The Singapore Parliament in session / photo istana.gov.sg

The Singapore Parliament will sit at 12:00 morning on Monday, 4 November 2019, for the 113th session of the 13th Parliament.
*82 oral questions and 31 written question have been scheduled to be asked.
At the commencement of Public Business, 3 Government Bills will be introduced:

  1. Banking (Amendment) Bill – Prime Minister.
  2. Statutes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill – Minister for Law.
  3. Healthcare Services Bill – Minister for health.

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

  1. Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill [Bill No. 33/2019] – (Second
    Minister for Finance) – Second Reading.
  2. Home Affairs Uniformed Services Superannuation (Amendment) Bill [Bill
    No. 28/2019] – (Minister for Home Affairs) – Second Reading.
  3. Air Navigation (Amendment) Bill [Bill No. 27/2019] – (Minister for
    Transport) – Second Reading.
  4. Women’s Charter (Amendment) Bill [Bill No. 29/2019] – (Minister for Home
    Affairs) – Second Reading.
  5. Central Provident Fund (Amendment) Bill [Bill No. 34/2019] – (Minister for
    Manpower) – Second Reading.
  6. Supreme Court of Judicature (Amendment) Bill [Bill No. 32/2019] – (Minister
    for Law) – Second Reading.
  7. Judges’ Remuneration (Amendment) Bill [Bill No. 31/2019] – (Minister for
    Law) – Second Reading.
  8. Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.
    30/2019] – (Minister for Law) – Second Reading.

There will also be a Matter proposed to be raised on the Motion for the Adjournment (SO 2(8)(b)) from Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh):
Enhancing the Role of the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) to Tackle Workplace and Job Discrimination.
Below are the questions filed towards the various Ministers
[toggle title=”Prime Minister” state=”close”] 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.
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.
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.
Mr Zainal Sapari: To ask the Prime Minister whether the policy and guiding
principles for bank loans based on conventional credit assessment
methodology will be reviewed and updated to be relevant to changing business
models.
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.
[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Foreign Affairs” state=”close”] [/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Transport” state=”close”] Mr Sitoh Yih Pin: To ask the Minister for Transport (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.
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 of PMDs; and (c) whether the Government will consider mandatory saferiding certification courses with disqualification rights under the law like other
classes of motorists.
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 LTA can adopt to act against such errant retailers.
Mr Lim Biow Chuan: 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar: 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 HDB Public Rental Scheme.
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.
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.
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 10km/h 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 LTA 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.
[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for National Development” state=”close”] 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.
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.
Mr Gan 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Ms Anthea Ong: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what are
the Ministry’s five- and 10-year plans for the population of Pulau Ubin; (b)
what is the population by age and gender of Pulau 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.
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.
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.
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.
[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Health” state=”close”] 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 personal 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.
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.
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 2012; (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.
Assoc Prof Daniel Goh 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Assoc Prof Daniel Goh 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.
Assoc Prof Daniel Goh 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.
[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Home Affairs” state=”close”] 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.
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
Singaporeans protect themselves against foreign influence given that
association with and receiving income from foreign sources is common
amongst globalised Singapore firms and individuals.
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 Avenue 1 and Yishun Street 51
especially on Friday and Saturday nights.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Communications and Information” state=”close”] 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.
[/toggle] [toggle title=” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance” state=”close”] Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and 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.
[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Education” state=”close”] 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.
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 of the economic slowdown.
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 differently-abled by disabilities; and (b) what are the support schemes,
financial or otherwise, that are available to such students.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Law” state=”close”] Assoc Prof Daniel Goh 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.
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.
[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Manpower” state=”close”] Mr Seah Kian Peng: To ask the Minister for Manpower what can be done to
reduce the amount of unclaimed CPF monies going forward.
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.
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 make
nominations; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider allowing higher
withdrawal amounts for those who have no kin to nominate.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Social and Family Development” state=”close”] Assoc Prof Daniel 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.
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.
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.
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.
[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Trade and Industry” state=”close”] 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.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is
the impact of the haze on tourist arrivals in Singapore; and (b) what has been
the impact of haze on attendances at major events here.
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.
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.
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.
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.
[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Culture, Community and Youth” state=”close”] 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.
[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for Defence” state=”close”] Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Defence (a) how many SAF
officers are re-employed from 2017 to 2019; (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.
[/toggle] [toggle title=”Minister for the Environment and Water Resources” state=”close”] 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
[/toggle]

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