Singapore legislation
Clause 28
Clause 28
Means information, household composition, etc.
(1)
Where an authorised person requests for means information about a person (called in this section a person concerned), which is in the possession of a relevant authority, to assess the eligibility of any person for any grant, subsidy or benefit under a relevant public scheme, the relevant authority is to provide to the authorised person so much of that means information as —
the Minister certifies, under the Minister’s hand, to be required by the authorised person for that purpose; and
the Minister charged with the responsibility for the relevant authority approves to be provided for that purpose.
(2)
An authorised person may access or use, or disclose to another authorised person, any means information provided under subsection (1) for the purposes for which the information was provided.
(3)
An authorised person may provide means information about a person concerned obtained under subsection (1) to any public authority or other organisation or person that is responsible for a prescribed public scheme (called in this subsection a recipient organisation) or any officer, employee or agent of the recipient organisation, for the recipient organisation to disburse, or facilitate the disbursement of, a grant, subsidy or benefit under the prescribed public scheme, only —
in the form of a report derived from such means information stating whether any person satisfies the eligibility criteria for a grant, subsidy or benefit under a relevant public scheme or any tier or category within such eligibility criteria (whether or not the report includes any information other than means information);
at the request of the recipient organisation; and
with the approval of the Minister.
(4)
If a person concerned opts out, in the manner determined by the Minister, from the provision of means information about the person concerned for the purpose referred to in subsection (1), an authorised person must not, from the time the authorised person is notified that the person concerned has opted out, except with the consent of the person concerned —
request the information under subsection (1); or
access or use any information obtained under subsection (1).
(5)
If a person concerned opts out, in the manner determined by the Minister, from the provision of information about the person concerned under subsection (3) for the disbursement, or for facilitating the disbursement, of all grants, subsidies or benefits under all prescribed public schemes, an authorised person must not from the time the authorised person is notified that the person concerned has opted out, disclose the information under subsection (3), except with the consent of the person concerned.
(6)
A person who has not attained the age of 21 years (called in this subsection the minor) may opt out from the provision of means information about the minor under subsection (1) or (3) only if —
the minor has attained the age of 16 years; and
any other person who is liable to pay the minor’s premium under section 4(1)(c)(ii) does not object to the opting out by the minor.
(7)
Information on a person’s household composition and whether that person satisfies the eligibility criteria for a grant, subsidy or benefit under a relevant public scheme or any tier or category within such eligibility criteria, derived from information obtained under this section may be disclosed to that person.
(8)
IRAS may, if it is prescribed as a recovery body, use to enforce the Scheme so much of the means information or other confidential information obtained by it (whether before, on or after the date of commencement of this section) in the course of performing its functions under section 6 of the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore Act (Cap. 138A) as the Minister charged with the responsibility for finance approves to be used for such purpose.