UNSUCCESSFUL BTO FLAT APPLICATIONS IN 2016
Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap requested for the number of first-timer, second-timer and third-timer unsuccessful Build-to-Order Applications in 2016.
Lawrence Wong said the numbers were unavailable as the selection process was still on-going.
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HDB FLATS AND PRIVATE CONDOMINIUM UNITS BUILT IN 2015-2016
Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap asked for the number of HDB rental and sale flats, and private condominium units built in 2015 to 2016.
Lawrence Wong stated about 48,600 non-landed private residences and about 4,600 HDB rental units and 47,500 HDB sale units were built between 2015 and 2016.
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PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL LAND AREA FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT TAKEN UP BY HDB HOUSING AND PRIVATE CONDOMINIUMS FROM 2013-2016
Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap asked for the percentages of land area designated for HDB public housing and private condominiums out of the total land area designated for residential development from 2013 to 2016.
Lawrence Wong replied that non-landed private residences took up 160 hectares (35%) and public housing took 300 hectares (65%) of the designated residential land area between 2013 and 2016.
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BTO FLAT APPLICATIONS FROM 2015-2016
Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap asked for the number and success rate of Build-To-Order (BTO) applications HDB received and for the number and success rate for rental flat applications under the Public Rental Scheme.
Lawrence Wong said that HDB received 31,900 BTO applications in 2015 and 36,900 in 2016. From 2015 to 2016, HDB received an average of 8,600 requests for rental flats annually and approves three in 10.
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NON-INCLUSION OF RABBITS IN RECENT REVISION OF LICENSING FOR PET BUSINESSES
Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap requested clarification on the non-inclusion of rabbits in the recent revision of pet business licensing, and if AVA would consider including rabbits.
Lawrence Wong said that AVA requires pet shops to assess potential rabbit owners suitability and that AVA will continue to work with stakeholders to review licensing conditions.
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PRIMARY ONE ADMISSION BASED ON ACTIVE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
Dennis Tan sought information on the number of Primary One (P1) students registered in 2015 and 2016 due to their parents’ active community leadership, and what percentage of total places the number represents.
Ng Chee Meng replied that less than 1% of the P1 cohort was admitted under the active community leader scheme in the past two years.
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FIRST-YEAR JC ENROLMENT FOR 2013-2017 AND PROJECTED ENROLMENT FOR 2019
Dennis Tan requested data on the enrolment figures for first-year junior college students from 2013 to 2017 and projected enrolment figures for 2019.
Ng Chee Meng replied that JC1 enrolment was 15,800 in 2013, 14,900 in 2014, 13,600 in 2015, 13,700 in 2016 and 14,400 in 2017, with a projected enrolment of 12,800 in 2019.
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SCOPE AND FREQUENCY OF SAFETY INSPECTIONS ON MRT TRAIN OPERATORS
Dennis Tan asked how the Manpower Ministry determines the frequency, what the scope of MRT train safety inspections is and whether it conducts surprise inspections.
Sam Tan replied that the Manpower Ministry conducts more inspections for higher risk activities and fewer inspections for lower risk activities, with mostly surprise inspections except for some pre-arranged inspections to minimise operations disruptions.
He added that inspections covered many areas including workplace safety protocols and also includes tracks, working at height, storage of chemicals and some electrical issues.
Read the full exchange here.
NON-INCLUSION OF RABBITS IN RECENT REVISION OF LICENSING FOR PET BUSINESSES
Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap requested clarification on the non-inclusion of rabbits in the recent revision of pet business licensing, and if AVA would consider including rabbits.
Lawrence Wong said that AVA requires pet shops to assess potential rabbit owners suitability and that AVA will continue to work with stakeholders to review licensing conditions.
Read the full exchange here.
TAKE-UP RATE FOR SCREEN FOR LIFE PROGRAMME
Daniel Goh asked for the percentages of eligible Singaporeans who have been screened by gender and age ranges, and the drop-off rate for those who tested positive but do not follow up post-screening.
Gan Kim Yong said that 78% of Singaporeans aged 40 to 69 have gone for basic health screening in the past three years for high blood pressure, high blood lipids and diabetes, up from 73% in 2010, with no significant gender differences reported.
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GENDER BUDGETING TO DETERMINE EFFECT OF POLICIES ON WOMEN
Daniel Goh asked if the Government practices gender budgeting to determine the effects of policies on women, especially with regard to fertility and labour force participation rates.
Heng Swee Keat replied that the Government takes into account the impact of policies on different segments of the population, including gender, and target benefits at those in need.
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CONTINGENCY PLANS IN EVENT OF CLOSURE OF PRIVATE CLINIC GROUPS PROVIDING GOVERNMENT-SUBSIDISED PRIMARY CARE
Daniel Goh asked for the contingency plans for continuity of healthcare in the event of Government-subsidised primary care experiencing extended temporary disclosures.
Gan Kim Yong replied that the Ministry of Health encourages clinics to keep their patients informed of temporary closures, and that the Ministry works with affected clinics to ensure continuity of care for patients.
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DEFINING DOMESTIC WORKERS’ DUTIES AND JOB SCOPES
Daniel Goh asked whether the Ministry for Manpower would consider defining domestic workers’ job scopes and require specialized training for domestic workers asked to perform care-giving work.
Sam Tan replied that the role of foreign domestic workers is already defined in law and it is in the interest of employers to ensure that FDWs have the skills and required training before entrusting them with the task.
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IMPACT OF JUNIOR COLLEGE MERGERS ON SUPPLY OF STUDENTS FOR UNIVERSITY ADMISSION
Daniel Goh asked the Minister of Education if the reduction of junior colleges will affect the supply of “A” level graduates for university admission, and whether the percentage of polytechnic graduates admitted to universities will increase.
Ong Ye Kung replied that secondary school cohort sizes will fall by about 20% over this decade, but that there was no issue as university education has less need for critical mass.
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CURRENT AVERAGE WAITING TIMES FOR DENTAL SERVICE APPOINTMENTS IN POLYCLINICS
Low Thia Khiang asked the Minister of Health for the current average waiting times in polyclinics to obtain appointments for simple dental services, and how these waiting times compare to five years ago.
Gan Kim Yong replied that the dental appointment waiting times for non-emergency treatment at our polyclinics have declined over the past year.
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AFFORDABILITY OF INFANT FORMULA
Low Thia Khiang asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) what is being done to ensure that the cost of infant formula remains affordable.
S Iswaran replied that MTI and other government agencies will increase consumer awareness and remind businesses to price their products fairly.
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LONG-TERM PLAN TO HELP LOWER-INCOME SINGAPOREAN FAMILIES DEFRAY HIGH COST OF INFANT FORMULA
Low Thia Khiang asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether there are plans to provide sustained help to low-income families to assist them in defraying the cost of buying infant formula over the longer term.
Tan Chuan-Jin replied that families may tap on the Baby Bonus Cash Gift to defray child-raising costs, and that families with difficulties may approach their nearest Social Service Office to apply for assistance.
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LEASE EXTENSION UNDER PARENTHOOD PROVISIONAL HOUSING SCHEME (PPHS)
Leon Perera asked whether flexibility can be exercised in extending the lease for families under PPHS, whose BTO flats are due to be completed within months of their expiring PPHS lease.
Lawrence Wong replied that the PPHS provides an affordable rental housing option for families who require interim housing, and that HDB will be flexible in the event that the new flat is not ready when tenancy term ends.
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SUPPORT FOR SMES IN SUCCESSION PLANNING AND M&A ADVISORY
Leon Perera asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) what measures are there to support business succession planning for SMEs, as many are unable to engage conventional firms due to their small size.
S Iswaran replied that SMEs can tap on SPRING’s Capability Development Grant to defray the cosys of engaging external consultants.
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UNLICENSED MONEYLENDING (UML) RELATED HARASSMENT CASES
Leon Perera asked for data on UML related harassment cases and investigation outcomes.
K Shanmugam replied that UML-related harassment cases registered a 10-year low in 2016, falling by 20%, from 4,242 cases in 2015 to 3,375 cases in 2016. In 2016, 260 persons were charged and sentenced by the Courts for UML harassment.
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COMPENSATION TO FISH FARM OWNERS AFFECTED BY JAN 2017 OIL SPILL
Leon Perera asked when will the fish farm owners affected by the oil spill receive compensation from the shipping companies, and what measures are being taken by AVA to address the time delay associated with the claims process.
Lawrence Wong replied that the claim process is a “private matter between the claimant and the insurer” and that AVA has already made “additional efforts to help farmers affected by the January oil spill with their claims.”
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RESPONSBILITY OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AND INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS (ISP) IN ADDRESSING FAKE NEWS
Pritam Singh asked how the Government defines fake news and what role do social media platforms and ISPs have to play in addressing fake news.
K Shanmugam replied that social media companies are “important in the fight against fake news” and the Government will continue to “monitor developments in the social media industry both locally and internationally” before announcing their findings in due course.
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GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT ON USE OF MONIES BY OFFICIAL SPORTING BODIES
Pritam Singh asked how the Ministry exercises oversight on the use of monies by official sporting bodies and how the Ministry prevents and rectifies misallocation of such funds by official sporting bodies.
Grace Fu replied that National Sports Associations have to comply with the Societies Act, the Charities Act, the Code of Governance for Charities and Institutions of a Public Character. Audited Statement of Accounts also have to be submitted to SportSG and if found uncompliant or if there is misappropriation of funds, SportSG will take the appropriate action or refer to the Police.
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HEALTH INSURANCE TASK FORCE 2016 REPORT
Pritam Singh queried whether the Ministry has completed its study of the recommendations in the report of the Health Insurance Task Force 2016 so as to moderate the escalation of Integrated Shield Plan claims and premiums in the coming years.
Gan Kim Yong said that the recommendations are under review and discussion with relevant stakeholders.
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PROGRAMMES TO TEACH STUDENTS TO DISCERN FAKE NEWS
Pritam Singh asked what programmes will be implemented to teach students how to discern fake news.
Ng Chee Meng said that information literacy is taught in the Cyber Wellness (CW) syllabus for primary and secondary schools as part of the Character and Citizenship Education curriculum. Schools are also provided with CW resources to engage parents to educate their child to be discerning users of digital space.
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APPLICATIONS FOR EMPLOYERS TO BE EXEMPTED FROM COMPLIANCE WITH EMPLOYMENT ACT
Sylvia Lim asked for data on applications from employers to be exempted from compliance with the Employment Act under section 41A of the Act, and what obligations have been exempted and on what justifications.
Lim Swee Say replied that between 2007 and 2016, about 320 employers applied for over-time limit exemptions on average annually. Of this, 270 employers were granted exemptions each year. These companies are predominantly from the security, manufacturing, and transport and storage industries. Additionally, exemptions are granted with conditions such as written consent from affected workers, good workplace safety records, union consent and risk-factor of the vocations.
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INTERNET DISRUPTIONS DUE TO CABLE CUTS
Leon Perera asked for data on Singapore’s frequency and extent of Internet disruption as compared to developed countries, and if none, asked the Minister to consider tracking and publishing such data in future.
Yaacob Ibrahim replied that in terms of connectivity, Singapore is doing “quite alright.” He also said he is unsure if there is a global metric.
Read the full exchange here.