid test kits; (b) what are the Ministry’s strategies to ensure a reliable and affordable local supply of test kits to meet demand; and (c) whether there are plans to ramp up manufacturing capabilities in Singapore to produce our own supply of test kits.
Ms Foo Mee Har: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry what is the impact of the 11% reduction in non-resident population on Singapore’s economy and business.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what is the number of cases of illegal carpooling services that have been caught in the past two years; and (b) whether the Ministry considers those who have facilitated in arranging for such illegal services on online platforms to be an offence.
Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Transport whether he can provide an update of his Ministry’s plans to build cycling paths at Bukit Batok SMC.

Mr Don Wee: To ask the Minister for Transport what are the reasons for the significant difference in LTA fees when transferring a vehicle registration number to a used car compared to a new car.

No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 24 12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.


Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what has been the utilisation rate of Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flights since the start of the revised VTL requirements; and (b) what is the plan for increasing the number of designated flights.
Mr Sharael Taha: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what percentage of Category D (motorcycles) COEs were sold to dealers in 2021; (b) what percentage of Category D temporary COEs (TCOEs) were utilised to register the motorcycles within two months of the successful bids in 2021; (c) over the past six months, whether any dealer has been found to stockpile TCOEs to sell it later at a higher packaged price; and (d) whether the Ministry will consider reducing the validity period of Category D TCOEs from six months to two months.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether NEA conducts inspections of tombstones in cemeteries to detect desecration and, if so, how often; (b) what are other measures to prevent the desecration of tombstones in (i) cemeteries maintained by NEA and (ii) private cemeteries not managed by NEA; and (c) in view of Regulation 9(c) of the Environmental Public Health (Cemeteries) Regulations, whether there are plans for NEA to bear a similar responsibility to prevent vandalism in cemeteries it maintains including liability for the vandalism damage.
Dr Shahira Abdullah: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether the Government has considered offering plant-based meals or meals derived from sustainable sources for Government events by default to show its commitment to making sustainability more mainstream.
Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Education what is being done to create a warmer culture and community among teachers so as to provide peer support and emotional comfort for those struggling with mental health and workload.
Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Education what schemes are in place to aid teachers in guiding them through rapid changes in teaching methods and regulations amidst the COVID-19 pandemic so as to provide support to those who struggle to teach-from-home and engage students via online platforms.

No.

41 18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.


1 NOVEMBER 2021 25 Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: To ask the Minister for Education for each year in the past 10 years, what is the respective number of students in (i) primary schools (ii) secondary schools (iii) institutes of technical education (iv) junior colleges (v) polytechnics and (vi) universities, with mental illness or psychiatric issues that were made known to the schools or institutes of higher learning.
Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Education in view of most students from secondary schools and above having received their vaccination, whether home-based learning can be minimised to allow students to mix among their peers and receive support and friendship which are critical for youths amidst an endemic.
Mr Don Wee: To ask the Minister for Finance whether the Ministry will consider adjusting and tiering the Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) and selling deadlines for development projects of different sizes to reflect better equity.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Finance (a) what is the total taxable personal income for FY 2019; and (b) what is the total taxable personal income earned by all persons in each decile.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development whether in the children's best interests, the Ministry will consider requiring divorce rulings that award shared care and control to also state which party is allowed to list the child as an essential occupier in their application to buy a subsidised HDB flat as the ability to list the child has a direct impact on each parent's eligibility to purchase a HDB flat.
Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development what has been the number of parental alienation cases reported in the past three years.

Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether there are any statistics of domestic violence cases arising from underlying mental health issues due to COVID-19 uncertainties; and (b) whether there are protocols in place for mental health frontliners to report early warning signs to prevent violence from occurring.
Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (a) whether he can provide an update on the investigation of the deviant teaching; (b) when is the expected date of completion for this investigation; and (c) whether MUIS is aware of any ongoing activities by the alleged individual or his group of followers.

No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 26 26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

32.


Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs when can the COVID-19 restricted measures for Friday and daily prayers at mosques be further eased.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Health with regard to the recent incident of a Singapore-based company fined for making false claims about its health supplements (a) whether HSA takes into account the company's profits from the sale of the products and the number of customers involved, in determining the penalty to be meted out; (b) whether the regulatory action serves as a proportionate and appropriate deterrent; and (c) why is the company not penalised earlier when its false claims have come to light since 2016.
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: To ask the Minister for Health for each year in the past 10 years, whether the Ministry has data on the number of patients with mental illness or psychiatric issues in our private and public health institutions and, if so, what is the number of patients who are aged (i) under seven years (ii) seven to 12 years (iii) 13 to 16 years (iv) 17 to 21 years and (v) 22 to 30 years.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Health amongst the vaccinated patients in Singapore who (i) required ICU stay or (ii) died respectively, how many got a mRNA vaccine and how many had a non-mRNA vaccine.
Mr Cheng Hsing Yao: To ask the Minister for Health (a) of the vaccinated COVID-19 patients who have developed serious symptoms, how are they distributed across the different vaccines; and (b) whether there is data that suggests which vaccines are more effective in preventing the development of serious COVID-19 symptoms.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Health whether the Government will allow people to choose a different vaccine, including a non- mRNA one, for their COVID-19 booster shots.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Health regarding all the COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in Singapore, including those available under the Special Access Route, what is the effectiveness, based on real-world data in Singapore or elsewhere, against the Delta variant for each of these vaccines against (i) infection (ii) symptomatic infection (iii) severe infection requiring oxygen supplementation and/or ICU care (iv) death and (v) transmission.

No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 27 33.

34.

35.


36.

37.

38.

39.

40.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Health (a) of the deaths of fully vaccinated persons from COVID-19, what is the breakdown by vaccine type; and (b) what is the number of breakthrough COVID-19 deaths per 10,000 fully vaccinated persons for each vaccine type.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry or the Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination (EC19V) has studied the research on the effects of using different vaccines for the initial and booster doses and the efficacy of taking different booster vaccines.
Ms Ng Ling Ling: To ask the Minister for Health (a) how did the SG Diagnostics Antigen Rapid Test kits become available in the market when they are meant for professional use in a professional healthcare setting; (b) how many of such kits have been purchased by the public before the recall notice; and (c) how will processes be further tightened to avoid unapproved test kits from being sold in the market.
Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Health whether the identifying particulars of COVID-19 patients are considered confidential under the Infectious Diseases Act or other written laws and, if so, how is such confidentiality managed.
Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the current percentage of doctors vaccinated with (i) mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and (ii) non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccines respectively; and (b) what is the current percentage of other healthcare professionals vaccinated with (i) mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and (ii) non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccines respectively; and (c) how is the Ministry ensuring that those on the frontlines are vaccinated for their own safety as they encounter many patients who may have COVID- 19.
Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Health since the start of the pandemic (a) what is the number of COVID-19 positive cases, broken down by the different categories of housing type; and (b) what is the proportion of this number against the total number of residents from all households within each category of housing type.
Dr Shahira Abdullah: To ask the Minister for Health whether enforcement taken against chat groups spreading anti-vaccination action will be misinformation on medicines such as Ivermectin.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Health to date, of the number of people who have passed away as a result of COVID-19 infection, how many passed away (i) in a hospital (ii) at home or (iii) at a care facility respectively.

No.

41 41.

42.

43.

44.

45.

46.

47.


1 NOVEMBER 2021 28 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Health in light of the natural waning immunity from COVID-19 vaccination over time, whether it is anticipated that there will be differentiated treatment for vaccinated persons who have decided not to proceed with the booster dose and, if so, what is the period after which such persons are considered and treated as having the same risk profile as those unvaccinated.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Health whether doctors are allowed to administer repurposed drugs on an off-label basis on patients who are or are suspected of suffering from COVID-19.
Mr Don Wee: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information how is the Ministry assisting members of the lower income groups with (i) owning digital devices and their replacements which are sufficiently updated so that they operate well and can guard against malware and (ii) remaining connected through reliable and affordable telecommunications plans.
Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) what is the policy on surveillance advertising; and (b) whether there are plans to increase the transparency and accountability of companies providing and purchasing such services.
Ms Ng Ling Ling: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) to date, how many ongoing HDB neighbourhood renewal projects have been delayed by more than six months; (b) what is the estimated backlog of these projects; (c) how long will it take to clear this backlog; and (d) whether support for raw material prices will be extended to contractors working on these projects to ensure that they can complete these projects within budget.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for National Development for each year in the past 10 years (a) how many applications with applicants having shared care and control of their children were received by HDB to purchase or rent a flat respectively; and (b) of these, what is the number of applications that were (i) rejected as applicants were unable to obtain mutual consent from their ex-spouse to list their children for the application and (ii) approved without requiring the mutual consent of their ex-spouse.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for National Development since 2013 (a) what is the 25th percentile, mean, median and 75th percentile mortgage servicing ratio among HDB resale flat buyers on an annual basis; and (b) what is the 25th percentile, mean, median and 75th percentile total debt servicing ratio among HDB resale flat buyers on an annual basis.

No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 29 48.

49.

50.

51.

52.

53.

54.

55.

56.


Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) when can construction companies expect the manpower supply crunch to improve and be restored to pre-COVID-19 levels; and (b) what are the measures taken to restore the manpower supply.
Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth what are the current and future efforts to mitigate stress and loneliness levels amongst our elderly and youths due to existing COVID-19 safety measures which reduce meaningful physical social engagements.

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether more training can be given to migrant domestic workers to educate them against falling prey to cyber scams.
Ms Poh Li San: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether the current practice effected on 1 March 2021 to allow existing migrant construction workers who meet the requirements to transfer to a new employer, can be halted to stabilise the churn and the potential for rising salaries.
Mr Don Wee: To ask the Minister for Manpower what measures are in place to ensure adequate breaks for retail and other frontline workers who are on their feet for hours during their shifts especially in consideration of our ageing workforce.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the current employment status of foreign spouses of Singaporeans; and (b) what is the support given to these foreign spouses to find employment especially for those from lower income households.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) from 2019 to 30 September 2021, how many regular routine inspections have been conducted by the Ministry targeting high-risk activities and sectors, broken down by year; (b) what has been the number of non-compliances observed during the inspections; and (c) how many stop-work orders, fines and notices of non-compliance have been issued during the same period.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether there will be a public inquiry on the fatal accident which occurred at the Tuas Incineration Plant on 23 September 2021; (b) what are the existing measures to protect workers at incineration plants; and (c) whether there is a need to further enhance safety measures at incineration plants.
Mr Ang Wei Neng: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry will consider allowing fully vaccinated workers from ASEAN countries, other than domestic helpers, to enter Singapore to join the construction and renovation industry to mitigate the labour crunch No.

41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 30 57.

58.

59.

60.


Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: To ask the Minister for Manpower what are the measures taken to ensure that there is a stable and predictable supply of migrant domestic workers to ensure that households are not unduly affected by rising costs due to a restrictive supply.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how does the Ministry plan to manage vaccine hesitancy among work pass holders from 1 November 2021 when they will all be required to be fully vaccinated prior to arrival in Singapore; (b) whether exceptions will be granted to those with contraindications to COVID-19 vaccines; and (c) whether the Ministry will require all work pass holders who are already in Singapore to get vaccinated.
Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the percentage of fully vaccinated migrant workers residing in dormitories remains at "over 90%" as communicated in September 2021; (b) what is the breakdown of unvaccinated migrant workers by dormitory; and (c) whether there are protocols in place to ensure no dormitory has vaccination levels under a certain threshold.
Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how many migrant workers living in dormitories have arrived in the last three months; (b) how many of the migrant worker arrivals have been verified as fully vaccinated in Singapore’s registry; (c) what is the average number of days taken for the verification process for all migrant worker arrivals from the date of arrival; and (d) what is the maximum time taken for such verification.
PAPERS PRESENTED 2021 Date Presented S. L. 355 Silver Support Scheme Regulations 2021 (Amendment) ..... 05 October 2021 S. L. 356 S. L. 357 United Nations Regulations 2021 United Nations Regulations 2021 (Sanctions - Libya) (Sanctions - Somalia) ..... 05 October 2021 ..... 05 October 2021 S. L. 358 United Nations (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (Sanctions - Yemen) ..... 05 October 2021 No.
41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 31 PAPERS PRESENTED - continued 2021 Date Presented S. L. 359 Road Traffic (Prescribed Offence Under Section 127A) (Amendment) Rules 2021 ..... 06 October 2021 S. 203 Commissioner of Charities Annual Report 2020 ..... 07 October 2021 S. L. 360 Goods (Amendment No.
2) Regulations 2021 and Services Tax (General) ..... 08 October 2021 S. L. 361 Goods and Services Tax Act (Amendment of Fourth Schedule) Order 2021 ..... 08 October 2021 S. 204 to Civil Service College Corrigendum Annual Report and Financial Statements 2020/2021 ..... 11 October 2021 S. L. 362 Public (Water Utilities (Amendment) Regulations 2021 Supply) ..... 13 October 2021 S. L. 363 Public Utilities (Regulated Works and WSI Design Works) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 ..... 13 October 2021 S. L. 364 Carbon Pricing Act 2018 (Amendment of Fourth Schedule) Order 2021 ..... 18 October 2021 S. L. 365 Energy Conservation Act (Amendment of Schedule) Order 2021 ..... 18 October 2021 S. L. 366 S. L. 367 Income Documentation) (Amendment) Rules 2021 (Transfer Pricing Tax ..... 18 October 2021 Building Control (Periodic Inspection of Buildings Facades) and Regulations 2021 Building ..... 20 October 2021 S. L. 368 Building Control (Meaning of Exterior Features) Regulations 2021 ..... 20 October 2021 No.
41 1 NOVEMBER 2021 32 PAPERS PRESENTED - continued 2021 Pres.

Co. 32 Pres.

Co. 33 Pres.

Co. 34 Pres.
Co. 35 Report of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights on the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Bill [Bill No 24/2021] the Presidential Council for Report of Minority Rights on the Sedition (Repeal) Bill [Bill No 23/2021] the Presidential Council for Report of Minority Rights on the Private Security Industry [Bill No (Amendment) Bill 22/2021] Report of Minority Rights (Amendment) Bill [Bill No 26/2021] the Presidential Council for the Coroners on Date Presented ..... 20 October 2021 ..... 20 October 2021 ..... 20 October 2021 ..... 20 October 2021 S. L. 369 COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) (Amendment No.
19) Regulations 2021 ..... 22 October 2021 Cmd.

11 Presidential Council for Minority Rights Annual Report for the period from 1 August 2020 to 31 July 2021 ..... 26 October 2021 S. L. 370 Securities and Futures Act (Amendment of Third Schedule) Order 2021 ..... 27 October 2021 S. L. 371 Financial Advisers Act (Amendment of First Schedule) Order 2021 ..... 27 October 2021