Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1694844399628.pdf (Singapore)
THIRTEENTH PARLIAMENT OF SINGAPORE SECOND SESSION ORDER PAPER MONDAY, 4 NOVEMBER 2019 No.

113 12 noon QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER *1.

Mr Ong Teng Koon: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what percentage of Singapore's carbon emissions is currently contributed by air-conditioning, vehicle transport, and waste incineration; and (b) how can Singapore become more efficient in these activities.

*2.
*2.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what is the carbon footprint generated by the waste incineration process in Singapore; and (b) whether measures such as carbon capture and sequestration or carbonation of bottom ash are in place or being considered to reduce this.

*3.

Mr Seah Kian Peng: To ask the Minister for Manpower what can be done to reduce the amount of unclaimed CPF monies going forward.

( *4.
( *4.

Ms Foo Mee Har: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether CPF Board will consider changing the CPF nomination process to facilitate more seamless distribution of deceased CPF members' funds to their loved ones and rightful owners promptly.

*5.
*5.

Mr Chong Kee Hiong: To ask the Minister for Manpower regarding unclaimed CPF monies (a) what are the profiles of these members by age, ethnic group, marital status and education level; (b) what measures does the Ministry have to increase the awareness of nominations such as that of contacting and engaging those above a certain age who have yet to rilake nominations; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider allowing higher withdrawal amounts for those who have no kin to nominate.

*6.
*6.

Assoc Prof Daniel Gob Pei Siong: To ask the Minister for Law (a) whether all efforts have been taken to return the over $200 million in unclaimed CPF monies with no nomination to family members; and (b) whether the paperwork can be made easier for family members to apply to claim the monies.

No.ll3 4 NOVEMBER2019 2 *7.


MrSitoh Yih Pin: To ask the MinisterforTransport(a) what are the Ministry's plans to improve footpath safety back to levels before PMDs were allowed onto footpaths; and (b) what is the estimated time frame that the Ministry has set to achieve this objective.

*8.
*8.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Transport in light of continuing serious casualties caused by PMDs (a) whether the Government will review the viability of PMD use in Singapore under existing regulations; (b) whether the Government intends to introduce new measures to ensure safe use ofPMDs; and (c) whether the Government will consider mandatory safe riding certification courses with disqualification rights under the law like other classes of motorists.

*9.
*9.

Mr Ang Wei Neng: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) how many physical and online retailers have agreed to stop selling e-scooters or PMDs that are non-compliant with the UL2272 standard; (b) what are the measures that LTA has taken to detect physical and online retailers that continue to advertise or sell PMDs that are non-compliant with the UL2272 standard; and (c) what are the punitive measures that LT A can adopt to act against such errant retailers.

*10.
*10.

Mr Lim Biow Cbuan: To ask the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry will increase the number of enforcement teams to actively enforce the rules on the use of PMDs on shared footpaths.

*11.
*11.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what are the measures in place to deter the sale and supply of non-compliant PMDs in Singapore by online suppliers (whether local or overseas based); and (b) whether the Ministry has asked Singapore Customs to help detect and prevent non-compliant PMDs from being brought into Singapore by any supplier or individual.

*12.
Ms Anthea Ong: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what are the criteria used to determine whether Singaporean individuals, firms, or media organisations are at risk of being compromised by foreign influence for national security reasons; (b) whether a list of such individuals or organisations at risk, and the reasons for these risks, will be published; and, (c) whether positions that involve media, communications, or outreach, that address issues of social or political concern should be staffed exclusively by Singaporeans due to the risks of foreign influence.
No.

113 4 NOVEMBER 2019 3 *13.


Assoc Prof Walter Theseira: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what are the facts behind the concerns expressed at the recent Foreign Interference Tactics and Countermeasures Conference that certain activists and media persons are potential agents of foreign influence; and (b) how can influence given that Singaporeans protect themselves against foreign association with and receiving income from foreign sources is common amongst globalised Singapore firms and individuals.
*14.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources in light of plans for a large number of coal-fired and gas-fired Independent Power Producers in the region (a) how many of these projects is Singapore involved in; and (b) how can Singapore play a leading role in renewable energy financing.

*15.
*15.

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources in light of some cities in the region conducting water rationing (a) whether Singapore will suffer the same fate; (b) what is the outlook on water adequacy in Singapore; and (c) what advice does the Ministry have for businesses and residents in Singapore.

*16.
*16.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Health (a) when will the review of the pilot Pre-Implantation Genetic Screening programme be completed; and (b) how will the Ministry determine whether the pilot has been successful.

*17.
*17.

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what is the current application rate for 2-room Flexi flats in general and by singles in particular; and (b) whether HDB will consider making 3-room BTO units available to singles who wish to accommodate their parents.

*18.

Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry what are the achievements of the Overseas Singaporean Unit (OSU) since its formation in 2006.

*19.
*19.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is the impact ofthe haze on tourist arrivals in Singapore; and (b) what has been the impact of haze on attendances at major events here.

*20.

Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Education whether the Government will review the policy regarding usage of the Post-Secondary Education Account (PSAE) to permit withdrawals for tertiary studies at private universities.

No.

113 4 NOVEMBER 2019 4 *21.


Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry: To ask the Minister for Education whether the Ministry will consider expanding the number of SkillsFuture awards for Singaporeans of age 40 and above in view ofthe economic slowdown.

*22.
*22.

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) in the last three years, how many complaints has the Traffic Police received about noisy vehicles; (b) how many of these pertain to Nee Soon South; (c) whether there are adequate speed cameras installed in the areas; and (d) whether the Traffic Police will step up enforcement along Yishun A venue 1 and Yishun Street 51 especially on Friday and Saturday nights.

*23.
*23.

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs how are trafficked victims being assisted while waiting for their cases to be heard and what can be done to better support their rehabilitation.

*24.
*24.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Law (a) what is the trend in 2019 in terms of bankruptcy orders; (b) whether the trend is expected to continue; (c) what is the level of bankruptcy orders compared to that of previous years; and (d) what are the specific factors causing the trend in bankruptcy orders.

*25.
*25.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) how does the Ministry ensure that the food delivery process and carrier bags comply with hygiene standards; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider requiring all food delivery workers to attend compulsory food hygiene and handling courses.

*26.
*26.

Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng: To ask the Prime Minister whether he can provide an update on the efforts in strengthening a Singaporean talent pool in the local finance industry.

*27.

Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo: To ask the Minister for Manpower what is the number of cases and trend of re-employment disputes over the last three years and what were the main issues.

*28.
*28.

Mr Ang Hin Kee: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) how many private hire car operators currently employ permanent residents (PRs) as private hire drivers; (b) what is the total number of PRs hired as such drivers with these operators; and (c) whether the companies are required to post job vacancies on the national Jobs Bank or with other recruitment entities to secure local drivers for the jobs.

No.

113 4 NOVEMBER2019 5 *29.


Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for National Development whether the Ministry will consider banning the practices of declawing cats and debarking dogs in the upcoming review of standards in the pet sector.

*30.
Mr Gao Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) in determining the number of queue numbers to be issued to BTO flat applicants, what is the multiplier used in relation to the number of BTO flats for sale in the non-mature and mature estates respectively; (b) what has been the take-up rate for these applicants in 2016 to 2018 as compared to that in 2013 to 2015; and (c) whether the Ministry will review the BTO application process to allow those who have been given a queue number to drop out sooner so as to expedite the flat selection process.
*31.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) how is NEA working with funeral professionals to ensure that our departed loved ones are treated with dignity when taken into their care; (b) whether there has been any recent consultation with the industry on enhancing present regulations and practices; (c) whether any enhancements are expected; and (d) whether there are plans for a legislative and regulatory framework to govern the industry and to protect bereaved families.
*32.
Ms Yip Pin Xiu: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) what are the sporting targets that are set out for the Singapore Sports School to achieve in the next three years; (b) whether the Singapore Sports School has reached their annual targets in the past three years; (c) which are the top three schools that will have the most athletes representing Singapore in the 2019 SEA Games; (d) how many athletes are from these respective schools; and (e) how many athletes are from the Singapore Sports School.
*33.

Mr Desmond Cboo: To ask the Minister for Defence (a) how many SAF officers are re-employed from 2017 to 20 19; (b) how successful has the Ministry been in helping retired SAF officers to prepare for and find second careers after their retirement; and (c) what are the measures taken to ensure that officers have transferable skills upon retirement.

*34.
*34.

Ms Anthea Ong: To ask the Minister for Education (a) what are the Ministry's plans to make higher education in Singapore more accessible and inclusive for the di:fferently-abled by disabilities; and (b) what are the support schemes, financial or otherwise, that are available to such students.

*35.
*35.

Mr Ong Teng Koon: To ask the Minister for Education what are the performance metrics to track the efficacy of the SkillsFuture programme and how has the programme improved productivity and employment opportunities.

II I li No.

113 4 NOVEMBER 2019 6 *36.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry can strengthen public education to clear misconceptions and fear by women of breast cancer screening.

*37.
*37.

Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the current number of chiropractors and chiropractic chains locally; (b) how many complaints against chiropractors or chiropractic chains have been received over the last five years; and (c) how is the training and qualification of chiropractors different from that of physiotherapists or Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners.

*38.
*38.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the state of retirement adequacy for current and future cohorts of retirees of different income profiles; and (b) what are the projected average monthly CPF Life payouts which each of these income groups are expected to receive when reach payout eligibility age.

*39.
*39.

Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar: To ask the Minister for National Development whether he can provide an update on the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) for blocks of flats that have not been eligible for the LUP because of the cost cap quantum eligibility before an LUP is approved for a particular block.

*40.
*40.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) how effective has the current grant of an additional ballot chance for each failed attempt by a first-timer in securing a BTO flat been; and (b) whether HDB will review and.

consider alternatives such as the improvement of chances by multiples of 20% for each attempt so that the applicants will have almost guaranteed success after more than three attempts.

*41.
*41.

Assoc ProfDariiel Goh Pei Siong: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development why is the Ministry not using income per capita as the basis to assess qualification for pre-school subsidies for all families instead of just for larger families of five or more members.

*42.
*42.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) how many families with care recipients who have cognitive disabilities and are between 16 and 64 years of age have benefited from the policy to allow these families to apply for the Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) levy concession and grant; and (b) what steps have been or will be taken to reach out to families who may benefit from this policy.

No.

113 4 NOVEMBER2019 7 *43.


Dr Teo Ho Pin: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources whether the Ministry can provide details on how Singapore's car industry disposes of car batteries and what measures are in place to ensure that batteries and chemicals are not disposed of indiscriminately into our water catchment areas.

*44.
*44.

Mr Mohamed Irshad: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources whether the Ministry has plans to directly install or encourage the installation of more water dispensers and water coolers in shopping centres, public transport stations and office buildings, to reduce the consumption of bottled water.

*45.
*45.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is the contribution of Total Factor Productivity (TFP) to GDP growth in each of the past 10 years; (b) what has been the growth in TFP in each of the past 10 years; (c) how does Singapore's TFP performance compare to that of other developed countries; and (d) what drivers and restraints of Singapore's recent TFP growth has the Ministry identified.

*46.
*46.

Mr Seah Kian Peng: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry given the continued decline in retail sales for the seventh straight month, what is Ministry's assessment of the outlook for the retail industry and what will the Ministry be doing to help retailers and the workers that are employed in this sector.

*47.
*47.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) how many MRT stations have designated parking spaces for the MRT maintenance vehicle and how many do not have; (b) where are these maintenance vehicles expected to park in view of the heavy equipment that the maintenance workers have to carry; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider providing designated parking spaces at all new MRT stations for maintenance work to be carried out more effectively.

*48.
*48.

Dr Teo Ho Pin: To ask the Minister for Transport whether he can provide a progress update on the construction of designated cycling paths in Bukit Panjang Town.

*49.

Mr Ong Teng Koon: To ask the Prime Minister whether there are plans to (i) reinvigorate the local equities and equities derivatives market and (ii) help the Singaporean worker in this sector to stay relevant with technological advances.

(Q.

*3197) "" "1 No.

113 4 NOVEMBER 2019 8 *50.


Dr Teo Ho Pin: To ask the Prime Minister whether he can provide an update on the progress of the Smart Nation initiatives in Singapore and ASEAN.

*51.
*51.

Assoc Prof Walter Theseira: To ask the Minister for Education (a) what is the Ministry's policy on the participation of LGBTQ+ speakers, artists, and performers in events at our higher educational institutions; and (b) whether the Ministry monitors decisions taken by educational institutions to bar, censor, or otherwise regulate such LGBTQ+ speakers and performers.

*52.
*52.

Ms Yip Pin Xiu: To ask the Minister for Education whether he can consider including para sports as a basic experience across all schools in PE or Character and Citizenship Education.

(} *53.

Dr Chia Shi-Lu: To ask the Minister for Health how many vulnerable persons, particularly the elderly and children below 18 years of age, have been diagnosed with illnesses and health conditions due to malnutrition in the last five years and what measures are in place to assist them.

*54.
*54.

Dr Chia Shi-Lu: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether he can provide an update on the progress of the Ministry's education and outreach measures on HIV infections; (b) whether the Ministry has been able to detect more cases at an earlier stage and through voluntary testing; and (c) whether the Ministry has been able to help more cases delay the onset of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and what is the average duration of such delays.

*55.
*55.

Mr Zainal Sapari: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) in the last two years, what is the monthly average number of appeals to Traffic Police made by Members of Parliament on behalf of their constituents; (b) what is the percentage of successful appeals for waiver of fines or demerit points; and (c) what assistance is provided to the appellants when they are unable to pay the fines or when their driving licences, which are needed for their livelihood, are suspended.

*56.
*56.

Mr Yee Chia Hsing: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs what are the current penalties for wilful obstruction of emergency vehicles, such as ambulances and fire engine trucks, and whether the penalties can be raised.

*57.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: To ask the Minister for National Development whether the number of disputes between neighbours living in HDB flats in the past four years has fallen after the Community Disputes Resolution Act came into effect.

No.

113 4 NOVEMBER2019 9 *58.


Mr Lim Biow Chuan: To ask the Minister for National Development whether the Municipal Services Office will work with other agencies to evaluate the design of covered footpaths with the view of widening the footpaths.

*59.
*59.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources whether there are plans to request manufacturers to provide information to consumers on the recycling classification of their product packages or by displaying marks on their packaging to increase public awareness on how to recycle.

*60.
*60.

Mr Png Eng Huat: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) whether the Government tracks the amount of subsidies given to Malaysia for the supply of treated water every year; and (b) if so, what is the estimated amount of subsidies given to Malaysia since the Government started such tracking.

*61.
*61.

Mr Seah Kian Peng: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry what is the impact of Dyson's sudden announcement of closure of its automative division in Singapore and how will the previous investment commitments by the company be honoured.

*62.
*62.

Dr Intan Azura Mokbtar: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) how many hybrid cars and fully electric cars are registered currently; and (b) whether there are plans to convert all taxis, private hire vehicles and public buses to hybrid or fully electric vehicles.

*63.
*63.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) how can the connectivity from private estates to public transport nodes be improved as citizens are encouraged to go car-lite and more seniors are not driving due to old age; and (b) what are the short- to mid-term plans that can be implemented.

*64.
*64.

Mr Zainal Sa pari: To ask the Prime Minister whether the policy and guiding loans based on conventional credit assessment principles for bank methodology will be reviewed and updated to be relevant to changing business models.

*65.

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Education whether there are subsidies for school bus services, especially where a family has multiple children attending school.

No.

113 4 NOVEMBER 2019 10 *66.


Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Education whether the overseas cultural immersions for students can include hands-on activities by which the students can meaningfully contribute to the communities there.

*67.
*67.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Health (a) how many Singaporeans are currently utilising dementia day care services; (b) what is the existing ratio of capacity to demand; and (c) whether there are plans to also subsidise transportation costs to the day care centres.

*68.
*68.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for Health (a) since 2010, what is the number of frail patients who have not showed up for follow-up treatment at specialist clinics after polyclinic referrals; (b) what are the reasons that these patients are not attending the follow-up treatment; (c) how can the Ministry or agencies assist in improving the situation; and (d) what are the longer term plans for geriatric care in the heartlands.

(> .

*69.
(> .

*69.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how is the Ministry raising awareness amongst our elderly to use pedestrian crossings and refrain from jaywalking; and (b) how is the Ministry strengthening public education and outreach efforts to the motorcycling community to pay greater attention to elderly pedestrians.

*70.
*70.

Ms Tin Pei Ling: To ask the Minister for National Development for HDB flats owners who are required to have fire-rated main doors and wish to replace them, whether the Ministry will consider offering these owners the same amount of subsidy as those owners who choose to replace their main doors with non-fire rated ones under the Home Improvement Programme to ensure equitability.

*71.
*71.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) whether photographs or video recordings of high-rise littering and feeding of pigeons be used to prosecute perpetrators; and (b) if so, how can the Ministry work with the community and law enforcement agencies to bring more culprits to task.

*72.
*72.

Mr Ang Wei Neng: To ask the Minister for Transport in light that the suspension of the decision to construct the Johor-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) ends on 31 October 2019 (a) whether Malaysia has agreed to proceed with the construction of the RTS; and (b) if so, what will be the estimated new timeline to complete the construction of the RTS.

*73.
*73.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for Transport why does the hybrid monthly student concession pass that covers both MRT trains and buses cost significantly more than a solely bus or MRT train monthly concession pass for a student.

( No.

113 4 NOVEMBER 2019 11 *74.


Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Health (a) how many patients have shown resistance to antibiotics over the last three years; (b) what are the profiles of these patients; and (c) what measures are being implemented in 2019 to educate target groups about the correct use of antibiotics.

*75.
*75.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for Health (a) in each of the last 10 years, how many CPF account holders have exhausted their person,al MediSave funds and managed to have support from immediate family members' MediSave for their medical treatment; and (b) how many have also exhausted their family members' MediSave funds or who have no family members to turn to and help has been given through MediFund.

*76.
Assoc Prof Walter Theseira: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what are the reasons leading to only 192,000 out of the projected 300,000 Public Transport Vouchers (PTV) being redeemed in the 2018 exercise; (b) what are the administrative costs and challenges faced by the People's Association and grassroots organisations in their PTV outreach programmes; and (c) whether the Ministry will explore the possibility of automatic distribution for PTV 2019 for individuals who fulfil certain criteria, such as those under ComCare, Silver Support Scheme, or HOB Public Rental Scheme.
*77.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether under the Bus Contracting Model, the Quality of Service (QoS) standards for bus services, particularly with respect to scheduled headway during peak hours, have improved; and (b) how is technology leveraged upon to monitor the bus services' operating and quality of service performance standards regularly.

*78.
*78.

Ms Yip Pin Xiu: To ask the Minister for Health (a) how are public hospitals prepared to guard against both haze and heat; (b) whether there is a recommended temperature/humidity threshold for certain procedures to kick in at public hospitals and other providers of social services to the elderly; and (c) whether statistics on hospitalisation rates from heat stroke or dehydration are collected.

*79.
*79.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Health (a) how successful has HPB's Workplace Mental Health Solution initiative been since its launch in 20 12; (b) what other funding support has been given to encourage companies to roll out mental wellness programmes at the workplace; and (c) how many working professionals have utilised HPB's Talk2Us helpline to seek help in managing workplace-related stress.

No.

113 4 NOVEMBER 2019 12 *80.


Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Transport whether the expected increase in fare revenue for MRT operators amounting to $132.5 million a year arising from the fee hike announced by the Public Transport Council to deal with the cost pressures highlighted by the operators in their applications to the Public Transport Authority is sufficient to ensure that there will be no performance degradation by these operators.

*81.
*81.

Assoc Prof Daniel Gob Pei Siong: To ask the Minister for Health what are the average waiting times and waiting time range for patients to get an appointment for subsidised mental health therapy and counselling treatment at public hospitals.

*82.
*82.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Health what are the considerations behind selecting the Gibraltar Crescent site as Singapore's first dementia care village given that the state bungalows on the site are required to remain intact and given the cost of retrofitting those bungalows to make them elder-friendly residences.

* 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.

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

Prime Minister: Banking (Amendment) Bill.

2.


Minister for Law: Statutes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill.

3.

Minister for Health: Healthcare Services Bill.

No.

113 4 NOVEMBER 2019 13 ORDERS OF THE DAY 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.

33/2019] -(Second Minister for Finance) - Second Reading.

Home Affairs Uniformed Services Superannuation (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.

28/2019]- (Minister for Home Affairs)- Second Reading.
Air Navigation (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.

27/2019] - Transport) - Second Reading.

(Minister for Women's Charter (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.

29/2019]- (Minister for Home Affairs) - Second Reading.

Central Provident Fund (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.

34/20 19] -(Minister for Manpower)- Second Reading.

Supreme Court of Judicature (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.

32/20 19] -(Minister for Law)- Second Reading.

Judges' Remuneration (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.

31/2019]- (Minister for Law)- Second Reading.


Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.

30/2019]- (Minister for Law)- Second Reading.

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

Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh) Enhancing the Role of the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (T AFEP) to Tackle Workplace and Job Discrimination.

No.

113 4 NOVEMBER2019 14 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.
QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER Ms Anthea Ong: To ask the Prime Minister following the SG Climate Rally where our youths called for peak emissions by 2020, halved emissions by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050, whether the Government is (i) including carbon emission reductions and economic decarbonisation targets in its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to be updated by 2020 (ii) enhancing our upcoming NDC to reflect its highest possible ambition (iii) declaring a climate emergency to highlight the severity of the climate crisis and (iv) setting a timeline for Singapore to reach net zero emissions.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister arid Minister for Finance whether Temasek and GIC observe a policy of rotating the engagement partners of their external auditors after a certain number of years.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for Transport what is the latest progress of the discussion with Malaysia on the cross-country MRT line and how soon can it be completed.
Mr Sitoh Yih Pin: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what is the number of PMD riders caught for speeding on footpaths since the speed limit was lowered to 10kmlh in February 2019; (b) what is the number of reported accidents between PMD users and pedestrians since this change; and (c) what other measures is L TA taking to mitigate such accidents.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether the Government keeps track of the number of delivery riders for food or other delivery companies who are currently using PMDs to carry out their delivery work and, if so, what is the current number of such riders; and (b) if it does not, whether the Government intends to start keeping track of the number of such riders.
Assoc Prof Walter Theseira: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what are the peak and off-peak waiting and clearance times at Singapore-Malaysia land checkpoints; and (b) whether the Ministry can publish data on daily and hourly average traffic volumes, waiting times and clearance times to improve accountability and allow commuters and businesses to plan ahead.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs for each year in the past 10 years, what is number and percentage of infants and toddlers injured in motor accidents who were not secured in child seats.

No.

113 4 NOVEMBER 2019 15 8.

9.


Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how is the Ministry helping retiring SCDF officers to transit into civil emergencies or fire safety-related industries; (b) how many officers has the Ministry supported in post-retirement career support; and (c) how will the Ministry strengthen its career transition preparation and support.
Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how effective has the Police's camera system PolCam 2.0 been in preventing and solving · crimes in the heartlands; (b) how will the system be enhanced in the future; and (c) what are the costs for maintaining and upgrading the system.

10.
10.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs in respect of the big increase in the fines imposed on Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands last year (a) what measures have been or will be taken to ensure that the Integrated Resorts do not repeat the same offences in future; and (b) whether current punishments for the offences reported are sufficient to deter future occurrences.

11.
11.

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will increase flexibility in the use of MediSave for maintenance rehabilitation especially for stroke patients who need long-term maintenance to keep their physical condition up.

12.
Dr Chia Shi-Lu: To ask the Minister for Health with regard to the 2.1% inflation rate for dental services after Government subsidies over the past 10 years (a) whether the Ministry is able to provide the inflation rate without government subsidies; (b) whether the Ministry has the figures for the inflation rate for private sector dental services; and (c) whether these figures take into account the costs for dental implants, dental prosthetics like dentures and also specialised procedures like root canal operations.
13.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Health (a) in the past three years, how many mid-career professionals have joined the nursing profession through the Healthcare Professional Conversion Programme (PCP); (b) which industries do these mid-career nurses come from; and (c) whether there can be an accelerated Nursing PCP for informal caregivers who have to leave their jobs due to family circumstances and are now looking to return to the workforce.

14.
14.

Assoc Prof Daniel Gob Pei Siong: To ask the Minister for Health whether patients can be allowed to use their MediSave savings for mental health therapy and counselling treatment at public hospitals.

No.

113 4 NOVEMBER2019 16 15.

16.

17.


Assoc Prof Daniel Gob Pei Siong: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry is keeping track of over-prescription of medicine in terms of quantity that can lead to cost inflation and wastage; and (b) whether the Ministry is providing guidelines for prescription quantities.
Assoc Prof Walter Theseira: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) what proportion of publicly accessible digital materials held by NLB and NAS, the copyright of which belong to the Government, are downloadable; and (b) whether all such materials can be made available for download and, if not why.
Er Dr Lee Bee Wah: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether all alternatives were explored before the decision was made to demolish the Sentosa Merlion; and (b) in light of the public sentiment from locals and tourists, whether the decision to demolish the Merlion will be reconsidered and, if not, whether there are plans to build another Merlion statue· as a replacement.

18.
18.

Ms Anthea Ong: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what are the Ministry's five- and 10-year plans for the population ofPulau Ubin; (b) what is the population by age and gender ofPulau Ubin since 2014; (c) what criteria are used for this calculation; and (d) what are the measures in place to meet their healthcare, social and emotional needs, and by whom.

(' 19.
(' 19.

Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for National Development with regard to the recent Government's announcement that $1 billion will be spent on upgrading public and private estates over the next few years (a) how much of the announced budget is expected to be allocated to improvements in private housing estates; and (b) how the Government ensures that spending on private estates is allocated in a fair and equitable manner across estates.

( 20.
( 20.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for National Development whether the Ministry will review the existing uniform development charge and differentiated charges for hotel operators and backpacker hostel operators as both cater to different types of tourists and backpacker hostel operators provide basic common and shared facilities, to ensure a more level playing field for the industry.

21.
21.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for National Development whether the Government will review the operation of reinstatement clauses for HDB commercial leases with a view to (i) requiring some cost sharing for reinstatement between outbound and inbound tenants and (ii) requiring reinstatement to be done only when there is an inbound tenant so as to better utilise existing structures and reduce the cost and environmental impact of wholesale reinstatement of premises.

No.

113 4 NOVEMBER 2019 17 22.


Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources in light of the water level at Johor's Linggiu Reservoir falling below 50% due to the ongoing dry weather, what plans does the Ministry have to work with Malaysia to increase the yield of the Johor River, which has its water flow regulated by the Linggiu Reservoir, to ensure a sustainable water supply for both countries.

23.
23.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources what long-term measures will be introduced to curb the extensive amount of packaging used in delivery of online purchases.

24.
24.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether online versions of schools' syllabus can be put up on schools' websites so that parents can access and help guide their children where necessary; and (b) whether the Ministry can conduct guidance workshops for parents who are keen to help their children with their school work.

25.
25.

Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar: To ask the Minister for Education whether he can provide an update on plans to build and operate a primary school on the parcel of land gazetted for a primary school in Buangkok housing estate in light of there being 22 new blocks of flats and four new preschool centres in the estate and the demand for primary school places being likely to increase for this estate.

26.
26.

Mr Ang Wei Neng: To ask the Minister for Education (a) how many bursaries and scholarships (number and quantum) have been awarded by the respective Autonomous Universities (AU) in the past five years using (i) the endowment fund and/or reserve and (ii) Government funding; and (b) what are the criteria of awarding such bursaries and scholarships.

( 27.
( 27.

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Manpower what is being done to promote a collaborative, kind and compassionate working relationship between employers and foreign domestic workers.

28.
28.

Ms Anthea Ong: To ask the Minister for Manpower since the introduction of the pilot Advance Placement Scheme (APS) (a) how many foreign domestic workers (FDWs) are brought in annually under the scheme; (b) what happens to these FDWs who are not subsequently employed; (c) whether employment agencies participating in APS are monitored in how they match employers with eldercare needs to FDWs and whether these FDWs are trained in eldercare specifically; and (d) whether there are plans to review the scheme.
No.Jl3 4 NOVEMBER 2019 18 29.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Manpower under what circumstances can an employee file a case with the Ministry or the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) for being denied access to childcare leave.

30.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development for each year in the past five years under the Government-Paid Child Care Leave (GPCL) Scheme (a) what is the number and percentage of working mothers with (i) one child (ii) two children or (iii) more than two children who have taken six days of childcare leave respectively; and (b) what is the number and percentage of working fathers with (i) one child (ii) two children or (iii) more than two children who took six days of childcare leave respectively.
("·, 31.

Mr Png Eng Huat: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development for the past five years (a) what is the amount of subsidies, including renovation costs, given to anchor operators of childcare centres and kindergartens; and (b) who are the top three anchor operator grant recipients and how much subsidies did each of them receive in the same period.

PAPERS PRESENTED 2019 S.L.


708 Supreme Court of Judicature (Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation) Rules 2019 Date Presented 9 October 2019 ( S.L.

709 Immigration (Amendment No.

2) Regulations 20 19 14 October 2019 Pres.

Co. 145 Report of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights on the Maintenance of Religious Harmony (Amendment) Bill [Bill No 25/2019] S.L.

710 Traffic Road (International Circulation) (Amendment No.

2) Rules 2019 16 October2019 16 October 2019 No.


113 4 NOVEMBER 2019 19 PAPERS PRESENTED -continued 2019 S.L.

711 Road Traffic (Collection of Toll at Woodlands and Tuas Checkpoints) (Amendment No.2) Rules 2019 S.L.

712 Road Traffic (Electronic Road Pricing System) (Amendment No.

4) Rules 2019 S.L.

713 Traffic of Road Reciprocal at Road Woodlands and Tuas Checkpoints) (Amendment) Rules 2019 (Collection Charge Date Presented 16 October 2019 16 October 2019 16 October 2019 S.L.
714 Planning (Amendment No.2) Rules 2019 (Development Charges) 16 October 2019 S.L.

715 S.L.

716 Planning (Development Charge - Exemption) (Amendment) Rules 2019 Diplomatic and Consular Relations (Meetings Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Order 2019 of 16 October 2019 ..... 21 October 2019 S.L.

717 Legal Aid and Advice (Amendment No.2) Regulations 2019 ..... 22 October 2019 S. 512 Legal Service Commission Annual Report 2018 31 October 2019 S.L.
718 Road Traffic (Amendment) Rules 2019 ..... 31 October 2019 S.L.

719 Road Traffic Offences) (Amendment) Rules 2019 (Composition of 31 October 2019 No.113 4 NOVEMBER 2019 20 PAPERS PRESENTED- continued 2019 S.L.

720 Date Presented Road Traffic (Driver Improvement Points System) (Amendment) Rules 2019 ..... 31 October 2019 S.L.

721 Building Control (Buildability and Productivity) (Amendment No.

2) Regulations 20 19 ~, 31 October 2019 S.L.


722 Charities (Electronic Transactions Service) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 31 October 2019