Volume 94 Tuesday No 49 1 August 2017

PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES

OFFICIAL REPORT CONTENTS

Written Answers to Questions

Page

1. Guidelines and Avenues for Political Appointees to Address Allegations Publicly (Mr ) 1 2. Increase in Total Number of Electors for Coming Presidential Election (Mr ) 1 3. Efforts to Catalyse Reverse Mortgages for Private Housing (Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry) 1 4. Expected Run-in Period of New Signalling System on North-South Line (Mr ) 2 5. Minimum Age Requirement for Private Hire Car Drivers (Mr ) 3 6. Roadworthiness of CNG Vehicles (Miss ) 4 7. Vehicle Inspection Regime for CNG Taxis and Private Cars (Mr ) 4 8. Loss of Earnings by Taxi Drivers from Violent or Drunken Passengers (Assoc Prof Randolph Tan) 5 9. Applicants Granted PR Status under EDB's Global Investor Programme (Mr Gan Thiam Poh) 6 10. Publication of Information Forecasting Major Supply-Demand Mismatch in Specific Job Categories (Mr Pritam Singh) 6 11. Decline in Average Weekly Paid Overtime Hours Worked Per Employee (Assoc Prof Randolph Tan) 7 12. Errors in Tamil Translations on National Day Parade 2017 Rehearsal Collaterals (Mr Murali Pillai) 8 13. Plans for ASEAN to Execute Multilateral Approach on China's One Belt One Road Initiative (Mr Lip Fong) 8 14. Recidivism of Local Inmates of Drug Rehabilitation Centres and Long-Term Imprisonment Regimes (Mr Kok Kwang) 9 15. Number of Local SMEs Owning Intellectual Property Rights (Mr ) 10 16. Couples with Unsuccessful Pregnancy after Three Cycles of Subsidised Assisted Reproductive Technology Treatment (Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang) 11 17. Shortage of Local Doctors in Singapore (Ms ) 13 18. Day Care Centres for Persons with Special Needs (Mr ) 13 19. Review of Family-related Laws Governing Legal Rights and Responsibilities between Step- parents and Step-children (Assoc Prof Pei Siong) 14 20. Successful Applicants for Additional CPF Housing Grant (Mr Desmond Choo) 16 21. Conditions Governing Permits for Construction Works on Terrace Houses (Ms ) 16 22. Number of HDB Flats Built Specifically for Senior Citizens Yearly since 2002 (Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry) 17 23. Frequency of Sweeping and Cleaning of Public Areas under NEA (Ms ) 18 24, 25. Food Waste Management Strategies (Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong and Mr ) 19 26. Students Suffering from Domestic Abuse (Mr ) 20 27. Class Sizes in Primary and Secondary Schools (Mr Leon Perera) 21 28. Time Spent by Teachers on Marking Assignments and Administrative Work (Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong) 22 29. Review of Cut-off Points for Undergraduate Courses (Mr ) 22 30. Affordability of Degree Courses for Mature Students at Autonomous Universities (Mr Pritam Singh) 23

GUIDELINES AND AVENUES FOR POLITICAL APPOINTEES TO ADDRESS ALLEGATIONS PUBLICLY

1 Mr Chen Show Mao asked the Prime Minister what are the rules, directives, practices, understandings, standards and norms governing the circumstances under which a Minister or political appointee should defend his reputation in his official capacity in the courts or refrain from such court action and address allegations publicly, such as in Parliament.

Mr : I have addressed this in my Ministerial Statement on 3 July 2017. Any Minister who is accused of improper conduct must clear his name publicly. He should not allow the allegations to fester and affect the reputation of the Government. If it is a serious allegation, I would expect the Minister to take court action for defamation, unless there are other special considerations. He may also need to render account in Parliament, particularly if the matter concerns his discharge of public duties and is of public interest. These are not mutually exclusive options. In all cases, there must be public accounting. Back to Contents INCREASE IN TOTAL NUMBER OF ELECTORS FOR COMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

2 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Prime Minister (a) what is the increase in the total number of electors for the coming presidential election since the last General Election; and (b) which electoral divisions have a significant increase in the number of electors.

Mr (for the Prime Minister): Based on the latest revised registers of electors as at 31 July 2017, there are 2,515,322 electors. This is an increase of 52,396 electors (or 2.1%) compared to the number of electors at General Election 2015. The electoral divisions with a large increase in number of electors are Sengkang West and Pasir Ris-Punggol. Back to Contents EFFORTS TO CATALYSE REVERSE MORTGAGES FOR PRIVATE HOUSING

3 Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry asked the Prime Minister (a) whether there are any 2 efforts to catalyse reverse mortgages for private housing; and (b) whether there are any guidelines and laws that govern reverse mortgages for private housing including the level of interest charged for reserve mortgages.

Mr (for the Prime Minister): Financial institutions (FIs) are allowed to offer reverse mortgages. In fact, some FIs did offer reverse mortgages in the past but ceased doing so when they found a lack of demand. The terms for reverse mortgages, including applicable interest rates, are set on a commercial basis, taking into account factors such as cost of funding and credit risk. The Government has been looking at options to help better monetise their housing assets. For example, MAS announced in March 2017 that mortgage equity withdrawal loans need not be subject to the total debt servicing ratio (TDSR) framework if the loan amount is less than 50% of the market value of the property. This will help retirees – many of whom would have paid up most of their outstanding housing loan – monetise part of the value of their property. There are alternatives to reverse mortgages or mortgage equity withdrawal loans. For instance, a property owner can choose to let out his property or a room for rental income. Eligible HDB flat owners may also monetise or right-size their flats through HDB's Lease Buyback Scheme or Silver Housing Bonus respectively. The Government will continue to review its policies to facilitate monetisation options that are relevant to meet the retirement needs of Singaporeans. Back to Contents EXPECTED RUN-IN PERIOD OF NEW SIGNALLING SYSTEM ON NORTH- SOUTH LINE

4 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Transport (a) how long is the run-in period of the new signalling system on the North-South Line expected to be; (b) what steps are taken to minimise the inconvenience to commuters caused by the delays; and (c) when is the signalling system expected to start delivering a higher level of service reliability and shorter waiting times for commuters.

Mr : We expect to stabilise the new signalling system on the North- 3

South Line soon. The current version of the software installed on July 14 is promising and has addressed the glitches encountered earlier. We still have some concerns over train-borne signalling equipment which the engineers are attending to. If there are no new surprises, we will be able to move to the next phase of testing as we inject more trains with shorter headways during peak hours. This will reduce waiting times and offer less crowded rides for commuters. Stabilisation of the North-South Line will also allow us to start testing for the East-West Line. We hope to catch the December holiday period to begin full-scale testing of the East-West Line. This assumes that the North-South Line will have stabilised before December. This is our current project timeline. Meanwhile, SMRT, LTA and Thales have over 1,600 frontline staff and engineers on stand-by to respond to any problems that may surface with the new signalling system. SMRT and LTA also have contingency plans to respond to service disruptions. These include the activation of free bus services, deployment of additional staff to affected stations, and the widespread dissemination of information on alternative transport options. The two organisations are reviewing these plans to further enhance them. But realistically, buses cannot fully cope with the dislodged passengers from affected trains during peak hour. Our objective remains to avoid delays and disruptions altogether, and to resume normal train service speedily. Back to Contents MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT FOR PRIVATE HIRE CAR DRIVERS

5 Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked the Minister for Transport in view of the recent fatal accident involving a young driver of a private hire car, whether LTA will consider reviewing its current policy position and impose a minimum age requirement for private hire car drivers to bring it in line with that of taxi drivers.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: LTA has imposed a minimum of two years’ driving experience, rather than a minimum age, on applicants for the Private Hire Car Driver’s Vocational Licence. Traffic accident data does not show that there is a higher incidence of accidents among younger drivers. LTA also rejects applicants with a poor driving record, such as conviction for drunk driving and those who have had their driving licence revoked. These conditions are reviewed regularly. 4

Back to Contents ROADWORTHINESS OF CNG VEHICLES

6 Miss Cheng Li Hui asked the Minister for Transport (a) how many CNG vehicles did not meet the testing guideline; (b) why are there so many CNG vehicles with leakages that have gone undetected for so long; and (c) what measures are in place to ensure the safety of CNG vehicles when they ply our roads.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: Almost all of the 2,385 registered CNG vehicles have been inspected. About 200 were found to have gas leakage and they are being repaired or de- registered. Gas leakage is generally due to poor maintenance. Following the recent fire incidents involving CNG vehicles, as a precaution, LTA required all registered CNG vehicles to be sent for immediate inspection outside the usual inspection cycle. To enhance the thoroughness of the inspections, LTA deployed its own engineers to assist the inspection centres. The urgency of the inspections also gave vehicle owners no time to send their vehicles for pre-inspection maintenance. All this could have contributed to the higher than normal inspection failure rate. As an additional precaution, LTA has increased the inspection frequency from once every six months to once every three months for public service vehicles which use CNG, such as taxis and buses. LTA is also working with taxi operators which have CNG taxis to enhance their own inspection and maintenance regime. LTA will also work with the inspection centres to tighten their inspection process, and will double the frequency of its audits on the centres. Back to Contents VEHICLE INSPECTION REGIME FOR CNG TAXIS AND PRIVATE CARS

7 Mr Ang Hin Kee asked the Minister for Transport (a) why the six-monthly and yearly vehicle inspections for CNG taxis and private car vehicle respectively have been unable to identify gas leakage problems; (b) whether there will be a review of the existing regime to ensure vehicle inspections are able to keep pace with the different vehicle types and models; and (c) whether the costs of current vehicle inspections can be reviewed downwards in view of its limited coverage.

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Mr Khaw Boon Wan: The current vehicle inspection regime subjects CNG vehicles to compulsory checks of their CNG systems. However, following the recent fire incidents involving CNG vehicles, as a precaution, LTA required all registered CNG vehicles to be sent for immediate inspection outside of the usual inspection cycle. To enhance the thoroughness of the inspections, LTA deployed its own engineers to assist the inspection centres. The urgency of the inspections also gave vehicle owners no time to send their vehicles for pre-inspection maintenance. All this could have contributed to the higher than normal inspection failure rate. As an additional precaution, LTA has increased the inspection frequency from once every six months to once every three months for public service vehicles which use CNG, such as taxis and buses. LTA is also working with taxi operators which have CNG taxis to enhance their own inspection and maintenance regime. LTA will also work with the inspection centres to tighten their inspection process, and will double the frequency of its audits on the centres. Fees for vehicle inspections have been deregulated since 1997. Back to Contents LOSS OF EARNINGS BY TAXI DRIVERS FROM VIOLENT OR DRUNKEN PASSENGERS

8 Assoc Prof Randolph Tan asked the Minister for Transport (a) what is the number of taxi drivers who have suffered a loss of earnings in the last 24 months arising from issues caused by violent or drunken passengers; (b) whether taxi drivers are allowed to decline passengers who display unstable behaviour arising from alcohol intoxication; and (c) whether LTA or taxi companies provide guidelines to taxi drivers on how to request compensation for loss of earnings if their vehicles become temporarily inoperable as a result of incidents with violent or drunken passengers.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: LTA and taxi companies do not track the number of taxi drivers who have suffered loss of earnings because of violent or drunken passengers. Taxi drivers can decline passengers who are unreasonable, abusive, or exhibit signs of violence. Those who suffer losses because of violent or drunken passengers can approach their taxi companies for assistance. Back to Contents

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APPLICANTS GRANTED PR STATUS UNDER EDB'S GLOBAL INVESTOR PROGRAMME

9 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (Trade) (a) how many applicants have been granted PR status under EDB's Global Investor Programme (GIP) since it was launched; (b) how many of these PRs have had their status subsequently withdrawn or cancelled upon review; and (c) what is the number of these PRs who have subsequently been granted citizenship, broken down by age group.

Mr : As of June 2017, 1,826 Global Investor Programme (GIP) applicants have been granted permanent residency since the programme’s inception in 2004. Of these, 67 have been granted citizenship. The age at which they were granted citizenship varies between 25 to 58 years old. One GIP investor had his PR status revoked upon review. Back to Contents PUBLICATION OF INFORMATION FORECASTING MAJOR SUPPLY- DEMAND MISMATCH IN SPECIFIC JOB CATEGORIES

10 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for Manpower whether the Government intends to publish information forecasting any major supply-demand mismatch in specific job categories in conjunction with the roll-out of the various Industry Transformation Roadmaps.

Mr : The rapid pace of technological change and keen global competition will continue to drive the faster pace of economic restructuring globally as well as here at home. To minimise mismatches in manpower supply and demand, we have identified and will continue to identify new skills needed for our people to remain employable. This is done through formulation of the Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) and Skills Frameworks for 23 major sectors in our economy. The respective ITMs and Skills Frameworks will be released progressively when completed. Our approach is to be nimble and responsive as industries transform, so as to help workers and companies stay relevant and seize opportunities in the future economy. Under the Adapt and Grow initiative, training and wage support are provided to help jobseekers overcome mismatches in skills, jobs or expectations. There are also career matching services to address “missed 7 matches” by connecting jobseekers with job opportunities. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Workforce Singapore (WSG) have also stepped up efforts to help jobseekers get timely information and advice on job opportunities. For example, WSG recently launched Careers Connect to provide jobseekers with an expanded suite of customised career counselling and matching services. We will also be transforming the National Jobs Bank into an online jobs marketplace to better enable various groups of jobseekers to find suitable opportunities. In addition, WSG is proactively reaching out to workers who have been retrenched. The implementation of mandatory retrenchment notifications since 1 January 2017 has enabled WSG to provide affected local workers with more timely assistance to find alternative employment and relevant training to enhance their employability. Back to Contents DECLINE IN AVERAGE WEEKLY PAID OVERTIME HOURS WORKED PER EMPLOYEE

11 Assoc Prof Randolph Tan asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what are the reasons for the further decline in the average weekly paid overtime hours worked per employee; and (b) whether the general downward trend is expected to continue.

Mr Lim Swee Say: From 2011 to 2016, the average weekly paid overtime hours worked per employee fell from 3.7 hours to 3.3 hours1. This is due to the drop in average weekly paid overtime hours worked by employees mainly in the Manufacturing, Administrative and Support Services, and Transportation and Storage sectors. There are a number of reasons for this decline: productivity improvements, and tripartite effort to reduce the excessive overtime hours to ensure workers have sufficient rest. Economic transformation has also led to an increasing proportion of managers and executives in our workforce who are not eligible for paid overtime. This decrease in paid overtime hours is in step with the overall trend of declining average

1Source: Labour Market Survey, Manpower Research and Statistics Department, MOM. Data pertain to private sector establishments (each with at least 25 employees) and the public sector.

8 usual hours worked per week. It has also been accompanied by continued growth in real median income of 3.1% per year from 2011 to 20162. Back to Contents ERRORS IN TAMIL TRANSLATIONS ON NATIONAL DAY PARADE 2017 REHEARSAL COLLATERALS

12 Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Defence (a) whether there have been errors in the Tamil translations on the National Day Parade 2017 rehearsal collaterals; and (b) what further steps will the Ministry take to prevent a repeat of such incidents.

Dr : Pamphlets used during the NDP rehearsals contained errors in the Tamil translation. Investigations revealed that the original Tamil translation submitted was correct but errors were made by printers of the pamphlets. Unfortunately, some pamphlets with errors had already been distributed to the audience prior to the discovery. The NDP Executive Committee (EXCO) has apologised publicly for this mistake. The error arose because the pamphlets were not proof-read after printing and before distribution. This step has been incorporated as standard procedure for all translated texts in NDP materials. Additionally, the NDP EXCO will also ensure that the publishing companies it engages are equipped with the necessary and reliable computer software for correct printing of different languages. Back to Contents PLANS FOR ASEAN TO EXECUTE MULTILATERAL APPROACH ON CHINA'S ONE BELT ONE ROAD INITIATIVE

13 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether ASEAN currently has any plans to execute a multi-lateral approach in engaging with China's One Belt One Road initiative to complement existing country-specific, bilateral approaches.

Dr : China’s Belt and Road (B&R) initiative is significant as it has the potential to enhance connectivity and accelerate infrastructure development across the whole

2Source: Comprehensive Labour Force Survey, Manpower Research and Statistics Department, MOM.

9 of Asia. Singapore was an early supporter of the initiative. Our third Government-to-Government project with China, the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative, is a key priority demonstration project under the B&R initiative. China Foreign Minister Wang Yi and I have also agreed for our two countries to jointly establish three platforms under the B&R initiative to enhance (i) connectivity; (ii) cooperation on financial services; and (iii) third party collaboration in human capital development. At the regional level, China’s non-financial Overseas Direct Investment into ASEAN economies has more than doubled from 2008, reaching US$7.8 billion in 2014. Asia is expected to need US$26 trillion of investment between now and 2030 to develop power, utilities, telecommunications and transportation infrastructure. In this regard, demand for infrastructure in the region is huge. There is thus potential for the B&R initiative to complement and support existing multilateral and regional projects, including those in ASEAN. The B&R initiative and the Master Plan for ASEAN Connectivity 2025 reflect a convergence of interests between ASEAN and China. As such, ASEAN is keen to explore possible synergies, including how the B&R initiative can complement ASEAN’s development plans, and vice versa, to maximise the results of our cooperation. As Country Coordinator for ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations until August 2018, Singapore is actively consulting both ASEAN Member States and China on how this will feature in our plans for the future development of the ASEAN-China strategic partnership. Back to Contents RECIDIVISM OF LOCAL INMATES OF DRUG REHABILITATION CENTRES AND LONG-TERM IMPRISONMENT REGIMES

14 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Home Affairs for each year from 2012 to 2016, what is the percentage of local inmates detained, convicted and imprisoned again for a new offence within five years from their release from (i) the Drug Rehabilitation Centres (ii) Long-Term Imprisonment 1 and (iii) Long-Term Imprisonment 2 regimes respectively.

Mr K Shanmugam: Singapore Prison Service (SPS) currently publishes two-year recidivism rates, as this is aligned with standard international calculations for measuring recidivism, and allows for meaningful comparison across time and jurisdictions.

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Compared to longer time spans, two-year recidivism rates are a more sensitive measure of the effectiveness of prison regimes, including the Drug Rehabilitation Centre (DRC) and Long- Term Imprisonment (LT). After the two-year mark, ex-offenders’ behaviour would tend to be influenced more by other environmental factors. Recidivism rates over a longer time frame will hence be higher. The two-year recidivism rates for persons released from DRC, LT1 and LT2 from 2012 to 2014 are as follows. The two-year recidivism rates for 2015 and 2016 are not available yet.

Back to Contents NUMBER OF LOCAL SMES OWNING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

15 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Law (a) how many local SMEs own some form of intellectual property (IP); (b) how does this compare with the data from developed countries; and (c) what measures are in place to educate and support SMEs in respect of acquiring and enforcing IP.

Mr K Shanmugam: As at July 2017, approximately 17,000 SMEs in Singapore (8% of all SMEs in Singapore) own Singapore-registered intellectual property (IP), like patents, trademarks, designs or plant variety protection. Many companies, including SMEs, also own IP in the form of copyright and trade secrets, which do not require registration. Companies can also own IP which are registered overseas for their overseas operations. Data on ownership of non- registrable IP and foreign IP are not available. Generally, most developed countries do not track or publish the number of SMEs that own registered IP. However, in the EU, a 2015 Intellectual Property Rights and Firm Performance in Europe report showed that 9% of European SMEs own registered IP in the EU. This is slightly 11 higher than in Singapore. The Ministry of Law and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) recognise that our SMEs need assistance to understand and utilise IP to their advantage. We are working with other government agencies on several initiatives to assist our SMEs. IPOS leverages trade and business associations to organise activities like IP and innovation seminars. Local enterprises can also sign up for IP and IP management courses run by IPOS’ training subsidiary, IP Academy. IPOS will be launching a business portal with guides and diagnostic toolkits on IP, to help SMEs understand their IP needs. In addition, IPOS’ subsidiary, IP ValueLab, provides local companies with subsidised one-on-one assistance for IP audit and IP strategy development. This effort is supported by SPRING Singapore. SMEs can also obtain assistance in developing or acquiring IP. The Agency for Science, Technology and Research’s (A*STAR) Technology for Enterprise Capability Upgrading programme attaches its researchers to SMEs to help them develop in-house R&D capabilities. Its Headstart programme enables SMEs to license A*STAR’s IP on preferential terms. To date, more than 650 researchers have been attached to SMEs and more than 60% of A*STAR’s licences are to SMEs. Further, the Intellectual Property Intermediary, a SPRING Singapore affiliate, assists SMEs to assess their technology gaps and helps them find the IP that they need. IPOS also runs IP legal and business clinics for SMEs, where they can seek preliminary advice from IP experts and lawyers for free. The advice sought can include advice on IP disputes and enforcement. The Ministry of Law is also considering the recommendations made by the IP Dispute Resolution Review Committee chaired by Justice George Wei on how to increase access to the IP dispute resolution system, by reducing the time and cost required for IP enforcement. Back to Contents COUPLES WITH UNSUCCESSFUL PREGNANCY AFTER THREE CYCLES OF SUBSIDISED ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY TREATMENT

16 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Health how many couples and what is the percentage of couples who did not have a successful pregnancy after the three cycles of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) treatment that is subsidised by the Government.

Mr : Under the assisted reproductive technology (ART) co-funding scheme, eligible couples can receive up to 75% in co-funding from the Government for ART 12 treatment cycles, for a maximum of three fresh and three frozen ART cycles, until the patient reaches 40 years of age. MOH’s AR database captures information on the number of live-births by individual ART cycles, and thus the success and failure rates at each cycle. Of Government-funded cycles of ART between 2013 and 2015, 75.3% were unsuccessful after the first cycle. This figure increased to 79.3% and 81.9% after the second and third cycles respectively. The likelihood of a successful cycle of ART is higher for those who are younger. Note: Please refer to Annex A for the breakdown by year. ANNEX A Data for unsuccessful co-funded AR cycles Table 1 Number of Government Co- 2013 2014 2015 Average funded Cycles 2013 to 2015 1st Co-funding 1689 1967 1985 1880 2nd Co-funding 527 729 918 725 3rd Co-funding 149 210 309 223 Total 2365 2906 3212 2828

Table 2 Number of Government Co- 2013 2014 2015 Average funded Cycles with no Live Birth 2013 to Pregnancy 2015 1st Co-funding 1291 1476 1482 1416 2nd Co-funding 419 560 745 575 3rd Co-funding 126 176 245 182 Total 1836 2212 2472 2173

Table 3 % of unsuccessful cycles 2013 2014 2015 Average (Government Co-funded 2013 to Cycles) 2015 1st Co-funding 76.4 75.0 74.7 75.3 2nd Co-funding 79.5 76.8 81.2 79.3 3rd Co-funding 84.6 83.8 79.3 81.9 Total 77.6 76.1 77.0 76.9 p-value of test for trend 0.011 0.009 0.001 0.006

Note: The ART co-funding scheme was enhanced in 2013 to extend co-funding to an additional three frozen cycles, on top of the previous maximum of three fresh cycles. The increase in unsuccessful rates across the three co-funded cycles was significant for all the individual years as well as the average across the three years (p<0.05).

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Back to Contents SHORTAGE OF LOCAL DOCTORS IN SINGAPORE

17 Ms Foo Mee Har asked the Minister for Health (a) whether there is a shortage of local doctors in Singapore; and (b) if so, what is the Ministry doing to help (i) students better assess the prospects of pursuing medicine as a career (ii) young doctors better understand the landscape of specialisations that the country needs and (iii) the public to better understand the extent of Singapore's dependence on foreign doctors.

Mr Gan Kim Yong: As at 31 December 2016, there were about 13,000 registered doctors in Singapore, with a strong local core of 84% local doctors. As our ageing population will continue to drive demand for medical manpower, MOH has been working with MOE to review and plan our local medical training pipelines to meet Singapore’s future healthcare needs. The local medical intakes have increased from 354 in 2012 to 471 in 2016, and is projected to grow to 500 in 2018. Besides growing local intakes, we are also attracting more Singaporean doctors trained overseas to return and practise in Singapore through the Pre- Employment Grant (PEG) and Relocation Incentive (RI) introduced in 2010. Since inception, about 900 PEGs and 300 RIs have been awarded. The number of newly registered overseas- trained Singaporean doctors returning annually has doubled from 92 in 2012 to 182 in 2016. While we have increased the pipelines of local doctors, foreign doctors are needed to supplement the local pool. With more Singaporeans joining the medical workforce, we expect the recruitment of foreign doctors to moderate going forward. With an ageing population, the type of disciplines in demand will shift towards the more generalist disciplines, such as Family Medicine, Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine. MOH has shared with medical students and junior doctors through dialogue sessions and medical residency briefing sessions on this shift. We will continue to raise awareness of the changing postgraduate training needs amongst junior doctors and medical students. Back to Contents DAY CARE CENTRES FOR PERSONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

18 Mr Desmond Choo asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) how 14 many day care centres are there currently for persons with special needs above 18 years old; (b) what is the current average waiting time before a person with special needs gets a place in the centre; and (c) what are the future plans to improve the quality of day care support for adults with special needs.

Mr Tan Chuan-Jin: Today, there are 26 Day Activity Centres (DACs) providing 1,380 places for adults with disabilities. The current average waiting time for admission is about three to six months. We anticipate this to drop with the increase in DAC places. There will be three more centres opening this year, and two more centres by the end of FY18. These new centres together with expansion of existing centres will add another 420 places, and we are on track to providing 1,800 places and reducing the waiting time to one to two months by the end of FY18. My Ministry has also embarked on efforts to build capability of DAC service providers and personnel. For example, personnel at the DACs have been taught how to use a common assessment tool that we developed to assess the daily living, social, and community living skills of clients in the various centres. This better enables the personnel to draw up individual care plans with the caregivers for each client. Appropriate intervention programmes and activities supporting the developmental needs and desired outcomes for each client are also monitored and documented to enable the clients to achieve their full potential. MSF has completed a study on the competency and training needs of the care staff in DACs in enabling them to provide better support to the clients and their families. We are also working with agencies such as the Agency for Integrated Care, Social Service Institute, and Workforce Singapore to draw up a competency framework and training roadmap for DAC staff. Back to Contents REVIEW OF FAMILY-RELATED LAWS GOVERNING LEGAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN STEP-PARENTS AND STEP-CHILDREN

19 Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether there is a need to comprehensively review family-related laws to define the legal rights and responsibilities between step-parents and step-children, particularly with regard to healthcare decision-making, estate succession and inheritance, and maintenance responsibilities. 15

Mr Tan Chuan-Jin: The primary responsibility for a child lies with his or her parents, who are collectively responsible for the upbringing and welfare of the child. In a situation where the parents are divorced, major decisions for the child, including the child’s medical and healthcare matters, may be made by the parent who has custody of the child, or by both parents if a joint custody order is made by the Courts. What rights and responsibilities there may be between a step-parent and a step-child will depend on whether there is a legal relationship between them – i.e. whether the step-parent has been conferred legal rights and responsibilities over the step-children. Such a relationship could arise through adoption or the assumption of legal guardianship. If a step-parent chooses to adopt, he or she will step into the shoes of the parent, and assume all rights and responsibilities that a parent naturally has. Alternatively, a step-parent may choose to apply to Court to be appointed as a legal guardian to his or her step-child. Under the Women’s Charter, any individual who is not the parent of a child, but who has accepted a child as a member of his or her family has a duty to maintain that child, so far as the father or mother of that child fails to do so. This would apply to a step-parent who accepts the step-child as his or her family member. Again, as the primary responsibility towards the child remains with the child’s parents, the person who has accepted the child may recover such maintenance sums from the child's parent as a debt. On estate succession and inheritance, a Will generally gives a testator certainty over who the beneficiaries would be, and what each would be entitled to. A step-parent who wishes to leave any part of his or her estate to a step-child is encouraged to make a Will. Intestacy law would apply in cases where a person passes on without a will. For cases where the step-child is an adult and the step-parent is likely a senior, we speak less of rights and responsibilities, and more of ensuring that step-parents receive the support they need. The Maintenance of Parents Act allows for a person who meets the criteria in the Act to apply for maintenance from a child, including a step-child, if the step-parent is unable to maintain himself or herself adequately. Back to Contents

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SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS FOR ADDITIONAL CPF HOUSING GRANT

20 Mr Desmond Choo asked the Minister for National Development (a) how many successful applications for the Additional CPF Housing Grant (AHG) have been granted to date; (b) whether HDB applies a discretionary approach when considering the condition of having at least one applicant working continuously for 12 months prior to the flat application in order to qualify for the AHG; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider extending the AHG to applicants who do not satisfy this condition due to valid reasons such as having just graduated from university.

Mr : The Additional CPF Housing Grant (AHG) was introduced in 2006 and enhanced twice in 2007 and 2009 respectively to help low- to middle-income households buy their first homes. As at 30 June 2017, the AHG has helped a total of about 93,100 households. To qualify for the grant, at least one applicant should have worked continuously for 12 months prior to the flat application, and still be employed at the point of the flat application. As buying a flat is a long-term financial commitment, this condition ensures that the applicants have the ability to service the mortgage loan for the flat. Nonetheless, HDB has been exercising flexibility for deserving households who face a shortfall from the 12-month condition, and will continue to do so. MND/HDB will continue to review our housing policies to help deserving groups with their first flat purchase. Back to Contents CONDITIONS GOVERNING PERMITS FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKS ON TERRACE HOUSES

21 Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for National Development (a) under what conditions does the Government permit construction works on terrace houses that will effectively detach a house from the adjoining neighbouring house, either fully or partially; (b) how many cases have been reported to Government agencies where such works have left the wall of previously adjoined houses exposed to the elements, causing structural damage, water seepage and other problems to neighbours; and (c) which department will step in to enforce any breach of building 17 regulations committed during the construction works.

Mr Lawrence Wong: The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) imposes two key conditions on homeowners who are granted planning permission for construction works to detach a house. One, the homeowner must plaster and paint the exposed blank wall, and neaten any exposed part of the roof of the neighbouring house as soon as his house in demolished. Two, the homeowner must also grant the neighbouring homeowner access to his property to maintain or repair the roof and exposed blank wall. The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) also requires the homeowner to engage a professional engineer to ensure that the proposed development works do not affect the structural stability of the neighbouring house. Between January 2014 and July 2017, the URA granted planning permission for 47 proposals involving the detaching of terrace and semi-detached houses. Of these, agencies have received only one complaint about construction works leading to structural damage and other problems at the neighbouring house. The BCA will investigate and take appropriate enforcement action against the homeowner or Qualified Person responsible for the development if there is any breach of the Building Control Act or Regulations during the construction process. Back to Contents NUMBER OF HDB FLATS BUILT SPECIFICALLY FOR SENIOR CITIZENS YEARLY SINCE 2002

22 Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry asked the Minister for National Development (a) what is the number of HDB flats completed each year since 2002 that are catered specifically for senior citizens; and (b) how many of such flats are due to be completed in each of the next five years.

Mr Lawrence Wong: HDB introduced the Studio Apartment (SA) scheme in 1998 to cater to the housing needs of seniors aged 55 and above. 9,119 SAs were completed between 2002 and June 2017. Another 1,875 SAs are under construction and are expected to be completed progressively by 2019. In November 2015, the SA scheme was merged with the 2-room flats scheme and replaced with the 2-room Flexi scheme. Under the new 2-room Flexi scheme, at least 40% of the 2-room 18

Flexi flats in any Build-To-Order (BTO) project, subject to a minimum of 100 units, is set aside for seniors. 9,147 2-room Flexi flats were launched in BTO exercises between November 2015 and May 2017. These units are under construction and are expected to be completed progressively by 2021. Back to Contents FREQUENCY OF SWEEPING AND CLEANING OF PUBLIC AREAS UNDER NEA

23 Ms Tin Pei Ling asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what is the frequency of sweeping and cleaning of public areas, including along the roads, highways and drains, that are under the charge of NEA; (b) whether the frequency can be increased; and (c) what are the challenges to be faced if the frequency cannot be increased.

Mr B M M: The National Environment Agency (NEA) oversees the cleanliness of public areas in Singapore. The frequency of cleaning depends on the cleaning needs of the area. Generally, the public areas including the roads and highways are cleaned by NEA’s cleaning contractors at least three times a week. Public areas with high human traffic can be cleaned as frequently as every hour if necessary. All open drains are cleaned at the same frequency as the respective adjoining public areas. The NEA has put in place a system of regular audit checks to monitor the performance of the cleaning contractors. Besides physically inspecting the work of the contractors, the NEA officers also use technology to assess the performance of the cleaning contractors such as through sensors or cameras mounted on cleaning vehicles. Where there are service lapses, the cleaning contractors will be issued demerit points that translate into financial penalties. While the Government will continue to ensure the effectiveness of the cleaning services, it is not practical nor sustainable to constantly increase the number of cleaners or the cleaning frequency to keep public places clean. The NEA and the Public Hygiene Council, together with partners such as the Singapore Kindness Movement, have been working closely to encourage everyone to take greater ownership of our environment and establish social norms to keep our public spaces clean. Public cleanliness is a shared responsibility and it is only through our collective efforts that we can have a truly clean Singapore. Back to Contents 19

FOOD WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

24 Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources what percentage of food waste generated is due to the throwing away of surplus food and whether the Ministry will drive and fund sharing economy solutions, such as online platforms allowing businesses and institutions to better procure surplus food, to tackle our food waste problem.

25 Mr Seah Kian Peng asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources whether a form of Good Samaritan Law for food can be introduced so as to reduce the 790,000 tonnes of food that goes to waste in Singapore each year.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Food waste is a waste stream of concern to my Ministry. In 2016, food waste comprised 10% of total waste generated in Singapore. This includes both avoidable and unavoidable food waste, such as peels, bones and shells. My Ministry is studying the various sources of our food waste to get a breakdown of this figure. In 2015, the National Environment Agency (NEA) launched a study on waste disposed of by households to better understand the mix of avoidable and unavoidable food waste. We are currently analysing the data that has been collected. A similar study on waste disposed of at commercial premises such as food manufacturers, hotels and malls will commence later this year. One strategy to manage food waste is to encourage the redistribution of surplus food. The National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) launched a guidebook last year to help food retail establishments develop food waste minimisation plans. The guidebook includes guidelines on the proper handling and re- distribution of excess food. Similar guidebooks will also be developed for food manufacturing establishments and supermarkets. The private and people sectors have also developed initiatives which complement the Government’s efforts. For example, the “11th Hour” App matches businesses with unsold food with consumers looking for last-minute deals. We are open to other ideas which could address unmet needs. Individuals or organisations with ideas can consider applying for funding under the NEA’s Call for Ideas Fund. 20

My Ministry will study the possibility of Good Samaritan laws in Singapore with relevant agencies such as the Ministry of National Development and AVA. Such provisions which are present in countries such as the United States and Canada can provide greater clarity to potential donors of excess food. At the same time, my Ministry is mindful of the need to ensure that any food donated is fit for consumption. We thus need to strike a balance to ensure that food donors and food distributors exercise due care and practise good hygiene when distributing donated food. We will continue to work closely with our partner agencies on relevant measures to better manage food waste. Back to Contents STUDENTS SUFFERING FROM DOMESTIC ABUSE

26 Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Education (Schools) what more can be done to ensure that teachers and fellow students are able to identify and handle cases of students suffering from domestic abuse.

Mr : Schools have systems that facilitate the early identification of students suffering from domestic violence or abuse. Teachers are equipped to look out for signs of distress in students and refer them to the school counsellor or other professional support where necessary. Students learn how to recognise sexual abuse and harassment, acquire skills to protect themselves, and understand the laws that protect them during the Form Teacher Guidance Period lessons in primary schools and Sexuality Education lessons. Students also learn that everyone has the right to safety and protection and to seek help from trusted adults, such as teachers and school counsellors. To further build trust and strengthen positive teacher-student relationships, some schools have deployed the same Form or Co-Form Teachers to a class for at least two consecutive years to help provide stability and a constant adult figure to students. Providing teacher-student interaction time also helps to ensure personalised attention on individual students. Some students may still escape the school’s attention if they are unwilling to share their problems or are able to mask their problems well. Older students can help to keep a lookout for their friends as young people invariably turn to their peers for support and understanding. 21

Training and resources are provided to help students cultivate good values and positive mindsets; advocate for student well-being, learn coping skills, encourage help-seeking behaviour and watch out for one another in school. MOE works closely with MSF which has introduced better screening tools and training for professionals, such as teachers and school counsellors. The tools enable them to detect concerns over a child's welfare or signs of abuse and depending on the seriousness, either connect the families with community-based help, or escalate the case to MSF for intervention. All current School Counsellors and Student Welfare Officers have already been trained. The training for teachers have started and is expected to be completed by end 2018. Back to Contents CLASS SIZES IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS

27 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Education (Schools) (a) for primary and secondary schools, what is the current median and mean number of students in a class as defined by the grouping of students headed by a form teacher; and (b) what is the median and mean class size for remedial classes across primary and secondary schools respectively.

Mr Ng Chee Meng: In 2016, the average form class size in primary and secondary schools is 33 and 34 respectively. The median form class size in primary and secondary schools is 32 and 36 respectively. MOE does not track the size of remedial classes in primary and secondary schools. MOE provides schools with resources based on student and programme needs. Schools have the flexibility to deploy teachers in a targeted manner so that learning is more effective. Hence, even though form class sizes have generally remained above 30 across the levels, schools group students into smaller teaching class sizes based on learning needs or programme considerations. For instance, levelling up programmes such as the Learning Support Programme for lower primary students are conducted in pull-out classes of eight to 10, while the School- based Dyslexia Remediation programme is conducted in classes of four to six students. At secondary level, coursework subjects requiring closer teacher supervision like Design and Technology are conducted in classes of 20. Due to subject-based banding and the desire to offer a range of elective subjects to students, it is common to have teaching class sizes below 40. Back to Contents 22

TIME SPENT BY TEACHERS ON MARKING ASSIGNMENTS AND ADMINISTRATIVE WORK

28 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Education (Schools) (a) what measures have been taken in the last three years to reduce the time spent by teachers on marking assignments and administrative work; and (b) whether the Ministry has considered measures such as (i) consolidating and centralising tasks such as marking and (ii) the use of more online tests.

Mr Ng Chee Meng: The well-being of our teachers is important and we have put in place a set of measures to guide schools in the allocation and management of teachers’ workload, which includes teaching and administrative responsibilities. As an integral part of their teaching responsibilities, teachers set assignments and assessments to find out whether students have learned the knowledge and skills set out in the national curriculum. This is an important professional role of teachers, as it is by analysing students’ performance that teachers are able to identify students’ learning needs, tailor their teaching to meet those needs and give feedback to each student. To support teachers in setting and marking assignments, the subject syllabi are accompanied by MOE-designed teaching and learning guides that include guidelines for the setting of assignment tasks. In most schools, teachers work in teams to design assessments and there is careful deployment to manage the marking workload of teachers. Teachers will deploy technology in assessment work when it is educationally purposeful to support teaching and learning. For instance, when multiple choice items are meaningful, it will be set and automatically marked by machines. Similarly, the use of digital quizzes in learning portals have enabled some basic assessment tasks to be set and automatically marked. We will also continue to incorporate greater use of technology in their administrative tasks and simplify work processes to help our teachers better manage their workload. Back to Contents REVIEW OF CUT-OFF POINTS FOR UNDERGRADUATE COURSES

29 Mr Zainal Sapari asked the Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) (a) on how the cut-off points for the various undergraduate courses are decided upon; (b) given the 23 declining cohort number due to declining birth rate and having more autonomous local universities, whether this will mean more places are being offered than demand; and (c) whether there are plans to offer more places to local students instead of them having to go overseas for their university education.

Mr : Cut-off points for each course is an outcome of the academic results of applicants and the places available. These may vary from year to year. A larger proportion of local students will be offered places in our publicly-funded Autonomous Universities. This is because the Government has committed to progressively increase the publicly-funded university Cohort Participation Rate (CPR) from 30% in 2014 to 40% by 2020.The CPR for 2017 is 35%. As our economy continues to diversify and do well, we can align industries’ changing demands for manpower with students’ aspirations to attain degrees. In planning for publicly funded university places, a primary consideration is the employability of our graduates. In addition, our Autonomous Universities will offer more lifelong learning courses, and more Singaporeans would be able to enhance their knowledge and deepen their skills at our universities throughout different stages of their lives and careers. Back to Contents AFFORDABILITY OF DEGREE COURSES FOR MATURE STUDENTS AT AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITIES

30 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) (a) how will the Ministry ensure that the cost of the modules and courses available for mature students at autonomous universities that lead to the award of degrees will be affordable; and (b) whether there are plans to extend some tuition subsidies to such students who may already have been awarded first degrees at subsidised rates.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: Within the constraints of our budget, MOE is committed to ensure that education and training remains affordable. Today, Singaporeans will typically receive a subsidy of 75% for full-time and part-time degree programmes offered at the Autonomous Universities (AUs). The subsidy rate goes up to 90% for those aged 40 and above undertaking degree programmes for the first time. We also 24 make available education bursaries and loans to individual students, with lower income individuals receiving more. Besides degree programmes, AUs also offer many industry-relevant modular courses that help adult learners update their skills and knowledge, and stay employable and competitive. These courses are also subsidised, generally from 70 to 90% of the course fees. In 2015, the AUs delivered about 15,000 training places, many of which were offered as modular courses. MOE will work with the AUs to expand such offerings to support lifelong learning, and subsidise such courses so that they are more accessible to adult learners. An instance where an individual finds that he is not receiving a subsidy, is when he is taking a second degree. But given that resources are limited, we have to prioritise government subsidies for those pursuing their first degrees. While we support lifelong learning strongly, budget constraints are still a reality and prioritisation on how we spend public funds is needed. Back to Contents

Office of the Clerk of Parliament Singapore, 1 August 2017