Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698839161225.pdf (Singapore)
FOURTEENTH PARLIAMENT OF SINGAPORE ___________________ FIRST SESSION ___________________ ORDER PAPER WEDNESDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2022 No.

71 11.30 am 1 QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER* *1.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Prime Minister whether and, if so, how has the Ministry been working with family offices in Singapore to deepen investments in local companies.

*2.
*2.

Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng: To ask the Minister for Education when and how are salary scale and benefit reviews conducted and recommended for (i) educators from mainstream schools, preschools and special education schools and (ii) other staff such as education psychologists, job coach therapists and school leaders serving in these education institutions.

*3.
*3.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Prime Minister (a) whether the Government can provide updates on (i) the progress of the framework for the equitable sharing of losses suffered by scam victims and (ii) the work of the Payments Council in reviewing the practices that the financial industry can put in place to better protect consumers from scams; and (b) what are current and upcoming efforts of Project Frontier and the Inter-Ministry Committee on Scams on combating scams.

*4.
*4.

Ms Yeo Wan Ling: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether there has been an increasing number of feedback received on insect or mosquito bites in areas where Project Wolbachia was introduced despite that these male Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes do not bite; and (b) whether the Ministry will provide resources to residents or neighbourhoods experiencing such a situation to address these feedback.

No.

71 5 OCTOBER 2022 2 *5.


Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the Ministry is aware of and has reviewed studies conducted by other countries which have found that people exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to be suffering from depression, anxiety, stress, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and dementia; and (b) if so, whether the Ministry will review policies on tackling secondhand smoke at homes in light of these studies.

*6.
*6.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what is the current ratio of bicycle parking lots per MRT station; (b) what will this ratio be by 2025, when 3,000 more bicycle parking lots are provided; and (c) what is the Ministry’s target ratio and number of lots expected by 2040, as part of the Land Transport Master Plan 2040.

*7.
*7.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) whether the Ministry is considering a minimum age limit for children to join social media platforms, to mitigate the potential harm that social media sites can cause on young children; and (b) whether the Ministry has studied any overseas jurisdictions that have successfully implemented age verification for the use of social media platforms.

*8.

*9.
*8.

*9.

Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Education whether the Ministry has plans to review polytechnic semester breaks so that they are aligned with the primary and secondary school holidays.

Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Education whether the Ministry has plans to align the semestral schedules of the Pre-Employment Training programme and Continuing Education and Training programme in the Institutes of Higher Learning.

*10.
*10.

Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo: To ask the Minister for National Development since HDB has applied the Universal Design (UD) concept for flats built from 2006 to make them functional, accessible and safe (a) whether it is feasible to incorporate the UD concept for flats built before 2006 to better support seniors and those with mobility challenges living in these older flats; and (b) if so, whether there are plans to do so.

*11.
*11.

Mr Darryl David: To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the number of primary school students requiring counselling for mental health issues have risen in the last five years; and (b) how are such students managed as they transition into secondary school and beyond.

*12.
*12.

Ms Yeo Wan Ling: To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether MOE Kindergartens (MK) have in-house programmes for special needs children; (b) whether these programmes prepare their special needs students for mainstream primary schools; and (c) how many special needs children are in the MK system currently.

No.

71 5 OCTOBER 2022 3 *13.


Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what are the indicators used by the Government to measure the impact of grants such as the Productivity Solutions Grant on the firm-level productivity of SMEs and micro-SMEs that have taken up such grants; and (b) whether the Ministry can publish all grant KPIs and outcomes in yearly reports in aggregate terms.

*14.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development with the impending digitalisation of the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) process (a) whether the related website and apps will be available in the four national languages for users who are less familiar with the English language; (b) whether smart technology will be leveraged on to provide relevant recommendations, fill up forms and skip irrelevant features based on the users’ profile; and (c) whether residents will get access to training and assistance with registering their LPA through the system.
*15.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Law whether the Ministry will require overseas entities wanting to buy, sell or transfer properties in Singapore to register with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority and disclose the beneficial owners and principal officers of the entities along the lines of what has been introduced in United Kingdom in August 2022 as a measure against money laundering.

*16.
*16.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the Ministry will consider increasing the value of the $150 Climate-Friendly Households Programme e-voucher for energy-efficient refrigerators given the significantly higher cost of a three-tick refrigerator; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider covering more aspects of residents’ emission-emitting activities, such as through offering vouchers for bicycles.

*17.
*17.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment in view of the low take-up rate of the Climate-Friendly Households Programme, whether the Ministry has surveyed eligible households and conducted outreach to better understand the reasons for the low take-up rate.

*18.
*18.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Education having regard to the trend of students taking the International Baccalaureate instead of the GCE “A” levels, the continued popularity of polytechnics amongst students eligible for junior colleges and overseas universities offering places to students who complete pre-university foundation courses, whether there will be a review to ensure the continued relevance of the GCE “A" level curriculum at MOE schools.

No.

71 5 OCTOBER 2022 4 *19.


Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Health what is the current breakdown by (i) registered and (ii) enrolled nurses for the nurse-to-patient ratios in general wards and intensive care units respectively.

*20.
*20.

Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether in planning of responses to monkeys in the urban environment, NParks has considered the proximity of monkey invasions to residents' homes, nursing homes and places of care for the elderly, preschool and childcare facilities; and (b) what measures are available to assist residents, especially children, who may be attacked or injured by monkeys.

*21.
*21.

Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Health in view of the recent case of a patient undergoing liver transplant shortly after cancer surgery (a) whether there are codes of practice for healthcare institutions presenting novel therapies; and (b) how long does a patient have to proceed with treatment after a novel therapy before being pronounced cancer-free.

*22.
Ms Ng Ling Ling: To ask the Minister for Transport in view of the higher proportion of seniors involved in road traffic accidents (a) whether the Ministry can explain LTA’s planning norms for safe road crossing; (b) what are the criteria used to determine whether an overhead bridge with lifts or an underpass will be built despite their higher costs; and (c) whether LTA has or will adopt a design approach of co-creating with senior residents on where natural crossings need to be set up, especially in estates with more senior residents.
*23.

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Health whether the annual MediSave withdrawal limits for chronic disease management will be completely lifted under Healthier SG.

*24.
*24.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Law having regard to the current adoption rate of electronic fund transfers and cases involving payments to erroneous accounts, whether the Ministry will consider amending the Small Claims Tribunal Act 1984 to provide cost-effective and quick civil measures to recover misdirected funds.

*25.
*25.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry will consider mandating all MOE schools to offer staggered working hours for teachers instead of allowing this to be at their discretion; and (b) if not, why and what steps will the Ministry take to increase the number of schools offering staggered working hours for teachers.

*26.
*26.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Manpower what is the current average unemployment rate for Singapore citizens and permanent residents whose highest attained qualification is a postgraduate degree.

No.

71 5 OCTOBER 2022 5 *27.


Ms Poh Li San: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many fires have occurred in waste recycling collection sites in 2021 and thus far in 2022; (b) whether the facilities are required to install fire suppressant equipment in view of the flammable nature of recyclable waste such as paper and plastic; and (c) what measures does NEA impose on waste recycling companies to reduce the incidence of industrial fires.

*28.
*28.

Mr Don Wee: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether the Ministry has data on how often fare evasions by passengers of taxi and private hire vehicles are reported to their respective companies and LTA; (b) if so, what is the data; (c) what is the proportion of cases of successful fare recovery; and (d) what measures, which should include improving the fare evasion reporting procedures to LTA, are in place to enhance assistance to drivers to recover their fares.

*29.
*29.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Education (a) what is the number of academic and non-academic staff employed by Institutes of Higher Learning who are on Employment Passes and S Passes respectively; (b) what is the number of employees on S Passes who are PhD holders, if any; and (c) what roles do they hold.

*30.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Transport with regard to the two trial sandboxes for battery swapping for electric motorcycles (a) what are the takeaways from the experience of Taiwan especially in relation to the risk of lithium-ion-battery fires; (b) whether the number of electric motorcycles will increase from the current number of 26 during the 12-month trial period; and (c) whether battery-swapping electric motorcycles are expected to be used predominantly for commercial point-to-point services.
*31.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry of the natural gas used for electricity generation in Singapore (a) what is the current proportion derived from piped natural gas versus shipped liquefied natural gas; and (b) what has been the year-to-date price change in fuel costs for each source of natural gas.

*32.
*32.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether there are still provisions for the passenger handling capacity of Changi Airport's Terminal 5 to reach 70 million passengers a year; and (b) when is full completion of Terminal 5 expected.

*33.
*33.

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Health whether residents who have been seeking outpatient medical treatment at polyclinics will be expected to switch to seeking treatment from their enrolled private family doctors under Healthier SG.

No.

71 5 OCTOBER 2022 6 *34.


Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) how are HDB rental housing eligibility criteria and rental rates affected by the increase in wages arising from the progressive wage model; and (b) whether low-wage earners who may become ineligible for rental housing or who have to pay higher rents as a result of higher wages will be discouraged from renting HDB flats.

*35.
*35.

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Health whether patients’ costs for (i) outpatient consultations and (ii) drugs at their enrolled family doctor under Healthier SG will be the same as that charged at polyclinics, without any deliberate increases in polyclinic charges to achieve parity.

*36.
*36.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry tracks the current level of utilisation of the electric vehicles for lease at carparks managed by HDB or URA, whether in terms of non-idle time, number of distinct users or otherwise.

*37.

Ms Hazel Poa: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) which agencies have provided feedback on the materiality of the letter of consent for spouses of Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass holders; and (b) when was the feedback given.

*38.
*38.

Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether there is redundancy capacity at Mandai Crematorium to hedge against crematorium downtime.

* Members may postpone their Questions to a later sitting day if their Questions are not reached by the end of Question Time (QT).

For such Questions, Members may email to parl_cop@parl.gov.sg in advance a postponement notice that will be effected after QT.
Members must submit their notices to the Clerk within one hour after the end of QT (SO 22(3)).

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

No.

71 5 OCTOBER 2022 7 ORDER OF THE DAY 1.

BUILDING A HEALTHIER SG: Resumption of Debate on Question (4 October 2022) – BUILDING A HEALTHIER SG: That this House endorses Paper Cmd.
19 of 2022 on “White Paper on Healthier SG” as the basis to transform our healthcare system by (a) focusing strongly on preventive care; (b) fostering lasting relationships between residents and family doctors; and (c) building strong partnerships within the community, so as to support individuals taking care of their own health and wellness and strive towards our vision of long and healthy lives for Singaporeans.

– (Minister for Health).


2 4 6 MEMORANDUM Matter proposed to be raised on the Motion for the Adjournment (SO 2(8)(b)).

Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo (East Coast) : Employability: Meaningful Senior Employment and its Value for Businesses and Singapore.

1.

2.
1.

2.

QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) for each of the last three years, how many complaints about noise nuisance or disturbance in (i) common areas of housing estates (ii) coffeeshops or hawker centres and (iii) public entertainment venues are lodged with the Singapore Police Force respectively; and (b) of these, how many are about disturbances before 10.30 pm.
Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Law since the operationalisation of the Protection from Harassment Court (PHC) on 1 June 2021 (a) how many cases are filed with the PHC, broken down into criminal complaints and civil remedies respectively; (b) of the civil cases filed with PHC, how many are successful in obtaining (i) protection orders (ii) mandatory treatment orders and (iii) monetary compensation/damages; and (c) out of the cases filed with criminal complaints, how many are referred to the Public Prosecutor for further action.
No.

71 5 OCTOBER 2022 8 3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Law to date, what is the number of cases filed with the Protection from Harassment Court broken down into (i) sexual harassment (ii) workplace harassment (iii) cyber-bullying (iv) doxxing and (v) harassment by debt collectors, moneylenders, or creditors.
Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Law (a) in each of the past five years, how many Protection Orders (PO) or Expedited Protection Orders (EPO) have been granted under the Protection From Harassment Act 2014; (b) how many orders of committal (for matters before 1 April 2022) or committal orders (for matters on or after 1 April 2022) have been requested; and (c) how many cases of alleged breaches of PO or EPO have been referred to the Public Prosecutor for further investigation and action.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Education for local undergraduates at the autonomous universities, what is the proportion of students who have participated in in-person international exposure opportunities such as student exchange programmes and overseas internships in each year over the last five years.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Education for primary and secondary schools, what is the current median and mean number of students in a class as defined by the grouping of students headed by a form teacher.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development whether there are any ongoing reviews to assess whether the current level of financial support is sufficient for those who are deemed medically unfit for employment but are well enough to perform most Activities of Daily Living.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Health (a) for each year in the past five years, what are the mean and median number of days of annual leave that nurses in restructured hospitals have taken; and (b) if this information is not available, whether the Ministry will start collecting this data.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what are the Ministry’s plans to streamline and enhance the palliative care process across the healthcare continuum; (b) how will the Ministry facilitate closer partnership between Health Promotion Board, Agency for Integrated Care, the Singapore Hospice Council and other organisations with expertise on hospice and palliative care to enhance the local palliative care landscape; and (c) how will hospital discharge processes be simplified with the goal of making it easier for patients to be in their preferred environment in their final moments.
No.

71 5 OCTOBER 2022 9 10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will consider increasing the claim limit of MediShield Life for couples who experience serious pregnancy complications given that the last review was in 2019.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Health in view of the short-term outcome indicators published in the White Paper on Healthier SG, what are the Ministry’s targets within the next three years for (i) resident enrolment rate (ii) proportion of general practitioner clinics offering enrolment (iii) screening rates for chronic diseases and cancer (iv) proportion of diabetes mellitus patients with appropriate screening done and (v) proportion of residents who are actively using the Health 365 app.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Health in view of the medium-term outcome indicators published in the Healthier SG White Paper (a) what is the current (i) obesity rate (ii) avoidable emergency department attendance rate (iii) 365-day readmission rate (iv) average bed-days per capita and (v) admission rate of fall-associated injury among elderly; (b) what is the current proportion of (i) diabetes mellitus (ii) dyslipidemia and (iii) hypertension patients with optimal control; and (c) what are the targets for all the above within ten years of the launch of Healthier SG.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for National Development whether there are plans to build more complexes with integrated inter-generational care facilities like eldercare and childcare in the community to facilitate cross-generation bonding and make it more convenient for sandwiched generations to have their children and parents cared for in the same place.
Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) in the past three years, how many shops in HDB housing estates have opted for the enhanced Revitalisation of Shops (ROS) scheme to upgrade the common property fronting their shops; and (b) what steps can be taken to boost the number of shops participating in the enhanced ROS scheme.
Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for National Development what steps are being considered to assist shops and retail outlets in HDB housing estates to boost their vibrancy and competitiveness and address the general drop in patronage at these locations.
Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) what are the qualifying criteria for merchants to be enrolled under the Community Development Council Vouchers scheme; (b) whether an update can be provided on the number of merchants enrolled in the scheme; and (c) how many applications by merchants to be added in the scheme are unsuccessful.

No.

71 5 OCTOBER 2022 10 17.

18.


Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry obtains assistance from the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau when investigating cases involving kickbacks from workers for employment; (b) if not, why not; and (c) whether the Ministry intends to do so in the future.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether he can provide a breakdown of the number of local workers in the cleaning, security, and landscape sectors respectively, in terms of age groups of (i) below 40 years old (ii) between 40 to 63 years old and (iii) above 63 years old.