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Parliamentary questions for 6 August 2018

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The Singapore Parliament will sit at 13:30 on Monday, 6 August 2018 for the 81st session of the 13th Parliament.

*89 oral questions and 33 written question had been scheduled to be asked.

There will be Ministrial Statements:

Minister for Health & Minister for Communications and Information: Cyberattack on SingHealth’s IT System.

Minister for Defence: Findings and Follow-up Actions on National Service Training Death.

At the commencement of Public Business, there will be an introduction of Government Bill:

  1. Land Transport (Enforcement Measures) Bill (Minister for Transport)
  2. Stamp Duties (Amendment) Bill (Second Minister for Finance) (President’s recommendation signified)
  3. Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) (Amendment) Bill (Minister for the Environment and Water Resources)

and 2 Government Bills will be read for the 2nd time:

  1. Companies (Amendment) Bill [Bill No. 27/2018] – (Second Minister for Finance) – Second Reading.
  2. Transport Safety Investigations Bill [Bill No. 28/2018] – (Minister for Transport) – Second Reading.

Also there will be a Matter proposed to be raised on the Motion for the Adjournment (SO 2(8)(b)):

Mr Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok): Addressing Mechanical Failure in Heavy Vehicles Leading to Fatal Accidents.

Below are the questions filed towards the various Ministers

[accordion] [toggle title=”Prime Minister” state=”closed”]

*Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Prime Minister whether the Government has thoroughly assessed the possible adverse economic and psychological impact that the move to a cashless society will have on particular segments of society.

*Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Prime Minister in light of the announcement by a major bank to reduce the number of bank tellers by half (a) whether there will be similar changes across the banking industry; (b) what are the measures in place to help older residents migrate to digital banking; and (c) how is the Ministry helping bank tellers who are at risk of losing their jobs as digitalisation persists.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Prime Minister in respect of planned installations of street lighting cameras using facial recognition technology (a) what measures are in place to ensure security and privacy protection; and (b) which Government agencies and what types of personnel within those agencies will have access to the data so generated.

[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Foreign Affairs” load=”hide”]

*Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs after the Trump-Kim summit (a) what role can Singapore play to keep up the momentum for dialogue between the US and North Korea; (b) whether Singapore is involved in any diplomatic efforts to encourage the denuclearisation of North Korea; and (c) how has the summit strengthened relations between Singapore and North Korea.

[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Transport” load=”hide”]

*Er Dr Lee Bee Wah: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether he can update the House on the Ministry’s review on the regulations of private-hire car services with a view to differentiate the tax regime between taxi drivers and part-time hire drivers; (b) whether the minimum mileage clocking is one of the areas under review to differentiate the two categories of drivers; and (c) when is the review expected to be completed.

*Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Transport whether contractors who have a record of safety lapses or who have been blacklisted by the Ministry of Manpower for safety lapses can be made ineligible to tender for public infrastructure projects for a longer period of time to ensure that all contractors take building quality and safety seriously.

*Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry intends to maintain the current restriction of claiming compensation for damage to any building arising from the construction or operation of the railway or road tunnel to just structural damage and loss due to displacement resulting from structural damage and, if so, why.

*Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap: To ask the Minister for Transport what processes are in place to review the quality of roads such as those with potholes and those affected by maintenance shortcomings.

*Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether the Ministry can provide an update on Pedestrian Overhead Bridge (POB) lifts slated for construction in Toa Payoh East-Novena; and (b) whether a lift can be prioritised for the POB in front of 308 Thomson Road.

*Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether the Ministry will consider implementing free public transport on buses and MRT for senior citizens above the age of 75 during off-peak hours; and (b) whether audio announcements on buses to indicate stop locations can be introduced to aid elderly passengers.

*Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether any action is taken to ensure that owners of bicycles with handlebars exceeding 700 mm in length are made aware that such bicycles are not allowed on footpaths and walkways; and (b) whether owners are given reasonable opportunity to change their handlebars without their bicycles being impounded immediately when they are owners are given reasonable opportunity to change their handlebars without their bicycles being impounded immediately when they are found on footpaths and walkways.

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what is discovered in the investigations leading to the fines imposed on SMRT on 20 July 2018 in respect of the fatal accident near Pasir Ris MRT station on 22 March 2016 and the tunnel flooding incident between Bishan and Braddell MRT stations on 7 and 8 October 2017; (b) what lessons have been learned from the investigations; and (c) what measures have been put in place by SMRT to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.

[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for National Development” load=”hide”]

*Mr Alex Yam Ziming: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what are the sizes of the largest available public rental flats in each decade since 1965; (b) why have sizes changed, and (c) whether the size of new public rental flats built since 2006 are suited for large families.

*Mr Alex Yam Ziming: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether there is a limit to the number of occupants for HDB’s rental flats; and (b) whether the Ministry has plans to introduce basic occupancy standards for these rental flats.

*Mr Alex Yam Ziming: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what are the main reasons for the rejection of applications for HDB rental flats; and (b) what are HDB’s projections for new rental flats in the next decade.

*Ms Foo Mee Har: To ask the Minister for National Development what can be done to rectify the situation where BTO blocks’ lift lobbies and the walkways between lifts and flats are always drenched during rainy days.

*Mr Zainal Sapari: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether he can provide an update on the Trap-Neuter-Release-Manage Scheme for stray dogs; (b) what resources can be provided to animal welfare groups who are helping and working with the community to address the stray dog problem; and (c) whether there are plans to regulate the pet industry further to minimise irresponsible abandonment of pets.

*Mr Chong Kee Hiong: To ask the Minister for National Development in view of the increasing number of elderly Singaporeans with HDB flats and private properties with leases of less than 60 years and the restrictions on the use of CPF for such properties, what measures are in place to assist such owners who have difficulty selling their properties to downgrade to smaller flats or properties.

*Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for National Development whether there are plans to impose penalties on companies which do not implement proposed wildlife and environmental mitigation measures when carrying out construction near national parks and nature reserves.

*Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for National Development whether the Ministry will consider preserving Farrer Park Field and the adjoining facilities as the area has a rich sports heritage and memorable sports milestones instead of repurposing it into a residential development.

Mr Sitoh Yih Pin: To ask the Minister for National Development whether AVA has found a solution to address the noise problem created by mynah birds along Upper Serangoon Road following persistent feedback from residents over the last 18 months.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for National Development while awaiting for the mandatory building façade inspection regime to be rolled out (a) whether interim inspections can be conducted on HDB façades with the same installation methods as those that fell off; and (b) whether the inspection regime can also be extended to newly built BTO HDB flats.

Mr Ong Teng Koon: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether there are plans to create an animal rescue shelter for stray cats who are awaiting adoption; and (b) whether there is funding available to house these stray cats in private shelters as they await adoption.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) if he can provide an update on the Revitalisation of Shops (ROS) scheme in rejuvenating HDB neighbourhood shops; (b) whether there are plans to get these shops to go digital and, if so, what is the progress in doing so; and (c) what are the Government’s plans to help these retailers overcome challenges as more residents shop online and at larger shopping malls.

[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Health” load=”hide”]

*Dr Chia Shi-Lu: To ask the Minister for Health with regard to the SingHealth cyberattack, how will the Ministry assess whether (i) the data have not been tampered with (ii) subversive latent programmes have not infiltrated and been installed in SingHealth’s network and (iii) access to other Government networks has been gained through SingHealth’s system.

*Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what steps will be taken to ensure that the data on the National Electronic Health Record (NEHR) system is protected from cyberattacks; (b) what systems are in place to determine whether medical records are tampered with; and (c) when there is a data leak or alteration of personal information or medical records, what will be done to safeguard the interests of patients whose data are in the record.

*Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Health with regard to the recent hacking of SingHealth’s IT system (a) what has been discovered in the investigations thus far; (b) what lessons are learned; and (c) how will similar situations be avoided in the future.

*Mr Ang Wei Neng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) when was the last audit, internal or external, conducted on the public SingHealth IT system, particularly in areas related to the patient database; (b) which are the public healthcare systems that use similar IT systems as that of SingHealth; (c) what are the immediate rectification measures taken by SingHealth and other healthcare groups under the Eastern, Western and Central regions.

*Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong: To ask the Minister for Health whether security measures implemented after the cyberattack on the SingHealth system have affected waiting time and consultation time at public hospitals and polyclinics.

*Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Health whether he can elaborate on the reasons for the significant delay in informing the public of the cyberattack affecting Singhealth’s database from the time the breach was discovered.

*Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Health (a) why were details of the cyberattack on the medical records of 1.5 million people under SingHealth’s hospitals, speciality clinics and polyclinics not disclosed to the public earlier; (b) what measures have been taken to improve security since the cyberattack; and (c) what actions will be taken against the perpetrators of the cyberattack.

*Ms K Thanaletchimi: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether there is a special committee formed to address the training needs, programmes and programme accreditation for jobs identified under the Healthcare Industry Transformation Maps; and (b) whether the Ministry is supportive of union participation in the committee with the involvement of the three healthcare clusters to form a training council so as to address the training needs of all categories of healthcare staff involved.

*Mr Zainal Sapari: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what are the considerations for the locations of SingHealth dental clinics; (b) what is the average waiting time for patients to make a dental appointment; (c) whether there are plans to have more SingHealth dental clinics in other big estates to enable affordable dental services and accessibility to the public; and (d) whether a SingHealth dental clinic can be made available in every polyclinic.

*Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will consider equalising the treatment of assessing Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) Grant eligibility for (i) FDWs employed by children of mentally disabled parents to take care of their parents at separate households and (ii) FDWs employed directly by parents who are compos mentis and living in separate households, through sponsorship of their children and, if not, why not.

*Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry is concerned about the increasing trend of smartphone addiction especially amongst young children and teenagers and what are the steps that it intends to take to arrest the situation.

*Dr Chia Shi-Lu: To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will consider implementing the Advance Medical Directive as an opt-out scheme for (i) those aged 85 and above and (ii) those aged above 80 who are terminally ill and have been unconscious for more than a year.

*Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Health (a) how many clinical trials featuring integrative treatments that utilise Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine are in the works; and (b) how will the landscape for integrative medicine evolve in the years to come and what are the expected treatment costs.

*Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether the readmission rates for patients aged 65 years and above within 30 days after their discharge from public hospitals have declined in the last five years; and (b) what measures have been taken to minimise readmission.

Mr Kok Heng Leun: To ask the Minister for Health in the last 10 years (a) what is the number of hospital admissions for alcohol overdose; and (b) what is the number of deaths resulting from alcohol overdose.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether there are any statistics about the awareness and practice of breast self-examination among females in Singapore; and (b) whether the Ministry will work with schools to educate students about breast self-examinations and do needful follow-up when necessary.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the average life expectancy of disabled persons who received or are receiving payouts under ElderShield; and (b) what is the expected average life expectancy of persons who are able to claim and receive payouts under CareShield Life on the basis of their disabilities once the scheme comes into operation in 2020.

[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Home Affairs” load=”hide”]

*Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs how is the regime in the Drug Rehabilitation Centre assisting inmates to stop their addiction and replace addictive desires with healthy pursuits.

Mr Kok Heng Leun: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs in the last 10 years, what is the number of deaths that have resulted from (i) alcohol-related violence and (ii) alcohol-related traffic accidents respectively.

Mr Kok Heng Leun: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether police reports made by private parties against other private parties are closed or expunged when no investigation of the allegations follows or when there is insufficient evidence to pursue an investigation; (b) if so, how long before they are closed or expunged; and (c) whether police reports containing unproven allegations are firewalled from ICA decisions in respect of the person’s applications for social visit passes, student passes and work passes in accordance with the principle of “innocent until proven guilty”.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs whether there are any plans by the Ministry to digitise the current photocard driving licence given that the provisional driving licence is now paperless.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) has completed its investigation of the chairman and management of Swiber Holdings and its related companies; and (b) if so, whether CAD will proceed with any charges for any breach of the Securities and Futures Act or other offences.

Mr Ong Teng Koon: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) over the past three years, whether there is an increase in the number of reported cases of investment scams targeting members of the public; (b) what is the trend of the ratio of successful prosecuted cases versus reported cases over the same period; and (c) whether the Ministry has any plans to take a tougher stance to punish such investment scammers who defraud the public such as strengthening legislation to deter and punish such behaviour.

[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Communications and Information” load=”hide”]

*Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) what are the actions that the Ministry will take to (i) prevent or reduce the likelihood of similar or worse cyberattacks such as the recent attack on SingHealth (ii) ensure organisations and individuals take more aggressive measures to protect their systems and data and (iii) guide those whose personal data had been compromised in the recent attack on how to detect and respond to improper use of the data.

*Mr Seah Kian Peng: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information besides the recent cyberattack and breach on SingHealth’s IT system and data (a) how many Government agencies have also had similar attacks in the last twelve months; (b) what is the nature of such attacks; and (c) which countries have these attacks originated from.

*Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information what are the Government’s plans to restore public confidence in its Smart Nation and Digital Government’s initiatives following the recent cyberattack on SingHealth’s IT system.

*Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information what is the composition and terms of reference of the Committee of Inquiry to investigate the recent cyberattack on SingHealth’s IT system.

*Ms Tin Pei Ling: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) whether the culprit of the cyberattack on SingHealth has been identified; and (b) whether the culprit will be publicly identified and taken to task and, if not, why.

*Ms Tin Pei Ling: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) whether cyberattacks such as the one on SingHealth could have been prevented; (b) whether active steps have been taken to protect the data and system integrity of key national installations including Government-related institutions; and (c) will the Government restore confidence in citizens as it continues to pursue a Smart Nation and Digital Government.

*Ms Rahayu Mahzam: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) how has the recent cyberattack on SingHealth’s database affected Singapore’s Smart Nation plans; (b) whether the review of the different Smart Nation projects affect the timelines set for these projects; (c) whether the plan to achieve a fully digital Government by 2023 is still possible; and (d) whether there are specific areas or aspects of the Smart Nation plans which can be enhanced or reviewed in light of this cyberattack.

*Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information what are the implications of the Cybersecurity Act coming into effect for a cyberattack causing a personal data breach similar to the recent SingHealth incident.

*Mr Thomas Chua Kee Seng: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information in view of the cyberattack on SingHealth, what are the steps taken to assure businesses that there will be no data breach when they are using the business-centric e-Government platforms such as the Business Grants Portal, National Trade Platform and CorpPass.

*Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information given that ongoing Smart Nation and Digital Government projects will be placed on hold pending the inquiry into the SingHealth cyberattack, how will Government staff who are affected be redeployed in the meantime.

*Ms Tin Pei Ling: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information what is the role of the Cyber Security Agency in defending against, and responding to, an incident such as the attack on healthcare data in SingHealth.

*Mr Png Eng Huat: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information whether the Government is going to bear responsibility for any stolen identity crime committed as a result of the SingHealth data breach including unauthorised registration of legal and illegal services such as SingPass and online gambling sites.

*Mr Kok Heng Leun: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information what is the standard operating procedure for the declassification of Government documents.

*Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) what is the projected number of Data Protection Officers (DPO) needed in Singapore for the next five years; (b) what is the current shortfall; and (c) what is the Ministry’s plan to train and deploy more DPOs.

Mr Zainal Sapari: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) what are the implications to the individuals whose personal particulars and other records are stolen during the recent cyberattack on SingHealth; and (b) what precautions can an individual take to prevent the stolen personal particulars and other details from being misused especially in the dark web.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information when will the provisions in the Cybersecurity Act that deal with the duty of owners of criminal information infrastructure to give notice of cybersecurity incidents within a prescribed period come into operation.

Mr Png Eng Huat: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information whether the scheme to provide free digital TV (DTV) starter kits to all HDB households without cable TV service penalises households that had gone digital early as they thought they did not qualify for the initial DTV Assistance Scheme, which was conditional, and have hence missed out on the current offer of a free DTV starter kit or a $100 voucher to offset the purchase of DTV equipment with no other conditions attached.

[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Finance” load=”hide”]

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Finance how does the Public Service ensure that its outsourced providers have good re-employment and age-friendly hiring practices.

[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Education” load=”hide”]

*Ms K Thanaletchimi: To ask the Minister for Education (a) how many schools are currently equipped with elderly-friendly facilities like lifts or escalators to cater to the ageing teaching workforce and those who have mobility issues; and (b) for those schools without these facilities, whether there are any plans to install such facilities.

*Mr Chong Kee Hiong: To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry will be considering a review of relevant literature texts for lower secondary classes in view of the global pivot to Asia; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider exposing our students to excerpts from great Asian literature classics such as the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

*Dr Chia Shi-Lu: To ask the Minister for Education among the students who perform in the top 10% tier for GCE “O” and “A” levels (a) what is the proportion who opt to pursue studies related to information technology and engineering fields in each of the last three years; (b) how do these figures compare to those who opt to study medicine and law; and (c) what measures are in place to encourage more of our best and brightest to consider pursuing their studies in engineering, computer sciences, information technology, artificial intelligence and robotics in order to build a strong Singaporean core in these fields.

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah: To ask the Minister for Education (a) how many special needs children of school-going age are there currently; (b) how many of these children are enrolled in a school; (c) whether schools with places for special needs children can be made more accessible in heartland locations; and (d) what is being done to ensure that each child has a place in a school appropriate for the child’s specific needs.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Education what is the breakdown of the percentage of ITE, polytechnic and university graduates in 2015, 2016 and 2017 who are from the Normal Technical, Normal Academic and Express streams respectively.

Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong: To ask the Minister for Education whether the Ministry will be planning a regular and comprehensive programme to fight prejudices and stigmatisation regarding mental well-being in secondary schools in light of the IMH-led study showing widespread negative perceptions of mental illness among teenage students.

[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Law” load=”hide”]

*Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Law (a) what is Singapore’s contribution to the anticipated Singapore Convention on Mediation to be signed in August 2019; (b) how will the Convention be promoted; and (c) how is Singapore preparing the legal industry for it.

[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Manpower” load=”hide”]

*Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Manpower in view of the recent spate of workplace fatal accidents (a) whether there are common causes of the accidents; (b) which are the sectors where such accidents are more prevalent; (c) whether the current framework of measures is adequate; and (d) what new measures may be needed to prevent industrial accidents in future.

*Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the number of construction-related workplace fatalities for the past five years; (b) what is the local-foreign worker ratio of these fatalities; and (c) what is the Ministry’s plan to further reduce the number of construction-related workplace fatalities.

*Mr Chong Kee Hiong: To ask the Minister for Manpower with regard to the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) (a) which are the top five sectors and industries on the FCF Watchlist; (b) what are the most common job categories and their salary ranges on the Watchlist; and (c) what measures will be implemented to facilitate senior job opportunities for Singapore citizens in critical sectors.

*Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) in the past three years, of the notifications received to reduce the salary of a work permit holder stated in their in-principle approval letter, what proportions are within (i) one month (ii) one year of the work permit issue date; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider a limit on the amount a company is allowed to reduce the salary of the work permit holder.

*Ms K Thanaletchimi: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether hospitalisation leave issued directly by community hospitals to an employee is recognised as hospitalisation leave by the employer; and (b) whether the Employment Act will provide for such recognition in light of increasing follow-up visits made by patients with community hospitals directly.

*Ms Foo Mee Har: To ask the Minister for Manpower what is the trend of graduate underemployment in Singapore and what Government interventions are in place to facilitate optimal deployment of degree holders to relevant jobs.

*Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how many jobs have been made obsolete since 2016 because of artificial intelligence; (b) how can support networks be strengthened for those who are retrenched; and (c) whether the Ministry will offer support to encourage businesses to retrain and offer new opportunities to the affected employees.

*Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Manpower with global trends of companies downsizing (a) how many Singaporeans working in MNCs have been affected since 2017; and (b) what is the job market outlook for the rest of 2018 and 2019.

*Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for Manpower what levers are available to the Ministry to ensure that retrenchment benefits meet industry norms in the case of companies that retrench workers for reasons not related to financial distress.

*Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Special Employment Credit (SEC) is applicable for seniors working in the shared economy sector and freelancers; and (b) if not, whether there are any programmes that can help those seniors with a monthly income of less than $4,000.

Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for Manpower what are the aggregate balances in the Ordinary Accounts of CPF members for the years 2015, 2016 and 2017 on a month-to-month basis.

Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: To ask the Minister for Manpower as at 30 June 2018, what is the total number of workers, resident workers and Singaporean workers who are classified as managers and executives and earning a basic monthly salary of not more than (i) $2,500 and (ii) $2,600.

Mr Kok Heng Leun: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what are the main ways in which adverse records are attached to a foreign worker; (b) whether unsubstantiated allegations by employers constitute such records; (c) how can a worker know whether there are adverse records attached to his name; and (d) what avenues are available to the foreign worker to clear his name.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the number of cases of underage domestic helpers for the past five years; (b) what are the actions taken against the errant agencies; and (c) what is the Ministry’s plan to prevent underage domestic helpers working in Singapore.

Ms Tin Pei Ling: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether Singaporeans working in foreign diplomatic missions or embassies in Singapore are covered by the Employment Act; (b) whether Singaporeans working in such a setting can access the Employment Claims Tribunal; and (c) what support may be available to them when there are employment-related grievances.

Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what percentage of Singaporeans who attended mandatory workplace safety courses in the last year took verbal tests instead of written tests; and (b) whether the Ministry will allow workers to apply for the verbal test option themselves if they have low educational qualifications.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what proportion of registered trade unions have agreed with employers not to initiate collective agreement negotiations; and (b) how has this proportion changed over the past five years.

[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Social and Family Development” load=”hide”]

*Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) how many special needs children are receiving subsidies for early intervention programmes at pre-school level under the Enhanced Pilot for Private Intervention Providers (PPIP) scheme; and (b) whether there are plans for increasing the number and geographic distribution of Enhanced PPIP centres.

Dr Chia Shi-Lu: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development with regard to the profile of elderly Singaporeans without family support (a) how many are currently totally reliant on support from the state and charitable organisations for survival; (b) how many have been abandoned overseas and in Singapore, in institutions of care; and (c) what are their gender, age group and ethnic profiles.

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether there are education institutions in Singapore for special needs youths of age 18 and above and, if not, whether there are plans to set up such an institution; and (b) for those special needs youths who cannot find employment at that age, what options are available to them.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development for each of the years from 2015 to date, what is the respective breakdown of the number and percentage of divorce cases where shared care and control of the children is awarded.

[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Trade and Industry” load=”hide”]

*Mr Ang Wei Neng: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what are the estimated benefits of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) for the first three years when it is implemented; (b) which industries will benefit most from CPTPP; and (c) how will the Ministry educate and promote the benefits of CPTPP to the local companies.

*Mr Thomas Chua Kee Seng: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry whether he will provide an update on (i) the $30 million that was set aside for the Local Enterprise and Association Development-Plus (LEAD+) programme introduced in 2016 to improve the capabilities of Trade Associations and Chambers (TACS) and (ii) the LEAD+ feature to second up to 20 public officers to TACs to forge closer partnerships between the Government and industry and to better the public officers’ understanding of the needs of enterprises.

*Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) how will the further liberalisation of the energy market and introduction of new energy sources such as JTC’s SolarRoof project help to moderate prices of electricity in the short term and long term; and (b) what are the Government’s plans to further liberalise the energy market.

[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for the Culture, Community and Youth” load=”hide”]

*Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) what is the Ministry’s policy on assisting young Singaporeans who seek National Service (NS) deferment to pursue their sporting ambition; and (b) whether there is an approved list of sports or recognised international sporting bodies where young men can qualify for NS deferment if they are accepted for training.

*Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth what are the programmes to nurture talented young sportsmen especially for the team sports given that their training can be interrupted by National Service.

[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Defence” load=”hide”]

*Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Defence with regard to the rejection of National Service deferment for Mr Benjamin Davis (a) what are the criteria to qualify for deferment; (b) whether the Ministry considers a professional contract with an English Premier League football club a rare achievement for a Singaporean; and (c) whether consideration is given to how Mr Davis can contribute to the soccer scene in Singapore when he returns.

*Mr Darryl David: To ask the Minister for Defence (a) what are the criteria that are used to determine whether a sportsman can be deferred from National Service to pursue his sporting growth and development; (b) whether there are different criteria used to assess the potential of sportsmen who are taking part in sports where success is not easily measured using quantitative benchmarks; and (c) whether there are different criteria used for individual sportsmen and those participating in team sports and, if so, what are the criteria used for individuals participating in team sports.

*Mr Darryl David: To ask the Minister for Defence whether the Government can consider deferring National Service for outstanding young male Singaporeans who have the potential to accomplish significant successes in fields other than sports if those successful achievements can also bring international fame and recognition for Singapore.

*Mr Sitoh Yih Pin: To ask the Minister for Defence what are the criteria for a young outstanding athlete in a team sport to be granted deferment from National Service.

*Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Defence whether the Ministry will conduct a study to review its criteria for NS deferment for sporting talent especially in light of more young Singaporeans showing potential and making their mark in regional and international sports.

*Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap: To ask the Minister for Defence (a) whether National Service deferments can be considered for team sports and not only for individual sports; (b) what documents and supporting evidence are required to meet the criteria for deferment; (c) what consultation is held with direct and supporting parties in evaluating deferment applications; (d) what types of cases does the Ministry deem to be exceptional; and (e) when was the deferment policy last reviewed and when will it be next reviewed.

Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar: To ask the Minister for Defence (a) whether there are plans to review the eligibility criteria for National Service (NS) deferment; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider setting up a review committee comprising esteemed individuals beyond the defence and armed forces sector to review applications for NS deferment on their individual merits.

Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Defence whether there has been an uptrend in the proportion of full-time national servicemen downgraded for mental issues in recent cohorts compared to cohorts in previous decades.

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*Asst Prof Mahdev Mohan: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) how will the Government tackle marine plastic pollution in the region; (b) what steps are being taken to prolong the life of Semakau landfill beyond 2035 by reducing excessive consumption of single-use plastic; and (c) how is the Government encouraging the private sector to develop, use and promote sustainable alternatives to plastic.

*Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources what plans does the Ministry have to encourage more businesses to reduce usage of single-use plastic.

*Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) whether NEA can extend the deployment of surveillance cameras beyond HDB estates to high-rise private estates to carry out enforcement against high-rise littering; and (b) whether the Ministry will amend the necessary legislation to empower NEA to do so.

*Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources whether there are effective programmes to cultivate the habit of not littering and to dispose of waste in a proper manner like that in Japan and Taiwan.

*Er Dr Lee Bee Wah: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what is the standard protocol for NEA to handle feedback about smokers smoking in prohibited areas; and (b) where there is no pictorial evidence and NEA is unable to catch the culprit red-handed, what other measures are taken to ensure that culprits will be apprehended especially those who have had multiple reports made against them in residential areas.

*Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what is the progress of efforts to keep our neighbourhood spaces smoke-free; (b) whether banning smoking in more designated areas have resulted in improving a smoke-free environment; (c) whether operators and premise managers are doing their part to stop patrons and visitors from smoking in prohibited areas; and (d) whether there are adequate enforcement resources and penalties to stop smokers who disregard the prohibitions imposed by NEA.

*Ms Rahayu Mahzam: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) whether there has been a study on the effectiveness of campaigns and programmes to create awareness on zero-wastage and recycling; (b) if so, what are the outcomes of such a study; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider embarking on a mass public consultation exercise to collate suggestions from the public on effective strategies to encourage zero-wastage and recycling.

*Ms Rahayu Mahzam: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what are the current efforts or guidelines for businesses to penalise wastage as well as incentivise the reduction and recycling of waste; (b) whether the current efforts and guidelines have been effective; and (c) whether there are any plans to build on the existing framework.

*Mr Zainal Sapari: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources what are the plans for NEA’s daily-rated staff to receive the necessary skills required for the future jobs under the Environmental Services Industry Transformation Map.

*Miss Cheng Li Hui: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what is the progress thus far on raising the awareness of climate change; (b) what is the number of individuals, organisations and educational institutions that have taken the Climate Action Pledge; (c) what are the plans to include more individuals, organisations and educational institutions in the second-half of the year; and (d) whether the Ministry will work with or track the organisations and educational institutions in terms of their follow-up actions and, if so, how.

*Er Dr Lee Bee Wah: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) in the past three years, how effectively are firms meeting water efficiency benchmarks; (b) whether PUB will work closely with those that fail to achieve the benchmarks to help them reduce water wastage; (c) what is the status of the industry consultation on water efficiency practices; and (d) what else is the Ministry doing to keep water consumption manageable.

*Mr Seah Kian Peng: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) how are Singapore’s efforts to manage this year’s climate change proceeding; (b) whether such efforts are sufficient in light of the forecast by the Climate Prediction Centre of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of a 70% chance that El Nino will develop during end-2018; and (c) what countermeasures will Singapore adopt should El Nino develop.

*Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources whether the debt and business reorganisation of Hyflux Ltd will affect Singapore’s water system and water security.

*Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) whether other alternative sites to Tanah Merah for sea burials will be considered and studied before making a final decision on the location of the sea burial facility proposed at the shoreline of Tanah Merah; and (b) whether the findings of the environmental impact study on this proposal will be published prior to a decision being made.

*Mr Azmoon Ahmad: To ask the Minister for Environment and Water Resources & Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (a) what does the People’s Association Malay Activity Executive Committees Council (MESRA) set out to achieve and what is its mission; (b) how is MESRA different from the Malay/Muslim Community Leaders Forum (CLF); and (c) whether the CLF Steering Committee is still functioning and if it has achieved its objectives since it was formed in 2003.

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