Volume 94 Monday No 30 9 January 2017

PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES

OFFICIAL REPORT CONTENTS

Written Answers to Questions

Page

1. Steps to Prevent Commercial Vehicles from Parking in Non-charging Parking Spaces (Mr ) 1 2. Review of Traffic Flow at Junction outside Trade Association Hub (Mr Thomas Chua Kee Seng) 1 3. Taxi Driver's Vocational Licence (TDVL) Re-application Criteria (Mr Sitoh Yih Pin) 2 4. Inclusion of Potong Pasir in Silver Zone Programme (Mr Sitoh Yih Pin) 2 5. Foldable Bikes and E-scooters Pilot Project Findings (Er Dr ) 2 6. Update on Cross Island MRT Line Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) (Mr Kok Kwang) 3 7. Considerations for LRT Service Bi-directional Operations (Ms ) 4 8. Update on Construction of Lifts at Pedestrian Overhead Bridges (Mr ) 4 9. Developing and Maintaining a Singaporean Core in Commercial Aviation Pilot Sector (Mr ) 4 10. Rank-and-file Workers on Adapt and Grow Programme (Mr ) 5 11. Labour Court Orders on Employee Salary Non-payment (Mr ) 5 12. Personal Data Collection at REACH's Public Events (Mr Low Thia Khiang) 6 13. Ministry of Communications and Information Public Opinion Polls (Mr ) 7 14. Collection and Disbursement of Zakat by MUIS (Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap) 8 15. Mendaki Educational Loans for Post-graduate Programmes (Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap) 8 16. ASEAN Meeting Update on Developments in Myanmar Rakhine State (Mr ) 9 17. Convictions from Total Number of Crime Cases Reported from 2010-2015 (Mr Low Thia Khiang) 10 18. Subsidies Received by CHAS Cardholders for Dental Services (Assoc Prof Pei Siong) 11 19. Profile and Allocation of Additional 30,000 Healthcare Workers Required by 2020 (Ms ) 11 20. Impact of Managed Care Companies and Third Party Administrator Companies on Healthcare Costs (Mr Ang Wei Neng) 13 21. Update on SG50's '50 Schools, 50 SMEs' Initiative (Mr ) 15 22. Proportion of Public Procurement Projects' Contract Price Targeted at Wage Increases for Outsourced Workers (Mr Zainal Sapari) 15 23. Factors Determining Number and Capacity of Senior Activity and Care Centres in HDB Towns (Mr Leon Perera) 17 24. Dedicated Rest Areas Set aside for Outsourced Workers in Government Buildings (Mr Zainal Sapari) 18 25. Raising Income Cap of $1,500 for Public Rental Housing (Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang) 18 26. Number of HDB Blocks Qualified for Home Improvement Programme (Mr Ang Wei Neng) 19 27. Update on NEA's Rodent Control Efforts (Er Dr Lee Bee Wah) 19 28. Breakdown in Utilisation Rate of SkillsFuture Credits by Age Group (Mr Yik Chye) 21 29. Statistics on Approved Training Organisations (ATOs), Public and Inhouse ATOs and Inhouse ATOs (Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong) 21

STEPS TO PREVENT COMMERCIAL VEHICLES FROM PARKING IN NON- CHARGING PARKING SPACES

1 Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked the Minister for Transport whether LTA can take steps to prevent transport leasing and related businesses from indiscriminately parking their commercial vehicles in non-charging parking spaces in the vicinity of landed properties in private residential estates which is causing inconvenience to residents in these estates.

Mr : Roads in private residential estates are public roads. Hence, where parking is allowed along these roads, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) cannot forbid any individual or company from parking. LTA is open to suggestions from residents on how parking schemes can be improved to minimise inconvenience to them, but once instituted, these parking schemes will have to be uniformly applied to all vehicles. Back to Contents REVIEW OF TRAFFIC FLOW AT JUNCTION OUTSIDE TRADE ASSOCIATION HUB

2 Mr Thomas Chua Kee Seng asked the Minister for Transport that in view of the completion of the Trade Association Hub at Jurong Town Hall in 2017 and the subsequent increase in trade association activities and programmes at the Hub, whether the Ministry can review and redesign the traffic flow around the area, particularly the traffic junction outside the Trade Association Hub so as to facilitate entry and exit out of the Hub.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: Jurong Town Hall Road and Jurong East Street 11 have already been widened in 2012 and 2014 respectively in anticipation of the Trade Association Hub opening. The junction outside the Trade Association Hub has also been designed to allow vehicles to enter and exit the Trade Association Hub without interrupting traffic flow on Jurong Town Hall Road. Public transport is another option as the Trade Association Hub is conveniently located within a 10-minute walk from Jurong East MRT Station. Back to Contents 2

TAXI DRIVER'S VOCATIONAL LICENCE (TDVL) RE-APPLICATION CRITERIA

3 Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked the Minister for Transport what are the conditions for re- application or re-qualification for a Taxi Driver's Vocational Licence (TDVL) where the TDVL has been revoked due to the conviction of a criminal offence that is unrelated to road traffic and/or driving matters.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: Land Transport Authority (LTA) considers the nature of the offence when assessing the re-applications of ex-offenders for a Taxi Driver Vocational License (TDVL), with a view to protecting the safety of passengers. Those who have committed extremely serious offences, such as rape, murder or kidnapping, are barred from re-obtaining a TDVL for life. Those who have committed less serious offences like housebreaking are barred for three to five years from the date of conviction, after which their re-applications will be considered. Other offences which do not pose any danger to the physical safety of the public, such as forgery, would not attract any debarment. This calibrated approach is needed to maintain public confidence in the safety of our taxi services. At the same time, it provides some ex-offenders with a second chance. Back to Contents INCLUSION OF POTONG PASIR IN SILVER ZONE PROGRAMME

4 Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked the Minister for Transport whether LTA will consider including the Potong Pasir area (in addition to Lorong 8 Toa Payoh) in the Silver Zone programme as it is a mature estate with a high number of elderly residents.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: In the implementation of the Silver Zone programme, Land Transport Authority (LTA) has prioritised areas where there is a relatively higher number of traffic accidents involving the elderly. We will include the Potong Pasir area in the programme. Back to Contents FOLDABLE BIKES AND E-SCOOTERS PILOT PROJECT FINDINGS

5 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Transport (a) what are the findings of the 3

ongoing pilot project to allow foldable bikes and e-scooters on MRT trains and buses; (b) whether the Ministry will consider disallowing this during peak hours when the trains are very crowded; and (c) what action can be taken if a passenger fails to fold the bike or e-scooter on the trains.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: The six-month trial to allow foldable bicycles and personal mobility devices to be brought onto public transport at all times of the day, started only about a month ago. We should allow the trial to run its course before making any policy decisions. So far, the public response has been positive and there have been few complaints. From our observations, the very large majority of the commuters who brought bicycles or personal mobility devices on board buses and trains behaved responsibly and courteously, and in particular, folded the devices. Those who do not do so are liable to a maximum fine of $500 upon conviction. Back to Contents UPDATE ON CROSS ISLAND MRT LINE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA)

6 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether the Ministry can provide an update on site investigation works on the two alignment options as part of Phase 2 of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Cross Island MRT Line; and (b) how is the Ministry engaging volunteers from the nature community to monitor and manage the impact on the ground as the rainy season increases the risk of spills into forest streams caused by boring works.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: Site investigation works on the two alignment options have commenced, and are expected to complete by end-2018. We consult with the nature groups regularly. LTA has also appointed one of the nature group representatives as an advisor to monitor and audit the implementation of the Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan developed in Phase 1. Back to Contents

4

CONSIDERATIONS FOR LRT SERVICE BI-DIRECTIONAL OPERATIONS

7 Ms Sun Xueling asked the Minister for Transport what are the parameters to determine when a LRT service can operate bi-directionally as the LRT service in the west loop of the Punggol LRT service travels in one direction before 3pm and in the other direction after 3pm.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: The Punggol West Loop LRT service is currently operating unidirectionally as its ridership of 7,000 passengers a day is still low. The Punggol East Loop, for example, has a ridership of 45,000. When ridership grows requiring additional capacity, we will increase the service frequency and/or operate it bi-directionally. Back to Contents UPDATE ON CONSTRUCTION OF LIFTS AT PEDESTRIAN OVERHEAD BRIDGES

8 Mr Ang Wei Neng asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether he can provide an update on the construction of lifts at pedestrian overhead bridges; and (b) whether LTA can consider expediting the construction of lifts at the pedestrian overhead bridge that links to the Chinese Garden MRT station.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: Lifts have been installed at 18 of the 47 pedestrian overhead bridges identified for the lift retrofitting programme. Preliminary works at the overhead bridge at Chinese Garden MRT station have begun, and the lift installation should be completed by the end of the year. Back to Contents DEVELOPING AND MAINTAINING A SINGAPOREAN CORE IN COMMERCIAL AVIATION PILOT SECTOR

9 Mr Low Thia Khiang asked the Minister for Transport what measures are being taken to maintain and develop a Singaporean core in the commercial aviation pilot sector.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: There are currently about 3,200 commercial pilots employed by Singapore-based airlines. About nine in 10 of them are Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents. 5

To ensure that our airlines continue to have access to a sizeable pool of Singaporean pilots, CAAS has approved four pilot training academies in Singapore, which supplement the airlines’ in-house training programmes. There are also programmes to support Singaporean pilots to up- skill themselves. Those who are keen to deepen their management or specialist skills are able to tap on various avenues of support, including CAAS’ Aviation Leaders Scholarship, the SkillsFuture Study Awards and the SkillsFuture Credit scheme. Back to Contents RANK-AND-FILE WORKERS ON ADAPT AND GROW PROGRAMME

10 Mr Zainal Sapari asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the retention rate of rank-and-file workers who have completed the 'Adapt and Grow' programme; and (b) what is the number of rank-and-file workers who have embarked on this programme so far.

Mr : The "Adapt and Grow" initiative supports workers, including rank- and-file workers, in finding jobs. The initiative includes career matching services and programmes such as Place-and-Train and Work Trials. In the first three quarters of 2016, more than 7,300 rank-and-file workers were placed by Workforce Singapore (WSG) and NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (NTUC-e2i) through the "Adapt and Grow" initiative. For rank-and-file workers placed through the Adapt and Grow career matching services in 2015 (about 10,000), seven in 10 remained in employment for at least six months after their placements. MOM, WSG and our tripartite partners will press on with efforts to support jobseekers to find and remain in employment through the "Adapt and Grow" initiative. Back to Contents LABOUR COURT ORDERS ON EMPLOYEE SALARY NON-PAYMENT

11 Mr Kok Heng Leun asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how many complaints about salary non-payment or short-payment were lodged by employees in each year from 2015-2016; (b) how many cases were referred to the Labour Court; (c) how many Labour Court Orders were issued in favour of claimants; (d) how many Orders remained unpaid by the 14th day after their issuance; and (e) how many employers were prosecuted for non-payment or short-payment of 6 salary in these two years respectively.

Mr Lim Swee Say: About 6,000 salary non-payment and short payment cases were lodged by employees each year in 2015 and 20161. For each year, the breakdown of the cases were similar and broadly as follows:

Among the 1,400 Labour Court orders issued in favour of employees, the payment status is as follows:

The 350 defaulted orders involved 200 companies which were mostly in financial difficulties or had ceased operations. MOM took enforcement actions against all of them which included warnings, fines and restriction of work pass privileges. About 25 employers were charged in court for more egregious offences each year in 2015 and 2016. Such offences carry a maximum fine of $15,000 and/or imprisonment of up to six months per charge. Back to Contents PERSONAL DATA COLLECTION AT REACH'S PUBLIC EVENTS

12 Mr Low Thia Khiang asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) what is the rationale for collecting the NRIC number, phone number, address, and occupation of every participant at REACH's public forums; (b) how is this information used; and (c) whether

1Excludes ongoing cases in Labour Court. 7 the Ministry will consider doing away with this onerous registration process to encourage participation at its events.

Assoc Prof Dr : REACH organises public forums to engage Singaporeans on various national issues. Like organisers of other conferences, REACH collects participants' NRIC numbers to verify the identity of the attendee, and facilitate the registration process. REACH also collects contact details such as phone numbers and email addresses to maintain communications with the participants before and after the forums. REACH does likewise with those who write or email in. Back to Contents MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION PUBLIC OPINION POLLS

13 Mr Chen Show Mao asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) how many public opinion polls did the Ministry commission in 2016; (b) what were the topics for each of these polls; (c) what was the cost of commissioning each of these polls; (d) what were the summary findings of each of these polls; and (e) whether and when will the Ministry publish the results of these polls.

Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: MCI conducts occasional surveys to understand public sentiment on issues, and to assess public awareness of, and response to, specific Government policies and programmes. Survey data has helped the Government evaluate if there are segments of the population who might benefit from a better understanding of a policy or programme. The data also helps the Government adjust the way it delivers services or implements policies, to better meet the needs of citizens. In 2016, we commissioned a number of surveys on a range of issues, including public perceptions of the annual Budget, public transport, changes to the elected presidency, as well as attitudes towards the death penalty in Singapore. REACH periodically releases findings that may be of interest to the public. The amount spent by the Government on surveys is in line with market rates. Back to Contents

8

COLLECTION AND DISBURSEMENT OF ZAKAT BY MUIS

14 Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap asked the Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs for 2015 (a) what is the total amount of zakat collected by MUIS; (b) what is the total amount disbursed; and (c) whether there is any undisbursed amount and, if so, how much is the undisbursed amount and what is the reason for not disbursing the monies.

Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: In FY2015, MUIS collected $35.3million of zakat and disbursed $36.3million to the eight Asnafs, or categories, as prescribed by Muslim Law. This figure is reported yearly in MUIS’ Annual Report. Annually, more than 70% of zakat is collected during the month of Ramadhan. This is the period when MUIS would have greater clarity on the zakat funds available for disbursement in the year. However, zakat disbursement is spread throughout the year. There may be a slight surplus or deficit in any particular year. To ensure the continued funding of programmes under the zakat, MUIS maintains a reserve to buffer against shortfalls and unforeseen situations which may affect collections and needs, such as an economic downturn. Back to Contents MENDAKI EDUCATIONAL LOANS FOR POST-GRADUATE PROGRAMMES

15 Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap asked the Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (a) whether Mendaki offers educational loans for post-graduate programmes; (b) if no, what is the reason for not providing so; and (c) how many requests or appeals Mendaki has received for such educational loans in the past five years.

Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: From 2011 to 2014, MENDAKI offered interest-free study loans to Muslim students pursuing post-graduate programmes. During this period, MENDAKI received 78 applications for such loans. However, this initiative was discontinued from 2015 to focus MENDAKI’s resources and support for Muslim students pursuing first-time degrees and diplomas. Back to Contents 9

ASEAN MEETING UPDATE ON DEVELOPMENTS IN MYANMAR RAKHINE STATE

16 Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he can provide an update on the ASEAN meeting on 19 December 2016 on recent developments in the Rakhine State, in particular (a) what was discussed at the meeting; (b) whether concerns about the treatment of the Rohingya people are valid; and (c) if valid, what will be done to encourage Myanmar to avert discrimination against the Rohingya people.

Dr : On 19 December 2016, I attended the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat, which was an informal meeting called by Myanmar’s State Counsellor and Minister for Foreign Affairs Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to brief ASEAN Foreign Ministers on the situation in Rakhine State. The meeting was timely and useful in helping the ASEAN Member States better understand Myanmar’s efforts to address the complex situation. There was an open, frank and constructive exchange of views among the Ministers. The Ministers also discussed how ASEAN can best support the Myanmar Government in its efforts to find a viable, long-term and sustainable solution to the problems in Rakhine State. The focus was on making sure that humanitarian aid would reach the communities in need. Following the meeting, the Myanmar Government has expressed readiness to grant necessary humanitarian access and to continue to keep ASEAN informed on developments in Rakhine State. On Singapore’s end, we have emphasised that every government must ensure the safety and protection of its people regardless of race and religion, and that all people must enjoy the same basic rights. At the same time, it is also the right and the responsibility of every state to secure its borders and maintain internal security. Issues of race, language and religion in every country, including Singapore, are sensitive and complex. Similarly, inter-communal relations in Rakhine State are highly complicated with longstanding historical roots. These issues are not going to be resolved easily or quickly in the short term. Patience, restraint, and time will be required to build trust among the different stakeholders and communities, foster racial harmony, and to restore peace and stability. We continue to encourage all parties, including the Myanmar Government and international community, to continue working together towards a long-term solution so that affected communities can rebuild their lives. In Singapore, our local communities initiated a 10

fundraising campaign in December 2016 to provide humanitarian support to affected communities in Rakhine State, as well as those affected by the earthquake in Aceh. It is heartening that Singaporeans across various communities have come forward to contribute more than $350,000. The funds raised will be divided and distributed equally to affected communities in Rakhine State and Aceh. The funds for Rakhine State will be channelled through Myanmar- based organisations to assist all affected communities, regardless of ethnicity and religion. President of the Singapore Islamic Scholars and Religious Teachers Association (PERGAS) Ustaz Mohamad Hasbi Bin Hassan had also written to the Prime Minister to offer PERGAS’ assistance. In his reply, the Prime Minister encouraged PERGAS to contribute to humanitarian relief efforts through the fundraising campaign. Back to Contents CONVICTIONS FROM TOTAL NUMBER OF CRIME CASES REPORTED FROM 2010-2015

17 Mr Low Thia Khiang asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the number of convictions from the total number of crime cases reported from 2010-2015; and (b) what is the number of convictions broken down by the different types of crime reported from 2010-2015.

Mr K Shanmugam: The Police report the crime statistics annually, broken down into the different crime classes. This information is available on https://data.gov.sg/dataset/overall-crime- cases-crime-rate. Between 2010 and 2015, the conviction rate of persons charged in Court was about 97%. The Member has asked for a comparison between the number of convictions and the total number of crime cases reported. This is not likely to be meaningful for various reasons, including: a) Multiple cases attributed to the same offender. b) Not all reported cases require arrests and prosecution. For example, there are, not infrequently, unmeritorious Police reports, and other cases, which for many reasons, result in no further action. c) Even where investigations are necessary, prosecution may not be the most appropriate option. For example, over 80% of cases (running into several thousands) involving young people are not prosecuted, for reasons which have 11

been publicly disclosed. Thus, Police do not actively track the comparison between the number of all Police reports made versus the number of convictions – which as has been stated earlier, is not a meaningful comparison. Back to Contents SUBSIDIES RECEIVED BY CHAS CARDHOLDERS FOR DENTAL SERVICES

18 Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked the Minister for Health (a) in the last year, how much subsidies for dental services has each CHAS cardholder and each CHAS cardholder aged 60 years and above received on average; (b) whether a review has been conducted to determine that the subsidies are adequate for seniors; and (c) whether the subsidies should be increased for seniors to match their needs.

Mr : The dental subsidies under the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) vary, depending on the status of the cardholder and the dental procedure required. For example, to make a complete upper denture, CHAS Blue and Orange cardholders can receive a subsidy of up to $256.50 and $170.50 respectively. The subsidy for Pioneer Generation (PG) cardholders is $10 higher per procedure than that for CHAS Blue cardholders. Those who have made a claim received about $320 on average in dental subsidies in 2015. Those aged 60 years and above received about $370. The existing dental subsidies already cover close to 85% of the bill for the majority of visits, including for seniors. The Ministry of Health will continue to review CHAS from time to time so as to meet our objective of providing accessible and affordable dental care to Singaporeans, including our senior citizens. Back to Contents PROFILE AND ALLOCATION OF ADDITIONAL 30,000 HEALTHCARE WORKERS REQUIRED BY 2020

19 Ms Tin Pei Ling asked the Minister for Health of the additional 30,000 healthcare workers required by 2020 (a) how many will be from the Singaporean core; (b) how many are expected to come through the professional conversion programme; (c) how many are expected to be retired healthcare workers; (d) how many will be allocated to the eldercare sector; (e) what 12

will be the allocation of these workers broken down by roles; and (f) what will be the expected increase in annual manpower expenditure.

Mr Gan Kim Yong: In tandem with the expected increase in demand for healthcare services that comes with an ageing population, we projected that an additional 30,000 healthcare workers could be needed between 2015 and 2020. Over 10,000 of the additional healthcare manpower demand is projected to come from the aged care sector, while the remaining will come from the acute and primary care sectors. About 50% of the new jobs are projected to be PMET (Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians) positions, which include doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, and managerial and administrative staff such as centre managers, and operations and administrative executives. MOH has been and will continue to grow a strong local core to anchor our healthcare sector. Locals made up about 75% of the healthcare workforce in 2015. MOH has been making efforts on a few fronts to attract, develop and retain the local healthcare workforce. First, we have expanded intakes at local medical and nursing schools to attract more young Singaporeans to join the healthcare sector. Between 2012 and 2015, local medical and nursing intakes have increased by 29% and 17% respectively. In addition, the four allied health profession (AHP) courses in Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Diagnostic Radiography and Radiation Therapy have transited from diploma courses in Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) to four- year degree programmes at the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) in 2016, and the intake will grow over time. Apart from attracting fresh school leavers, we have put in place Healthcare Professional Conversion Programmes (PCPs) for mid-career professionals to acquire relevant training to join the healthcare sector as nurses and allied health professionals. Since the commencement of the PCPs, more than 1,000 PCP candidates have undergone healthcare training. To bring in more mid-career entrants into the community care sector, the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) has also facilitated a series of manpower recruitment initiatives for the sector, which includes organising recruitment fairs, introducing the Community Care Traineeship Programme (CCTP) to train new local support care staff for their new roles as well as the Senior Management Associate Scheme (SMAS) to train mid-career talents to take on managerial and operational positions in the sector. We will continue to provide more training pathways to enable more mid- 13 career professionals to join the healthcare sector. Second, we are leveraging SkillsFuture (SF) initiatives to support professional development and capability building in the healthcare workforce. MOH launched the Healthcare SF Study Awards in June 2016 to encourage skills acquisition in the areas of aged care, healthcare IT and data analytics, and healthcare design, organisation and delivery. NYP is also rolling out a new Earn and Learn Programme (ELP) in gerontology nursing for nursing graduates to deepen their skills and knowledge to provide aged care in the community. Third, we seek to better retain healthcare workers. We have strengthened career pathways for clinical and support care staff across the public healthcare sector through more upgrading opportunities and better career progression, and are making efforts to increase workforce longevity in the healthcare sector. Nearly all eligible public healthcare staff were offered re- employment upon reaching age 62. The public healthcare clusters have also extended the re- employment age of public healthcare workers to age 67 since 1 July 2016, one year ahead of the statutory change. We are pursuing efforts to re-design jobs through the use of assistive equipment such as patient mobility aides and hoists, as well as encouraging healthcare institutions to offer more flexible work arrangements, to enable older staff to continue working. In parallel with efforts to increase the supply of local healthcare workers, we are stepping up productivity efforts to reduce manpower demand through improving workflows, redesigning roles and leveraging technology. Our public healthcare institutions are rolling out more self- service formats and training patients, caregivers and volunteers to support the healthcare workforce in care delivery. With productivity efforts, we will strive to keep manpower expenditure growth sustainable so as to maintain affordability of healthcare services for Singaporeans. Back to Contents IMPACT OF MANAGED CARE COMPANIES AND THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR COMPANIES ON HEALTHCARE COSTS

20 Mr Ang Wei Neng asked the Minister for Health (a) whether there is empirical data that reveals that managed care companies (MCCs) and third party administrator (TPA) companies are driving up healthcare costs significantly; and (b) what are the main factors that are driving up healthcare costs in the private and public healthcare sectors. 14

Mr Gan Kim Yong: Managed care companies (MCCs) and third party administrator (TPAs) play a role in the healthcare system by providing information to patients and helping them with the administrative and claims processes. The Singapore Medical Council (SMC) is not prohibiting such services. The SMC’s concern is with the charging practices adopted by some MCCs and TPAs, which compromise patient care and contribute to rising healthcare costs. For example, there are MCCs and TPAs which charge doctors referral fees of up to 25% of doctor’s fees. Their financial incentives are not aligned with the patient’s interests as the decisions on referrals and care can be unduly influenced by the fee arrangements. In addition, the high referral fees will ultimately be borne by patients in the form of larger bill sizes or higher insurance premiums. This was why medical professionals and the insurance industry have highlighted their concerns with these charging practices to MOH and SMC. The SMC has since revised their Ethical Code and Ethical Guidelines to state that doctors must not allow financial arrangements to lead to any compromise in the care of patients. Any charges which doctors pay to MCCs or TPAs should commensurate with the actual administrative work done by these intermediaries in processing the cases, rather than based primarily on the fees charged to patients. The SMC’s position is supported by the Singapore Medical Association, Academy of Medicine Singapore and College of Family Physicians Singapore. A key priority for MOH is to keep our healthcare system sustainable for the longer-term. There are many factors which can contribute to increases in healthcare costs. For example, an ageing population and a higher rate of chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension will increase the volume and complexity of healthcare services. We are investing in health promotion initiatives to help Singaporeans lead healthy and active lives. Another priority is to provide appropriate care for patients by moving healthcare services beyond hospitals into the community, and to improve productivity and efficiency in our healthcare institutions. MOH is also working with the professional bodies and industry players to enhance information transparency on fees and charges, and to discourage over-servicing by healthcare providers. All of these factors are important to develop a sustainable and affordable healthcare system that delivers quality care and outcomes for all Singaporeans. Back to Contents 15

UPDATE ON SG50'S '50 SCHOOLS, 50 SMES' INITIATIVE

21 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) (a) whether the "50 schools, 50 SMEs" initiative of SG50 has been completed; (b) whether the Ministry has achieved its target of pairing 50 schools with 50 different SMEs; and (c) whether the Ministry has evaluated each school-SME partnership to find out if the learning outcomes have been met.

Mr S Iswaran: The "50 Schools, 50 SMEs" was a joint initiative by SPRING Singapore and the National Library Board (NLB) carried out from April 2014 to May 2015 in conjunction with the SG50 celebrations. The programme aimed to connect the younger generation with companies which had made contributions to Singapore. Students were given the opportunity to understand Singapore businesses up close and appreciate how local businesses had persevered through difficult times and contributed to Singapore’s economic development. The programme matched 250 Secondary school students (comprising 62 teams) from 51 schools with 62 SMEs, exceeding its target of pairing 50 schools with 50 SMEs. Students were matched with companies from a broad range of industries and after the attachment were required to submit a write-up on the company based on their learning experiences. Some of the featured companies which participated in this programme included Eu Yan Sang, Muthu’s Curry, Malayan Daching, Epigram Books, Gardenasia and Pet Lovers Centre. The feedback received from the programme was positive. Students found the experience beneficial and were able to appreciate how businesses had to adapt and innovate to remain competitive. Some students were motivated to consider working for an SME or setting up their own business. Many also shared that the experience helped them appreciate the important role SMEs played within the economy. The companies which participated also felt that they had benefited from the energy and fresh ideas the students brought with them. The write-ups from the completed projects have been uploaded onto the Singapore Memory Project portal, Wikipedia and Infopedia. Back to Contents PROPORTION OF PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROJECTS' CONTRACT PRICE TARGETED AT WAGE INCREASES FOR OUTSOURCED WORKERS

22 Mr Zainal Sapari asked the Minister for Finance (a) what is the estimated proportion 16

of public procurement projects that factor in percentage increases in contract price targeted at wage increments for outsourced workers; and (b) what is the percentage and amount of liquidated damages enforced upon service providers by Government agencies in their service contracts for cleaning, security and landscaping.

Mr : It is not feasible for individual buyers to verify the pay practices of their service providers. What the Government has done since April 2013 is to award cleaning contracts only to accredited service providers, who are required to pay their workers according to the Progressive Wage Model (PWM). The PWM takes into account the National Wages Council’s (NWC) recommendations on wage increments. The Government also supported the adoption of the PWMs for the security and landscape sectors when they were rolled out to these sectors subsequently. In addition, for new tenders called since 2013, approximately three quarters of Government contracts in the cleaning, security and landscaping sectors have explicitly included a reminder to tenderers to factor in NWC’s recommended wage increments into their tender bids. Many agencies also allowed tenderers to present their bid price in year-by-year break down, which enables them to factor in cost increments, including annual wage adjustments. We are advising all agencies to adopt such good practices for their cleaning, security and landscaping tenders. To ensure wider industry adoption of good employment practices such as providing workers with annual wage increments, the Government encourages Tripartite efforts, or efforts by relevant independent bodies, to accredit service providers who adopt such practices. The Government is prepared to accord more favourable consideration for accredited service providers. As for the enforcement of liquidated damages, based on our survey, about 30% of the cleaning, security and landscaping contracts awarded from 2014 to 2016 (or 91 contracts) have imposed liquidated damages due to failure of service providers to perform according to contractual requirements such as service non-performance. The total amount of liquidated damages collected was approximately $4 million, which was about 0.5% of the total contract value of the 91 contracts. Back to Contents 17

FACTORS DETERMINING NUMBER AND CAPACITY OF SENIOR ACTIVITY AND CARE CENTRES IN HDB TOWNS

23 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) how is the number and capacity of senior activity and care centres determined in existing HDB towns; (b) whether the current planning parameters are sufficient; and (c) how many senior activity centres are there in the Bedok South area.

Mr Tan Chuan-Jin: MSF and MOH have been working closely together to meet the full spectrum of social and healthcare needs of our seniors so they can age gracefully within the community. MSF sets up Senior Activity Centres (SACs) to reach out to low-income and vulnerable seniors staying in HDB rental flats. SACs conduct activities such as outreach, home visits and centre-based activities, to encourage seniors to form social support networks and help detect risks early. An SAC is usually established when there is a reasonable number of seniors in the rental blocks. Larger centres are built in locations with more seniors within a cluster of rental blocks. MSF regularly reviews the planning and development of SACs, taking into account factors such as the projected elderly population in upcoming rental blocks, the SAC utilisation patterns and users' feedback. There is currently a total of five SACs in Bedok planning area, including one in Bedok South subzone. MOH develops Senior Care Centres (SCCs) to provide day care and rehabilitation services to seniors with care needs. MOH plans for these centres, taking into account projected demand based on a combination of factors such as demographics and incidence of disability. MOH conducts regular reviews of projections and adjusts development plans, based on updated information, to ensure that our seniors’ care needs are adequately met. Within Bedok planning area, there are five centres that can serve about 300 seniors every day. In 2017, the new Chai Chee nursing home will also have a new day centre that can serve an additional 100 seniors. SACs and SCCs complement each other to meet the social and healthcare needs of our seniors in the community. MSF and MOH will continue to work together to ensure that seniors are able to access the support and care services they require. Back to Contents

18

DEDICATED REST AREAS SET ASIDE FOR OUTSOURCED WORKERS IN GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS

24 Mr Zainal Sapari asked the Minister for National Development (a) how many Government buildings have set aside dedicated rest areas for outsourced workers; and (b) and how many of these are inspected regularly to ensure that they are not allocated for other purposes.

Mr : There are 115 Government-owned buildings with at least 3,000 square metres net floor area of commercial space. This is a reasonable threshold for which rest areas for outsourced workers could be provided as part of the building infrastructure. Out of these 115 buildings, the vast majority – 96 buildings – have dedicated rest areas for outsourced workers. These buildings are also inspected to ensure that the rest areas are not allocated for other purposes. While there are no dedicated rest areas in the other buildings, the workers there are allowed to use shared spaces (eg, visitors’ rest areas and pantries) to rest. Back to Contents RAISING INCOME CAP OF $1,500 FOR PUBLIC RENTAL HOUSING

25 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for National Development whether the Ministry will consider raising the current income cap of $1,500 for public rental housing in view of the rising cost of living and the higher income caps of Government subsidies such as the child care/infant care subsidy and ComCare Short-to-Medium Term Assistance.

Mr Lawrence Wong: The income ceilings set for various Government subsidies serve different purposes, and differ based on the nature of help provided and the target population. HDB reviews the income ceiling and other eligibility criteria for HDB rental flats from time to time. This enables us to prioritise the rental flat supply to benefit low-income families who are without family support and other housing options. In practice, HDB has exercised flexibility to enable some families with higher income get a public rental flat, if their circumstances are deserving of such assistance. Back to Contents

19

NUMBER OF HDB BLOCKS QUALIFIED FOR HOME IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME

26 Mr Ang Wei Neng asked the Minister for National Development (a) what is the total number of HDB blocks that qualify for the Home Improvement Program (HIP); (b) how many blocks have been selected for HIP by December 2016; and (c) whether HDB can consider announcing the precincts selected for HIP in 2017 and 2018 by the first quarter of 2017.

Mr Lawrence Wong: The Home Improvement Programme (HIP) was introduced in 2007 with about 3,000 eligible blocks. Blocks built up to 1986 and have not undergone the Main Upgrading Programme are eligible for the HIP. To date, HIP has been announced for more than 2,000 blocks. The next nomination exercise to select blocks to undergo HIP is scheduled to take place in early FY2017. Like the last exercise for 2015 and 2016, we are planning to select the HIP projects for 2017 and 2018 at one go, so that residents who may have plans to renovate their flats can make a better-informed decision. Back to Contents UPDATE ON NEA'S RODENT CONTROL EFFORTS

27 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) if he can provide an update on NEA's rodent control efforts; (b) how successful is the Rat Attack Programme; and (c) whether the Ministry is looking into how this problem is tackled by other countries.

Mr B M M: Since 2011, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has been carrying out regular inspections of public areas to identify potential food sources and harbourages for rodents, as well as rodent burrowing activities. Some 32,000 burrows were detected in the first 10 months of 2016, a 12.5% decrease over the same period in 2015. Around 90% of these burrows were found in housing estates managed by the Town Councils (TCs), mostly near bin chutes and bin centres. With numerous such facilities located in housing estates, rodent control remains a challenge for many TCs, especially in areas where individual stakeholders fail to adopt proper food storage and waste management practices, resulting in 20

ample food sources for rodents. To tackle this situation, NEA has been working with the TCs to implement the Rat Attack Programme, to proactively take steps to reduce the rodent population in their housing estates. Last year, NEA calibrated the programme further to provide TCs with the flexibility to tailor specific rat control efforts according to the rodent situation in their respective housing estates. For instance, TCs can choose to adopt a combination of rodent control methods, such as population culling or burrow treatment. So far, 15 TCs have come on board the programme. In some areas, actions by one party to destroy rodent burrows may displace the rodents to another location. NEA has, therefore, taken steps to strengthen the coordination between multiple stakeholders by facilitating the formation of Rat Coordination Task Forces. These working groups, which also include the TCs, facilitate the coordination of rodent control plans amongst the various stakeholders and help ensure that all parties play their part. Progress has been encouraging, especially in areas such as Redhill Close, Clementi Ave 3, Bedok Central and Bangkit Road, where the number of burrows has fallen by more than 30% since coordination efforts began. Beyond these efforts, NEA also regularly inspects retail food establishments for signs of rodent infestation and conducted more than 137,000 inspections last year. Retail food establishments that fail to keep their premises free of rodent infestation could have their licences suspended or revoked. NEA also inspects shopping malls and requires the operators of such premises to put in place rodent control programmes and proper waste management practices. NEA will not hesitate to take enforcement action against any premises owners for any public health lapses that lead to rodent infestation. NEA has also been studying how the rodent problem is tackled in other countries and will continue to evaluate our programmes and adopt relevant measures in our local context, where feasible. While NEA continues to keep up the surveillance and control of the rodent population in Singapore, it is the responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure a good system of housekeeping, refuse management and routine pest control checks and treatment to keep the rodent population under control. For example, all homeowners and retail food establishments should bag their food waste properly to minimise access by rodents and reduce the contamination of recyclable waste. Back to Contents 21

BREAKDOWN IN UTILISATION RATE OF SKILLSFUTURE CREDITS BY AGE GROUP

28 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) (a) what is the breakdown in utilisation rate of SkillsFuture credits according to the different age groups; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider allowing elderly citizens to transfer their credits to their younger immediate family members for skills upgrading.

Mr : Since the launch of the SkillsFuture Credit one year ago, more than 126,000 Singaporean Citizens have used their SkillsFuture Credit. There is a good spread across the different age bands, as shown in Table 1.

The objective of the SkillsFuture Credit scheme is to send a strong signal to adult Singaporean Citizens to take charge of their own learning journey. This is an objective that is relevant to every Singaporean Citizen, whether young or old. Making the SkillsFuture Credit transferrable will undermine this objective. Hence, it is not transferrable. Back to Contents STATISTICS ON APPROVED TRAINING ORGANISATIONS (ATOS), PUBLIC AND INHOUSE ATOS AND INHOUSE ATOS

29 Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked the Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) (a) what is the current number of approved training organisations (ATO), public and inhouse ATOs, and inhouse ATOs respectively; (b) what is the number of WSQ trainees who 22

have completed courses offered by each of the three types of ATO in 2016; and (c) how will the SkillsFuture movement expand to employer-led and employer-owned training.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: As of end 2016, there are 419 Approved Training Organisations (ATOs) that are delivering Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) training. Of these, 154 are in-house ATOs, 144 are public ATOs and 121 are both public and in-house ATOs. For the first three quarters of 2016, a total of about 229,000 unique local trainees completed WSQ training. The number of local trainees who completed WSQ training within each category of ATOs are as follows:

Historically, Continuing Education and Training has emphasised employers training their employees. It was only much later, after the setup of Lifelong Learning Endowment Fund, that the Government also promoted individual-initiated training. Employers will continue to play an important role in training and skills development of the workforce and this has been a priority for SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG). Back to Contents

Office of the Clerk of Parliament Singapore, 9 January 2017