Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698849175076.pdf (Singapore)
FOURTEENTH PARLIAMENT OF SINGAPORE ___________________ FIRST SESSION ___________________ ORDER PAPER TUESDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 No.

38 11.00 am 1 *1.

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QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER* Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) to date, what is the number of children in Singapore diagnosed with COVID-19 and what proportion have the Delta variant; (b) how many needed supplementary oxygen at any time during their illness; and (c) how does this experience compare with countries with significant numbers of COVID-19 Delta variant infections in children.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) how can the safety of children be ensured before a suitable COVID-19 vaccine for them is available especially children who are immunocompromised; (b) whether the Ministry is monitoring the trend of long COVID symptoms in children; and (c) whether adequate resources are available to provide healthcare and emotional support for children who contract long COVID.
Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Health what avenues of support are available for pregnant or post-partum women who are not yet vaccinated against COVID-19 because of medical reasons and who have to visit their loved ones in hospital given the cost of the self-paid pre-visit COVID-19 test.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Health in view of the COVID-19 dose-sharing agreement with Australia (a) whether there are sufficient vaccines for the national vaccination programme by providing details on (i) the current stock of COVID-19 vaccines and (ii) the remaining number of doses that have yet to be delivered under existing supply agreements and when these are due to be delivered; (b) whether the Government has completed its assessment on the need for a booster shot; and (c) whether additional contracts have been signed to reserve additional doses if required and, if so, what are the expected delivery schedules.
No.

38 *5.

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14 SEPTEMBER 2021 2 Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether the costs of regular testing under the "Vaccinate or Regular Testing” (VoRT) regime will be fully borne by the Government for individuals who are able to secure a doctor's certification confirming their ineligibility for COVID-19 vaccination; and (b) how long is the VoRT regime expected to persist given that full- vaccination coverage of the population is now at 80%.
Mr Alex Yam Ziming: To ask the Minister for Health (a) of those who refuse COVID-19 vaccination but not on medical grounds, what are the main reasons for them doing so; (b) whether the Ministry will implement a more targeted approach to address those who have concerns about the different vaccines; and (c) whether tougher action will be taken against persons who persistently spread misinformation to undermine the vaccination campaign.
Mr Alex Yam Ziming: To ask the Minister for Health in light of reduced vaccine efficacy against COVID-19 variants that is of concern in other countries whether the Ministry will (i) review the speed of relaxation of measures and the opening up of borders (ii) consider the requirement for booster shots and (iii) share what are the long-term outlook and healthcare plans for an COVID-19 endemic Singapore.
Mr Chong Kee Hiong: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry will consider subsidising regular Antigen Rapid Tests (ART) for those who are unable to take the current slate of vaccines due to medical or health reasons; and (b) what proportion of the population needs to be vaccinated before it will be possible for those who are not vaccinated due to legitimate reasons to be able to enjoy the same treatment as those who are fully vaccinated in more and higher exposure risk activities.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Health when the COVID-19 vaccination rate of 80% is reached by September 2021 (a) what is the Ministry's plan to wind down the vaccination centres islandwide; and (b) whether there will be permanent vaccination centres and associated facilities should future booster doses be required.

*10.
*10.

Dr Shahira Abdullah: To ask the Minister for Health with Singapore achieving 80% COVID-19 vaccination status and moving into endemic status (a) whether the Ministry will stop tracking the number of COVID-19 infection cases; (b) what other forms of tracking and measures will be relaxed when Singapore reaches endemic status; and (c) what other thresholds or criteria must be reached before we do.

*11.
*11.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Health whether there are further plans to diversify COVID-19 vaccine sourcing.

No.

38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 3 *12.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Health whether he can provide details of the Ministry’s programme announced in July 2021 to provide booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine.

*13.
*13.

Mr Seah Kian Peng: To ask the Minister for Health whether there are already plans in place to secure COVID-19 booster jabs following the completion of the first round of COVID-19 vaccinations.

*14.
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Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for Health given how Singapore had committed to advanced purchase agreements for COVID-19 vaccines as early as June 2020 (a) what were the reasons behind the delay that led to the first receipt of shipments only in December 2020; and (b) what were the constraints that inhibited a more rapid vaccine rollout rate, at least until April 2021.

*15.
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Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for Health when does the Government plan to start COVID-19 booster vaccination for the general population.

*16.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Health (a) in relation to the four- stage roadmap to transit Singapore to a “COVID-19 resilient nation” announced on 6 August 2021, what are the criteria for reaching each of the stages; (b) whether further details can be provided about the restrictions which will be eased at each of the stages; and (c) whether the Government will consider further easing COVID-19 restrictions given that the milestone of eight in 10 people in Singapore being fully vaccinated has been achieved.
*17.

Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: To ask the Minister for Manpower with regard to the proposed legislation on workplace discrimination (a) what is the scope, progress and expected roll-out date; (b) what will be the role of unions, union leaders and tripartite partners in the implementation and execution of this law; and (c) whether there will be ground and stakeholder consultations in the promulgation process.

*18.
*18.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Manpower in view of the upcoming review of strengthening legislation for a fairer workplace (a) how does the Ministry intend to prevent the inadvertent development of a litigious workplace; and (b) whether the Ministry will be conducting a public consultation.

*19.
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Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what are the current approaches by which the cases of workplace discrimination have been handled; (b) what are the various recourses available to workers; and (c) how the upcoming legislation against workplace discrimination can help achieve better outcomes.

No.

38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 4 *20.
Miss Cheng Li Hui: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry can provide a timeline on how long it will take for the TAFEP guidelines to be enshrined into our laws; (b) what is the projected timeline to resolve employment disputes, from conciliation and mediation to the Employment Claims Tribunal; (c) whether any party is expected to shoulder any costs if the matter is taken to the Employment Claims Tribunal; and (d) whether the anti-discrimination laws will apply during the interview and recruitment stage.
*21.
Mr Sharael Taha: To ask the Minister for Manpower with regard to the upcoming legislation of TAFEP guidelines, how can the Ministry (i) balance the concerns of both employees and employers (ii) ensure that the workers reporting workplace discrimination can be protected without changing the tone of relationship between employers and employees, which may lead to a litigious workplace culture and (iii) engage business leaders and the HR community to ensure that the new measures do not become overly onerous and deter employers from setting up operations in Singapore.
*22.
Ms Yeo Wan Ling: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) in the past three years, how many workplace discrimination cases filed with the Ministry are gender discrimination in nature; (b) what are the top three types of gender- related discrimination filed; (c) how many are resolved via current platforms like the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management and Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices; and (d) with the proposed tribunal system, how will the Ministry enhance the recourse and remedial actions especially for gender-related workplace discrimination.
*23.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) for each of the past three years, what is the number of injuries and fatalities suffered by food and goods delivery riders; (b) whether the Ministry has studied a possible correlation between higher frequency of such accidents and timing such as in the later part of the day, as riders rush to meet daily incentive targets; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider regulating the incentive structures of large gig economy platforms to better protect the health and safety of such self- employed persons.
*24.

Ms Yeo Wan Ling: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry monitors the average income and the number of self-employed persons (SEPs) working as delivery riders for food and parcel delivery platforms; (b) if so, how many SEPs are currently working as delivery riders and what is their average income; and (c) whether there are any differences in the average income for this group of SEPs in the past three years and, if so, what are the differences.

No.

38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 5 *25.


Ms Yeo Wan Ling: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry has examined the relationship of gig workers and their platform partners, in particular, workers being tied to employee-like relationships with the platform; and (b) whether there are intended studies on the impact of working on such platforms to the worker’s medical, housing and retirement adequacy and the role of platform partners in contributing to these safety nets for the worker.

*26.
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Miss Cheng Li Hui: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether there is data on the number of people who are doing gig work full-time; (b) whether platform gig workers can be considered for some form of medical and insurance benefits as well as annual leave; and (c) whether these workers need to clock in a minimum number of hours per week to qualify for any possible benefits.

*27.
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Mr Sharael Taha: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry will consider (i) legislating workplace protection and benefits (such as healthcare, paid/childcare/paternity/maternity leave) and contribution to CPF (including MediSave) for platform workers from their platform providers and (ii) the economic impact to the operating costs of business for these platforms; and (b) whether the Ministry will put in measures to ensure the increase in cost is not entirely passed on to consumers.
*28.
Mr Sharael Taha: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how does the Ministry ensure that wage increases in the Progressive Wage Model sectors are sustainable for employers given that wage increases may not be directly tied to productivity increases; and (b) given that wage growth will have to outpace productivity growth at the individual lower-wage worker level, whether the Government will consider providing support to businesses to enhance firm-level productivity such that businesses will be better able to support the wage increases for low-wage workers.
*29.

Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) for each of the last five years, how many Singaporeans make less than the Local Qualifying Salary (LQS); (b) what is the breakdown by job type and industry for these Singaporeans; and (c) how is the LQS determined and how often is the level reviewed.

*30.
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Miss Rachel Ong: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how will employers be able to verify the specific progressive wage that they need to pay their workers given the various sectors they come from; and (b) whether the verification process will form an onerous administrative burden on the employers.

No.

38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 6 *31.


Miss Rachel Ong: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what are the considerations for lowering the qualifying age of the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) from 35 to 30 years old; (b) whether the Ministry will consider extending it to lower-wage workers below 30 years of age; and (c) whether it shifts the financial burden from the Government in paying WIS to employers via the Progressive Wage Model as it becomes more pervasive and lead to rises in personal income.

*32.
*32.

Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo: To ask the Minister for Manpower in light of the expanding coverage of the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) and new requirement for companies to pay all local employees at least the Local Qualifying Salary (a) whether any forms of support will be provided to consumers and businesses to manage cost increases; and (b) if so, what are they.

*33.
*33.

Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo: To ask the Minister for Manpower in light of the expanding coverage of the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) and new requirement for companies pay all local employees at least the Local Qualifying Salary (LQS), how can the Ministry ensure that price increases purportedly resulting from the LQS will be fair, reasonable and not attempts at opportunistic profiteering.

*34.
*34.

Ms Hazel Poa: To ask the Minister for Manpower how many Singaporean employees currently earning under $1,400 per month will not be covered by the changes to the Local Qualifying Salary requirement for companies.

*35.

Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui: To ask the Minister for Manpower how does the Ministry ensure that wage increases in the Progressive Wage Model sectors are sustainable for employers given that wage increases may not be directly tied to productivity increases.

*36.
*36.

Miss Cheng Li Hui: To ask the Minister for Manpower with the proposed increase in wages for low-wage workers, how will the Ministry ensure that businesses do not profiteer under the pretext of having to pay higher wages.

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*37.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what transitory support will the Government provide to employers as the implementation of the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) is expanded especially during pandemic uncertainties; (b) how will the Progressive Wage Mark (PW Mark) be administered; and (c) how can the public and private sectors through their procurement and purchases of goods and services encourage more businesses to obtain the PW Mark.

No.

38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 7 *38.


Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how is the Local Qualifying Salary being determined currently; and (b) how does the Ministry plan to review the monthly minimum salary regularly.

*39.
*39.

Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how does the Ministry plan to inform and support employers to pay all local workers at least the Local Qualifying Salary to qualify for their employment of foreign workers; and (b) what will be the time period given to employers for this transition.

*40.
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Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Manpower in light of the tightened Local Qualifying Salary requirement (a) whether the Ministry will provide additional financial support to low-income families to help them cope with the expected increase in the cost of goods and services; (b) what are the safeguards to prevent companies from passing the entire burden to consumers; and (c) how can we ensure that businesses do not engage in such practices.

*41.
*41.

Ms Ng Ling Ling: To ask the Minister for Manpower in view of increases in business costs with the implementation of the Progressive Wage Models (PWM), how will the Government (i) monitor that the increase in costs is fairly shared between the businesses and consumers and (ii) ensure that such cost increases will not raise the cost of living for the low wage workers such that the benefits of the PWM to them are outstripped.

*42.
*42.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether there are any Singaporeans known to be residing in Afghanistan following the recent takeover by the Taliban and, if so, what arrangements are made to support them or help them return to Singapore if they so choose.

*43.
*43.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment in view of the recent incidents of flooding and forecast of inclement weather due to the Indian Ocean Dipole over the next two months, what are the Ministry’s plans to mitigate against flooding, especially in areas where there are major roadworks.

*44.
*44.

Ms Hazel Poa: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether she can provide an update on the flood management measures and early warning system in view of the recent flooding.

*45.
*45.

Mr Seah Kian Peng: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the Ministry has conducted a comprehensive review of areas that are susceptible to flash flood situations like what was experienced on the morning of Friday 20 August 2021; and (b) what plans are being made to mitigate such possibilities from recurring going forward.

No.

38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 8 *46.


Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what are the flood management measures for our public transport systems; (b) how often are our public transport infrastructure inspected to ensure they are able to withstand increasing erratic weather conditions; and (c) whether there are concrete emergency and evacuation plans in case passengers are stranded onboard vehicles due to bad weather.

for Singapore’s *47.


Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what are the flood (b) what adaptation plans improvement efforts are planned to prevent episodes of flooding on major roads; (c) whether the Ministry has conducted studies examining the impact of intense rainfall events on commuter behaviour and how it affects our public transport targets; and (d) whether a standardised climate change impact assessment approach is used for transport infrastructure and, if so, what is the approach.
infrastructure; transport *48.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment in view of the “code red for humanity” warning in the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s latest report (a) whether the Government will bring forward the targets in the Singapore Green Plan 2030; and (b) whether there will be an introduction of more incentives for electric vehicles ahead of schedule.

*49.
Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what training is provided to safe distancing enforcement officers operating under the auspices of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act before deployment; (b) whether this pre-deployment training includes calibrating their response to unverified reports of safe distancing infractions; and (c) to date, how many complaints or feedback has the Government received about the conduct of (i) safe distancing ambassadors and (ii) safe distancing enforcement officers, respectively.
*50.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment in light of the powers granted to Safe Distancing Enforcement Officers to enter, inspect and search various premises without a warrant to check for compliance with COVID-19 regulations (a) under what circumstances are such powers exercised; (b) what procedures are in place during the exercise of such powers; and (c) what measures and safeguards are in place to ensure the safety and protection of enforcement officers and premise owners during such checks.
*51.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what are the operating procedures and protocols that the Safe Distancing Enforcement Officers observe when they enter and inspect residential premises; and (b) what are the feedback received from the public on the conduct of safe distancing enforcements.

No.

38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 9 *52.


Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry will consider allowing fully vaccinated workers living in dormitories back into the community under strict safe management measures; (b) if so, when; and (c) if not, why not.

*53.
*53.

Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what caused the recent COVID-19 outbreak in foreign worker dormitories such as North Coast Lodge; (b) how are workers monitored to ensure that they leave the dormitories only for approved purposes; and (c) whether locking down dormitories continues to be justified in the light of the Government’s strategy to treat COVID-19 as endemic.

*54.
*54.

Dr Shahira Abdullah: To ask the Minister for Manpower with regard to the status of mental wellness of migrant workers in dormitories (a) what is the expected timeline in which the movement restriction orders on migrant workers in dormitories can be relaxed; and (b) what are the future plans to manage the mental wellness of these workers.

*55.

Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for Manpower when will foreign workers who are currently isolated in dormitories be reintegrated with the wider society.
*56.

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what have been the modes of transmission of COVID-19 infections at bus interchanges; (b) whether any commuters have been infected at bus interchanges or while on buses with infected bus captains; and (c) whether public transport companies will be requiring all their bus captains to be vaccinated.

*57.
*57.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Transport in view of the recent high COE prices for motorcycles, whether the Ministry will consider providing subsidies to help delivery riders better afford the purchase of motorcycles.

*58.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs what steps will be taken to address the recent incident involving gun parts and other controlled items being offered for sale on several e-commerce platforms in Singapore.

*59.
*59.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Transport in light of the recent incident where an MRT commuter had climbed over the station platform door to access the train tracks (a) how are safety protocols enhanced to prevent similar incidences from occurring in future; and (b) whether there are plans to raise the height of the station platform doors for above-ground stations.

No.

38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 10 *60.

*61.

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Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Health whether the Medicines (Advertisement and Sale) Act is sufficient to prohibit any advertisements and false claims relating to the treatment of medical conditions especially with current fast-emerging digital media platforms.
Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Health given the recent case where a health supplement company is fined for making false cancer cure claims, how does the Ministry balance public health protection and unnecessary restriction of consumer choice.
Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry is currently working with other agencies to issue import alerts for companies operating in dietary supplements, natural health, and sports nutrition so as to timeously remove any unsafe supplement product.

*63.
Mr Ang Wei Neng: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) from January 2021 to date, what is the breakdown on the number of foreign workers that have entered Singapore who are (i) domestic helpers (ii) S Pass holders (iii) Employment Pass holders and (iv) other work permit holders; (b) how many foreign workers have been tested positive for COVID-19 under each category; and (c) of those who have been tested positive for COVID-19 from each category, how many have suffered serious symptoms which required oxygen ventilators or to be warded in Intensive Care Units.
*64.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Transport as Singapore prepares to open up its borders more extensively once a large majority of its population has received their full COVID-19 vaccination, what measures will be in place to ensure that only visitors to Singapore with authentic evidence of proof of COVID-19 vaccination in their home countries are allowed to enter Singapore.

*65.
*65.

Mr Seah Kian Peng: To ask the Minister for Transport with regard to the recently announced quarantine-free travel lanes for vaccinated passengers going to and from Germany, what safeguards are in place to ensure that such passengers do not travel unrestricted within Europe before coming to Singapore whilst enjoying this privilege.

*66.
*66.

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether NEA can work with the hawker centre cleaners and the public to assist the handicapped and very frail seniors to return their food trays rather than to impose the fine on them.

*67.
*67.

Mr Darryl David: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether there are any mitigation plans to counter the possible effects of cleaner redundancies that may arise from the tray-return policy in public dining places.

No.

38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 11 *68.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what are the most common causes of non-residential fires this year; and (b) what measures are in place to help prevent such fires.

*69.
*69.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether the differentiated treatment between vaccinated and unvaccinated residents will cause Singaporeans to be divided; and (b) how can the Government encourage more residents to be vaccinated without dividing the community.

*70.
*70.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: To ask the Minister for Health whether the introduction of the $30.00 HPB voucher as an incentive to those who successfully refer a senior aged 60 and older to get vaccinated discriminates against those who had persuaded their senior parents to get vaccinated earlier.

*71.
*71.

Ms Carrie Tan: To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry will review the plans for making teachers take on teaching-counselling hybrid roles given the vastly different roles and responsibilities of each that can add to additional stress for teachers; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider setting up an allied unit of specially trained and dedicated mental health support staff in the Ministry to support educators on the ground with mental health care for students.

*72.
*72.

Mr Darryl David: To ask the Minister for Education whether mental health first aid training can be incorporated for all educators and students in secondary and tertiary institutions.

*73.
Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether schools follow and apply the tripartite advisory on mental well-being in the workplace for their staff; (b) whether teachers and other staff in schools have access to free or subsidised mental health consultations and treatment; (c) whether the Ministry reviews the mental well-being of staff in schools as part of the risk assessment of workplace health; and (d) whether the Ministry can commit to regularly publish more details of such risk assessments, if any.
*74.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Ministry can provide an assessment of the effectiveness of existing property cooling measures; (b) whether the objectives of these measures have been met; and (c) whether the Government will consider increasing the supply of land for private housing to meet demand.

*75.
*75.

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) which countries has Singapore donated COVID-19 vaccines to; (b) how many doses have been donated to each of these countries; (c) what is the total cost of these donations; and (d) what are the considerations for donations to higher income countries like Brunei which have the financial means to purchase their own vaccines.

No.

38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 12 *76.


Ms Poh Li San: To ask the Minister for Transport in view of the work-from- home trend, whether LTA will review whether there should be a delay in the commencement date of ERP 2.0 especially if peak hour traffic condition is less congested than pre-COVID-19 days.

*77.
*77.

Mr Alex Yam Ziming: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the estimated number of employees who are likely to require regular testing under the new “Vaccinate or Regular Test” regime; (b) who will bear the costs of the twice weekly antigen rapid test; and (c) whether there will be any legal protection afforded to employers or employees in the event of a disagreement on the apportionment of costs for such testing and, if so, what are these protections.

*78.
*78.

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for Finance in light of the recent upgrade to GDP growth forecasts for 2021 (a) whether there are plans to cease provision of financial support for sectors hardest hit by the pandemic; and (b) whether additional support may help or hinder the re- allocation of workers across sectors over time, if provided.

*79.
*79.

Ms Foo Mee Har: To ask the Prime Minister (a) whether the increase in personal debt amongst young adults below 30 years old in the past year is sustainable; and (b) what preventive measures can be put in place to avoid youth indebtedness from taking root in Singapore.

*80.

Ms Hany Soh: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth how can the Ministry encourage Singaporeans to both celebrate our athletes’ victories and honour their efforts in their setbacks.

*81.
*81.

Mr Darryl David: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) whether there are plans to conduct a review of Singaporean athletes' performance at the recent 2020 Tokyo Olympics; and (b) how will this review be incorporated into any strategic plan for the 2024 Olympics.

*82.
*82.

Ms Hany Soh: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth what is the level of support provided to Singapore athletes in terms of mental and emotional wellness that will assist them in their preparation and recovery before and after major sports competitions.

*83.
*83.

Mr Raj Joshua Thomas: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth what are the steps taken by the Government to encourage more private sector contributions to the Singapore National Paralympic Council such that Paralympic medal winners can get the same quantum of cash rewards as Olympic medal winners.

No.

38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 13 *84.


Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for National Development whether an independent environmental impact assessment has been conducted on the development plans for Dover Forest and, if not, whether it can be conducted before any development takes place there.

*85.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for National Development what are some of the areas in which the Ministry has begun adopting sustainability practices in Singapore.

*86.
*86.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether NEA currently requires Management Corporations Strata Titles or their managing agents to clean all common touch points in the immediate vicinity of any positive COVID-19 case; and (b) if it is not currently doing so, whether NEA will consider doing so.

*87.
*87.

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Health (a) to date, how many individuals have been assessed to have contraindications to COVID-19 mRNA vaccines; and (b) whether these individuals can be provided with a free consultation with an allergist to help them choose suitable vaccines to receive based on the latest medical findings and safety data.

*88.
*88.

Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng: To ask the Minister for Health what support measures will be granted to persons with disabilities, the young and elderly, who are served with SHN/Quarantine Orders and are deemed to be unable to do so on their own or in unfamiliar physical settings.

*89.
*89.

Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Education (a) for the past three years including year-to-date, what is the annual household expenditure on private tuition; and (b) whether the Ministry would consider implementing restrictions on the private tuition industry like what is being done in China, with the intention of reducing students' workload and mental stress.

*90.
*90.

Ms Foo Mee Har: To ask the Minister for Health how family members can get support to arrange professional help for a member of the family who suffers from mental health issues but who refuses to consult a doctor.

*91.
*91.

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Health in light of the various initiatives supported by the Silver Volunteer Fund to grow senior volunteerism in Singapore, whether the Ministry will consider training senior volunteers as unqualified health workers as first responders to help people with mental health issues, much like the Friendship Bench project in Zimbabwe which has assisted many suffering from depression and other mental health issues.

No.

38 *92.
38 *92.

14 SEPTEMBER 2021 14 Dr Shahira Abdullah: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether there are any statistics on the amount of antidepressants prescribed annually to patients under 21 years old; (b) what is the medical protocol and considerations for dispensing antidepressants to patients under 21 years old to mitigate the known risks associated with the use of antidepressants; and (c) how are patients or caregivers alerted to the risks and the required supervision in the use of antidepressants.
*93.

Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the projected number of job seekers who may expect to benefit from the Skills Path Initiative; (b) whether the Ministry has firm plans and a timeline to include more occupations under the Skills Path Initiative; and (c) whether the National Jobs Council will be involved in curating the available courses.

*94.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for National Development in light of changing weather patterns (a) how has the changing weather patterns affected the landscaping in HDB estates; (b) whether town councils are working closely with NParks to revise the recommended maintenance schedules according to weather patterns and their effect on different plant species; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider including landscaping in the town council management report considering its importance in reducing carbon emissions.
*95.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) in the past five years, what is the annual number of food poisoning cases that have occurred as a result of consuming food sold by home-based food businesses; and (b) what are the food hygiene safety standards imposed on home-based food businesses.

*96.
*96.

Ms Foo Mee Har: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what is the current number of home-based food businesses operating in Singapore; (b) what has been its growth trend in the last three years; and (c) how can such businesses be supported with some form of licensing requirements tailored to home kitchens to support the sustainable growth of this sector.

*97.
*97.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) teach graduating students about key employment and workplace rights; (b) whether students in our IHLs learn about Singapore's unique model of tripartism; and (c) whether the Ministry can review whether there is a need to equip graduating cohorts of students with the necessary knowledge on their workplace rights and tripartism in Singapore.

No.

38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 15 *98.


Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for Health (a) in respect of fully vaccinated individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 locally, what are their average recovery times; (b) whether the Ministry has conducted any study of the duration of COVID-19 infection in these individuals; and (c) if so, whether such study also confirms that the risk of transmission between fully vaccinated individuals is lower as compared to unvaccinated individuals.

*99.
*99.

Ms Poh Li San: To ask the Minister for Health (a) of all the COVID-19 deaths in August 2021, how many of them are from the same clusters; and (b) whether all the COVID-19 deaths and those admitted to ICU since May 2021 have been due to the Delta variant.

*100.
*100.

Ms Hany Soh: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether all polyclinics provide sheltered drop-off and barrier-free access for those with mobility issues; (b) whether any of these facilities have been temporarily removed due to the current COVID-19 situation; and (c) whether the Ministry will review these facilities at Woodlands Polyclinic to ensure that parents with young children and seniors with mobility issues can access the clinic in a more efficient manner especially during wet weather.

*101.
*101.

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry: To ask the Minister for National Development whether HDB will consider allowing self-employed persons to use their liquidatable financial investments, such as stocks and bonds, as an equivalent to bank savings to meet the Home Loan Eligibility criteria, as many young Singaporeans invest in stocks and bonds instead of low-yielding saving deposits.

*102.
*102.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the Ministry will consider reducing the amount of lights emitted by public and commercial buildings at night; and (b) whether there are plans to gradually replace the lights in the public areas with ambient light sensors to reduce unnecessary energy consumption.

*103.
*103.

Mr Ang Wei Neng: To ask the Minister for National Development what is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on (i) the number of HDB flats to be approved per year under the Home Improvement Programme from 2021 onwards (ii) the progress of the existing Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) and (iii) the number of HDB blocks to be approved for future LUP.

*104.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Finance with regard to the Government’s method of assessing and reporting average effective corporate tax rates for Singapore companies (a) whether chargeable income is that before or after the partial tax exemption and start-up tax exemption; (b) whether there is any netting off of losses of loss-making companies against the chargeable income of other profitable but unrelated companies; and (c) whether the denominator is based on chargeable income as defined under Section 38 of the Income Tax Act.
No.

38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 16 *105.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what are the working hours and salaries of nurses in the intermediate and long-term care (ILTC) sector as compared to nurses in the public healthcare sector; and (b) what measures will be taken to enhance the attractiveness and career prospects in the ILTC sector to encourage more Singaporeans to join.

*106.
*106.

Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Transport what are the implications on the standards and safety of the Thomson-East Coast and Cross Island MRT Lines arising from the actions of a former deputy group director of LTA who has admitted in court to numerous corrupt transactions involving contractors working on the Lines.

*107.
*107.

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry: To ask the Minister for National Development whether HDB will review ways to narrow the gap between Cash Over Valuation (COV) and the valuation of a HDB flat as the current high COV has made it hard for young couples to buy resale flats which is the popular option now given the long BTO construction delays.

*108.
*108.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for Transport whether the implementation plan across Singapore for electric vehicle (EV) charging points will be a replica of the eight EV-ready towns.

*109.
*109.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the impact of the Pegasus, a sophisticated cyber surveillance tool, that has been reportedly used against journalists, government leaders, politicians, academics, rights campaigners and others in about 50 countries including Singapore, on the national security of Singapore; and (b) what steps are being taken to deal with the threat posed by Pegasus.

*110.
*110.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry will consider requiring lorries that are used to ferry any persons in their rear decks to be fitted with rain covers which are typically waterproof canvas tarps that are installed on the sides of the rear deck.

*111.
*111.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what is the total number of buildings that are required to undergo the Periodic Facade Inspection (PFI) currently; (b) of the buildings that have undergone PFI, how many of these buildings require a full facade investigation; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider increasing the frequency of PFI especially for older buildings.

No.

38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 17 *112.


Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo: To ask the Prime Minister with regard to the observations of weaknesses in IT controls highlighted in the Report of the Auditor-General for the Financial Year 2020/2021 (a) to what extent has technology been used in public sector entities to administer and manage user access and controls; and (b) how is artificial intelligence and analytics used to monitor and flag irregularities and to derive insights.
* Members may postpone their Questions to a later sitting day if their Questions are not reached by the end of Question Time (QT).

For such Questions, Members may email to parl_cop@parl.gov.sg in advance a postponement notice that will be effected after QT.

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

Questions will be given a written answer if no such notices are received by the Clerk within the stipulated time.
ORDERS OF THE DAY AND NOTICES OF MOTION (Those marked  are Orders of the Day) 1.

Courts (Civil and Criminal Justice) Reform Bill [Bill No.

18/2021] – (Minister for Law).

Resumption of Debate on Question (13 September 2021) “That the Bill be now read a second time.”.

– (Minister for Law).

[For amendments on the Bill, see Supplement No.

6 dated 14 September 2021.]

2.

COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Amendment No.

4) Bill [Bill No.

25/2021] – (Minister for Law) – Second Reading No.


38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 18 3.
Minister for Finance: SECURING SINGAPOREANS’ JOBS AND LIVELIHOODS: That this House: (a) acknowledges Singaporeans’ anxieties about jobs and competition in a globalised and fast-changing economy; (b) affirms Singapore’s need to stay open and connected to the world in order to grow and prosper; (c) supports Government actions to manage the population of foreign manpower, ensure fair treatment by employers, and invest in education and upskilling, to create more good jobs for Singaporeans; (d) calls on the Government to continue to update and improve its policies to secure the well-being and livelihoods of Singaporeans in an uncertain post- pandemic world; and (e) deplores attempts to spread misinformation about free trade agreements like the Singapore-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), stir up racism and xenophobia, and cause fear and anxiety amongst Singaporeans.
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 4.

Mr Leong Mun Wai (Non-Constituency Member) Ms Hazel Poa (Non-Constituency Member): FOREIGN TALENT POLICY: That this Parliament calls upon the Government to take urgent and concrete action to address the widespread anxiety among Singaporeans on jobs and livelihoods caused by the foreign talent policy and the provisions on Movement of Natural Persons in some free trade agreements like the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.

2 4 QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER 1.

2.


Mr Abdul Samad: To ask the Prime Minister with regard to older workers employed in the public service who are above 60 years old, how many have been offered re-employment (i) in the past five years and (ii) in the past 10 years.
Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Prime Minister whether MAS will consider requiring all banks, including digital banks, and payment firms providing services under the Payment Services Act to disclose what they charge as interchange fees for processing credit card or debit card transactions so as to provide for a more competitive landscape for such services in Singapore.

No.

38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 19 3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.


Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Prime Minister whether the SafeEntry Gateway device can be upgraded to provide an indication of a TraceTogether token or app user’s COVID-19 vaccination status in order to avoid crowding and disputes at access control points.

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Prime Minister (a) to date, how many TraceTogether tokens have been replaced; and (b) what is the average battery lifespan of the tokens.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether Singapore and ASEAN will render any humanitarian assistance to affected civilians or those seeking to evacuate Afghanistan after the takeover of the country by the Taliban and, if so, what are the forms of assistance.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs given the situation in Afghanistan (a) what are the implications on security in Singapore and the neighbouring region; and (b) what are the Ministry's plans to review our SGSecure national terrorism awareness movement to remind residents in Singapore about the importance of staying vigilant and our roles in combating terrorism.
Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs with Afghanistan coming under the control of the Taliban, what is the expected impact on Singapore’s and the region’s security, especially terrorist activities.
Miss Rachel Ong: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many visit or employment passes of Myanmar nationals in Singapore have expired or will be expiring by December 2021; and (b) whether the Ministry provides options for these Myanmar nationals to extend their stay in Singapore on compassionate grounds given the ongoing political situation in Myanmar.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what are the challenges faced by older prison inmates aged 55 years and above in terms of employment, accommodation, rehabilitation and reintegration into society upon their release from prison; and (b) what are the measures and initiatives available during imprisonment and after release to assist elderly inmates to better prepare themselves upon release from prison, having regard to their accommodation, health and retirement needs.

10.
10.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs in respect of cyclists who ride against the traffic or beat red lights (a) what is the duty of care expected by the Traffic Police of all motorists (who are otherwise traversing public roads lawfully) towards such cyclists; (b) whether motorists will be penalised by way of demerit points or fines in the event of any ensuing accident; and (c) what actions will be taken against such cyclists for accidents caused as a result.

No.
No.

38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 20 11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether he can provide an update on the resumption of travel for business and leisure purposes; and (b) whether quarantines will be necessary.

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Transport in light of the pandemic situation moving into an endemic one, what plans are in place for the gradual opening of borders with other countries.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) in the past five years, how many accidents have occurred at signalled traffic junctions with discretionary turns; and (b) what is the breakdown of such accidents in terms of percentage involving (i) pedestrians (ii) motorcyclists and (iii) cyclists or other personal mobility aid devices respectively.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether the recent rise in motorcycle COEs is viewed more as a transitory or permanent phenomenon; and (b) what mitigation mechanisms is the Ministry considering for each of these instances, to assist those who utilise motorcycles primarily for the purposes of work.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) in the first eight months of 2021, how many (i) cyclists and (ii) riders of power assisted bicycles, have been caught for or found not wearing helmets while cycling on the roads; and (b) of these numbers, how many received punishments and what is the range of the punishments given.
Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Education whether he can provide a status update on the resumption of in-person Co-Curricular Activity in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.
Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Education (a) in each of the last five years, how many full-time school counsellors applied to join the Ministry as applicants (i) with and (ii) without formal counselling training; and (b) what is the percentage of Ministry staff performing counselling duties (excepting para- counsellors) who hold (i) NIE’s Diploma in School Counselling (ii) NIE’s Master of Arts (Counselling and Guidance) (iii) other diploma counselling qualifications (iv) other Masters counselling qualifications and (v) other relevant counselling qualifications.
Dr Shahira Abdullah: To ask the Minister for Education with regard to schools and institutes of higher learning respectively (a) what is the current average staff to student ratio for (i) full-time school counsellors (ii) part-time school counsellors (iii) para-counsellors (iv) flexi-adjunct school counsellors and (v) teacher counsellors; (b) whether the Ministry is working towards an improved ratio and, if so, what are the plans to achieve that; and (c) whether there are reviews on how manageable the re-balanced teaching and counselling workloads are for teacher counsellors.
No.

38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 21 19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Education whether there are plans to expand offerings of non-standard subjects such as music or third language, for them to be directly available at neighbourhood secondary schools, in particular at Sengkang and Punggol.
Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Finance (a) what support is available to companies such as food manufacturers, caterers and event companies which have been deeply affected by the halting of external events where food and beverages are served; and (b) how may such companies qualify for higher tiers of the Jobs Support Scheme.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Finance (a) what is the Government’s average late payment rate to its vendors each year since 2018; (b) by when does the Government aim to reach its target late payment rate of below 5%; (c) what factors contribute to late payment and what steps are being taken to minimise these; (d) what is the take-up rate for InvoiceNow; and (e) what steps are taken to encourage these vendors to take up InvoiceNow to help them to be paid quicker.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) for each year in the past five years, what percentage of social service agencies adopt the salary guidelines of the National Council of Social Services; (b) what are the main reasons provided by social service agencies for not adopting the guidelines; and (c) if this information not currently available, whether the Ministry will start tracking this information.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) for each year in the past five years, what are the average and median numbers of (i) group 2 cases (ii) group 3 cases and (iii) group 4 cases respectively that are handled by a social worker; and (b) if this information is not currently available, whether the Ministry will start tracking this information.
Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for Health to date, how many residents have been followed up by medical practitioners and found suitable for and received vaccinations under the COVID‐19 vaccination programme at the hospitals, polyclinics and private clinics.
Miss Rachel Ong: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the current percentage of seniors aged 65 years and above staying alone who are connected to befriending or social services with regular check-ins; (b) how does the Government identify and update the database of seniors staying alone; and (c) what is the implementation progress of the new eldercare centre service model rolled out in May 2021 specifically in the befriending initiative.

No.

38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 22 26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

32.


Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will be able to provide additional guidance to assist doctors in spotting signs of abuse in foreign domestic workers as not all signs of abuse are in visible areas or may be non-physical.
Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Health with regard to private healthcare providers, whether the Ministry will consider requiring them to adhere to the Ministry’s data maintenance and protection protocol and only utilise IT hardware, software and services approved by the Ministry to protect patient information.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what protocols and procedures are in place to allow individuals to seek medical attention from healthcare facilities when currently serving a quarantine order (QO) or Stay-Home Notice (SHN); and (b) how has this information been conveyed to healthcare facilities.
Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) to date, how many Singaporeans are assessed to have allergic reactions to the first dose of a mRNA COVID-19 vaccine; (b) whether there is data on the current number of these Singaporeans who have registered for the Sinovac vaccine and the average waiting time before receiving the first dose; and (c) whether the Ministry can facilitate a subsidised referral to an allergy specialist for these Singaporeans seeking a reassessment of their allergy status in order to receive the second dose of a mRNA vaccine.
Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Health with regard to the utilisation of the COVID-19 Enquiries hotline during the resumption of the Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) (a) whether the Ministry can provide information on (i) the number of calls received during this period and (ii) the overall utilisation percentage of the hotline capacity; (b) what proportion of the time was the hotline at peak utilisation; and (c) what is the number of calls that are (i) unanswered (ii) dropped while queueing for an operator and (iii) where the caller has waited for more than 30 minutes before reaching an operator.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Health (a) over the past 10 years, how many new nurses from the Philippines have been hired annually in our local healthcare system; and (b) whether this number has significantly reduced since the COVID-19 pandemic started.
Mr Sharael Taha: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the reason for the long lead time of one year to implement the new changes to MediShield Life coverage for cancer treatment; and (b) whether the changes to the MediShield Life coverage announced in August 2021 can be implemented as soon as possible rather than only in September 2022.

No.

38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 23 33.

34.

35.

36.

37.

38.

39.
Dr Shahira Abdullah: To ask the Minister for Health as specialised subsidised dental treatment is currently only available for patients with internal referrals made to the dental clinic within the same hospital (a) whether subsidised specialised dental treatment can be extended to external referral sources such as polyclinics, public healthcare institutions and government agencies; (b) what is the current waiting list for specialised dental care at the current dental National Specialty Centres; and (c) what is the percentage of in- patient referrals that are seen at the hospital dental clinics currently.
Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information whether grants can be given specifically for content creation so as to assist SMEs in not only transitioning to a digital market but continuing to remain competitive and attractive to potential customers.
Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for National Development whether HDB will consider allowing permanent resident (PR) applicants to purchase a resale HDB flat when they do not have a Singaporean joint applicant on the condition that such PR applicants must be PRs for at least three years before the purchase, with a view to extending this period.
Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for National Development having regard to the COVID-19 pandemic experience, whether the Ministry intends to impose regulations setting minimum indoor air quality standards and requiring the installation of carbon dioxide monitors and air filters for all public and commercial buildings.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) in the past five years what is the number of cases where parts of a building facade have dislodged; (b) what is the cause of the incident that led to decorative features on a concrete roof at 3013 Bedok Industrial Park E falling off; and (c) whether there is a need to review and shorten the frequency of facade inspection for non-residential buildings.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for National Development with regard to the retention of a matrimonial flat upon divorce (a) whether HDB will consider reviewing its prescribed eligibility conditions to allow a divorcee below 35 years old, and without children from the marriage, to retain their matrimonial flat; (b) if not, why not; and (c) how many of such cases have been handled by HDB annually over the last five years.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) what are the parameters that determine the cash incentive amounts offered under the Major Games Award Programme of the Singapore National Olympic Council; and (b) why is there a distinction between the Olympics and Paralympics/Special Olympics given that these all occur at comparable international levels and are recognised by the International Olympic Committee.

No.

38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 24 40.

41.

42.

43.

44.

45.


Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether there have been incidences in the past year of pregnant employees leaving the workforce over fears of contracting COVID-19; and (b) whether the Ministry is looking into drawing up initiatives to protect the rights of pregnant employees before they can be safely vaccinated.
Ms Ng Ling Ling: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether there is a plan and timeline for the easing of movement restrictions and involvement in more social activities for migrant workers, especially those who have been vaccinated, to ensure that their mental well-being is taken care of.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Manpower in respect of migrant workers in dormitories who have had their movements restricted for over a year (a) what percentage of these migrant workers have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19; (b) whether Singapore’s plan to treat COVID-19 as “endemic” extends to these migrant workers and, if so, how so; (c) whether the Government is looking into easing these movement restrictions; and (d) if so, what is the timeline for easing restrictions.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether there are any regulations governing the use of the number of days of sick leave taken as a key performance indicator, for employees who are eligible for sick leave and whose leave is certified by a medical practitioner.
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: To ask the Minister for Manpower from 2014 to 2021, what has been the annual number of complaints of discrimination which the Ministry or the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (i) received (ii) investigated (iii) mediated (iv) resolved and (v) prosecuted.

Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: To ask the Minister for Manpower from 2014 to 2021, what is the annual breakdown of discrimination complaints for the different categories of discrimination.
2021 S. 150 PAPERS PRESENTED Date Presented Enterprise Singapore's Annual Report 2020/2021 and FY 2020 Audited Financial Statements ..... 13 September 2021 S. 151 JTC Corporation Annual Report FY 2020 ..... 13 September 2021 No.

38 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 25 PAPERS PRESENTED - continued 2021 S. 152 Date Presented Economic Development Board Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements 2020/2021 ..... 13 September 2021