Parliamentary questions for 4 March 2021

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Prime Minister in light of the rise in fraudulent credit card transactions, whether the Government has considered encouraging more widespread wholesale insurance for banks and other credit card issuers that will permit easier write-offs for relatively smaller transaction amounts.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether he can provide an update on the six month pilot programme by SMRT Taxis to progressively equip its fleet of 2,800 taxis with booster seats for young children; and (b) whether the pilot will be extended to all taxis companies.

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether the Ministry will provide an update on efforts to simplify and render more transparent the fee structure of taxicabs especially in light of the rise of private-hire cars (PHCs); and (b) whether such increased transparency will also apply for the PHC industry

Ms Carrie Tan: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) how many appeals does HDB receive each year for reduction of the minimum occupation period due to changes in homeowners’ income situations and need to downsize before five years is up; (b) whether there is an upward trend in 2020 due to loss of jobs and income; and (c) whether there are any efforts by HDB to provide financial counselling to young couples when they apply for their first flat.

Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng: To ask the Minister for National Development whether HDB housing loan eligibility can be computed based on applicants’ higher income prior to their being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and re-adjusted, if need be, prior to their key collection.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for National Development whether there are plans to increase the number of executive condominiums to meet the demand of HDB upgraders.

Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Ministry has conducted a study on the current state of native species of flora and fauna in Singapore; (b) if so, how many known species of native plants are currently endangered; and (c) how many native species of plants have become extinct since Singapore’s independence.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs given the escalating developments in Myanmar involving the use of violence by security forces against demonstrators such as the violence seen in Mandalay on 20 February 2021 (a) what concrete steps will ASEAN take to facilitate a return to stability in Myanmar; and (b) what are the immediate and long-term consequences for the region if the situation does not abate.

No questions filed.

Ms Ng Ling Ling: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs given that 15 out of 18 pedestrian fatalities in 2020 involved seniors aged 60 and above and with half of the cases due to jaywalking, what else will the Ministry consider doing to improve road safety measures as the population continues to age.

Ms Ng Ling Ling: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs in light of the fatal car accident along Tanjong Pagar, whether the Traffic Police will consider more enforcement actions at roads that are conducive for car racing especially in the late nights.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what progress has the Ministry made on collecting data on the number of drug users whose parents were themselves drug users; and (b) whether the Government will use this information in reviewing its policies to address drug abuse

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Health under what specific conditions do we allow patients to exceed the MediSave withdrawal limits for in-vitro fertilisation-related procedures.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Health for each year in the past five years, what is the number of couples undergoing in-vitro fertilisation treatments.

No questions filed.

No questions filed.

No questions filed.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Manpower for each of the past three years, where penalties were imposed for breaches of the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (a) what is the percentage breakdown of the cases related to different bases of discrimination such as nationality, race and gender; (b) what is the number of firms which have been penalised; (c) whether any penalties have been levied that do not involve the curtailment of foreign work passes and, if so, how many of such cases; and (d) whether harsher penalties have been imposed on firms which are repeat offenders as compared to first-time offenders.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Manpower since the 2014 launch of the Open Door Programme (ODP) (a) what is the breakdown of the total number of persons with disabilities (PWDs) who have found placements via the ODP in terms of (i) full-time versus part-time placement and (ii) industry sector; (b) whether employers participating in the ODP have increased the percentage of PWDs in their workforce; and (c) what are the indicators of effectiveness used to assess the ODP.

No questions filed.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry whether JTC can increase the availability of parking spaces for start-ups operating out of the JTC Launchpad at Ayer Rajah Crescent.

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry whether the Ministry has explored the possibility of establishing a system for the individual resale of excess power produced f

No questions filed.

No questions filed.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether the Government will look into deploying smaller and more discreet surveillance cameras for capturing high-rise littering so as to avoid alerting potential offenders to the deployment of these cameras.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) when will the next enhancement to the Public Sector Taking the Lead in Environmental Sustainability (PSTLES) initiatives be announced; and (b) whether the Government will consider moving the fleet of Government vehicles to electric models as part of the PSTLES initiatives and, if so, what is the expected timeline