Hansard, Monday, 13 April 2015

1 Ms Foo Mee Har asked the Prime Minister whether the Government can designate a day in a year as our Founder's Day so as to provide Singaporeans the opportunity to remember the struggles of the country in the early years and remind us of the nation's founding values and principles.

2 Mr Ang Wei Neng asked the Prime Minister whether the Government will consider renaming Changi Airport or any other significant buildings/institutions in honour of our founding Prime Minister, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

3 Dr Lily Neo asked the Prime Minister whether he will consider renaming Singapore's airport after the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

4 Ms Foo Mee Har asked the Prime Minister whether Singapore currencies, both notes and coins, can bear the face of our founding father, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

5 Dr Lily Neo asked the Prime Minister whether he will consider printing the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew's photo on Singapore's dollar notes in honour of him.

Mdm Speaker, the Prime Minister will make a Statement at the conclusion of Question Time to address some issues in respect of Question Nos 1 to 5. Can I, therefore, request that these questions be deferred and left to his Statement?

Yes, I agree. Mr Yee Jenn Jong, Question No 6.

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6 Mr Yee Jenn Jong asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether Singapore-based airlines have a two-person cockpit rule or other systems to protect the cockpit; and (b) whether their pilots are required to be subjected to periodic psychological tests.

(for the Minister for Transport) : Mdm Speaker, all Singapore-based airlines have implemented measures to ensure that there are at least two persons in the cockpit at all times. All pilots on Singapore-based airlines must annually undergo a medical assessment which includes an evaluation of the pilot's mental health. For pilots 60 years and older, the medical assessment is conducted every six months. These requirements are consistent with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.

In addition, CAAS regulations require pilots to declare any ill health at any time. Our airlines are also required to have procedures to enable a pilot to report on a fellow pilot who, in the former's opinion, is not fit to fly. Pilots may submit confidential reports to the authorities or through their airlines' in-house reporting systems.

Thank you, Madam. I thank the Senior Minister of State for the answer. First of all, condolences to those who have lost their loved ones at the recent Lufthansa Germanwings incident. I would like to confirm if this multi-layered cockpit security applies to all Singapore-based airlines, including the budget airlines? The next question I have is: how many years have these rules been in operation, both the two-men cockpit rule as well as the periodic psychological tests.

Mdm Speaker, as I have indicated in my earlier reply, this is a requirement that our Singapore airlines, on their own, have decided to implement. To the Member's question as to how long this rule has been in effect, it differs from country to country. In the US, for example, the rule was instituted post 9-11; in Canada, Australia and Germany, the rule was introduced in response to the Germanwings incident. In our case, to the best of our knowledge, the airlines introduced it quite recently.

7 Mr Thomas Chua Kee Seng asked the Minister for Trade and Industry in view of the 0.8% decline in Singapore's labour productivity in 2014, whether the Ministry can provide an update on the programme outcomes of the three productivity centres that have received

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Government funding.

(for the Minister for Trade and Industry) : We have introduced an extensive range of schemes and grants to help companies upgrade their productivity. We also recognise that even if companies are ready and willing to improve productivity, some need help to diagnose productivity issues, implement productivity improvement projects, adopt new and relevant technology and identify the right schemes to support their productivity journey.

Assistance is available at different levels. The SME Centres, as a first stop for businesses, provide comprehensive basic advisory services. For more customised help, our Centres of Innovation provide help with technology and Intellectual Property translation, while Productivity Centres give productivity advice and consultancy. There are Productivity Centres to serve three key clusters. These are the Construction Productivity Centre (CPC) for Construction, the Singapore Innovation and Productivity Institute (SiPi) for Manufacturing and the Singapore Productivity Centre (SPC) for Retail and Food Services.

To date, about 800 companies have benefited from these services. Their productivity projects have delivered good results. Let me give an example: SYSPEX, an SME in the packaging business. It reduced its processing time by 20% and improved space utilisation by 30% after upgrading its warehouse infrastructure and systems. SiPi provided invaluable consultancy assistance for this project, while SPRING supported the project with the Capability Development Grant. In general, companies have seen 10% to 20% improvements in productivity metrics, such as process cycle time, machine utilisation and storage capacity, after implementing projects with help from the productivity centres.

Apart from assisting companies, the productivity centres also organise conferences, workshops, seminars and study trips. Through such events, companies can learn more about productivity techniques, technological developments and best practices in their sectors. About 1,300 companies and 1,000 participants have benefited from these so far.

The productivity centres have proven to be a valuable resource for our companies. We are, therefore, strengthening their capabilities further to better meet companies' needs and deepen productivity expertise in Singapore. Firstly, we are expanding the pool of productivity consultants, including those with specific industry expertise, such as in Retail or Food Services. Secondly, the centres are conducting applied research and benchmarking studies, to gauge where we stand and how we can effectively address sector-specific productivity issues. Lastly, we will continue to monitor industry demand and scale up our productivity centres to cover new sectors where required.

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Through initiatives like the productivity centres, the Government continues to support our companies as we work towards achieving our long-term productivity target.

8 Ms Tin Pei Ling asked the Minister for National Development (a) how many Built-To-Order (BTO) and Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) applications under the Married Child Priority Scheme (MCPS) have been made each year from 2011 to date; (b) how many of these applications each year have been successful; (c) what is the average number of unsuccessful applicants under MCPS per BTO and SBF exercise each year from 2011 to date; (d) what is the Ministry's plan to better help Singaporean couple applicants who wish to live near, and care for, their parents; and (e) whether the supply of flats is still meeting the expected demand for them.

Madam, I am sorry but my reply will contain a string of statistics. The number of BTO and SBF applications under the MCPS was about 14,000 in 2011, 18,100 in 2012 and 15,700 in 2013. There were 8,400 such applications between January and September 2014. The selection exercises after September 2014 are still in progress.

The success rates averaged 59%. The number of successful applications was 7,500, 11,000 and 9,600 in 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively. For the first nine months of 2014, 5,000 applications were successful. In particular, for BTO flats in non-mature estates, the proportion of successful MCPS applications increased from 67% in 2011 to 93% in 2014. So, it has become almost all successful.

The average number of unsuccessful MCPS applicants per BTO/SBF exercise has dropped from 724 applicants in 2011 to 578 applicants in 2014. For applications under BTO exercises, the average number of unsuccessful MCPS applicants has halved from 511 applicants in 2011 to 241 last year.

We have offered more than 100,000 new BTO flats between 2011 and 2014. This has cleared the demand backlog for first-timers. Today, almost all young couples, including those who apply under the MCPS, are successful in their first application for a BTO flat in the non-mature estates. Last November, we also converted the MCPS to a quota-based priority scheme, to give even greater assurance to families who wish to stay near or together.

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Besides the MCPS, we have the Higher-Tier CPF Housing Grant for resale flats to facilitate couples who wish to stay near or with their parents.

9 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the weight limit on the transport of gold and other precious metals in and out of Singapore by individual travellers; (b) whether diplomats are exempt from this limit, if any; (c) whether the Police is aware of a diplomat carrying up to 27 kg of gold bars in his luggage on a flight out of Changi Airport in March 2015; and (d) what measures are in place to ensure that diplomats do not abuse their diplomatic immunity to carry precious metals, drugs or weapons in and out of Singapore in their luggage.

(for the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Home Affairs) : Mdm Speaker, there is no weight limit on the amount of gold and other precious metals that can be transported in and out of Singapore by travellers. In line with the international standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, our measures and controls are focused on the point-of-sale of such items in Singapore.

All precious stones and metal dealers (PSMDs) are required to conduct customer due diligence and file a Cash Transaction Report (CTR) with the Suspicious Transaction Reporting Office when they sell any precious stone, precious metal or precious product to a customer in cash exceeding S$20,000. This is supplemented by the general Suspicious Transaction Reporting (STR) regime, which requires all persons in Singapore to report any knowledge or reasonable suspicion of criminal conduct which comes to their attention in the course of business or employment.

Police are aware of media reports of a case last month where a person allegedly attempted to import gold into another country without making the proper customs declarations, after arriving on a flight originating from Singapore. Police records indicate that the person, who is a foreign diplomat, but not accredited to Singapore, did depart on a flight from Changi Airport where he was screened before boarding and no security threat items were found on him.

All diplomats, like other travellers, are screened for threat items before they are allowed on board an aircraft. This involves the use of metal detectors for person checks and x-ray screening for their belongings. Although the personal baggage of diplomats are

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generally exempted from inspection under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (VCDR), a diplomat's personal baggage will be inspected if there are serious grounds for believing that he is carrying prohibited or controlled items, such as weapons and drugs.

I thank the Second Minister for the reply. I have two supplementary questions: first, why was there no detection of the alleged items in his baggage, given that it was detected when he arrived in Bangladesh? The Second Minister said that no security threat items were discovered. I suppose this does not include gold. Would the diplomat have been allowed to transport that amount of gold, allegedly, through Changi Airport on that day?

Secondly, under the VCDR, diplomatic bags or "dip bags" carried by diplomats are protected from search and seizure. This means they need not pass through security screening. How do the Police ensure that this is not exploited as a security loophole for terrorists or trafficking activities? I am concerned about this because there is no limit to the size of the "dip bag" and there have been international incidents in the past where "dip bags" have been used to smuggle a variety of banned items, including drugs, weapons and even people.

Mdm Speaker, I thank the Member for his questions. First, gold is not a security threat item and that is why it was not subjected to a security threat screen. Our officers would conduct a normal security threat screen and, if items, such as weapons, suspicious objects or things like large amounts of cash, are detected, then they tend to follow through on further checks, as required by the protocol. So, the Member should be clear that this is the context. There was no lapse in terms of security threat assessment and the checks that go with it, as part of the pre-boarding screening.

Secondly, the Member talks about diplomatic bags and I think he is getting a few things mixed up here. The "dip bags" are separate from the personal bags of diplomats. Diplomatic bags have a certain kind of treatment, but diplomats who are travelling and carrying personal bags are subject to pre-board screening, like all other travellers, as I have said. That is the protocol that is observed, not just in Singapore but internationally, because that is what is necessary to ensure safety in aviation and in travel.

I thank the Second Minister for his replies. Two points: first, in response to his second point, I am aware that only the "dip bags" are excluded from screening. So, my question is: given that these bags are excluded from screening, would that pose a security threat or threat of smuggling of any other items?

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On the first point about the gold, I acknowledge that it was not a security threat item. But would this amount of gold have been allowed to pass through if it was detected without being declared?

Madam, on the first question, if there is suspicion or serious suspicion that there is a matter of security threat, then the police and the relevant agencies are not constrained from making the appropriate checks on the various items that may be carried by diplomats. It is an international protocol that we observe. So, any risk that the Member imputes to be associated with such practice is a risk that is internationally acknowledged as well. It is not peculiar to the Singapore regime.

Secondly, on the amount of gold and whether, therefore, it would have been allowed to pass, I want to reiterate first the point that we do not have any controls on the quantity of these precious metals and so on that are being exported out of Singapore and usually there are certain basic conditions that they observe when they do so. The Member should also be aware that it is not uncommon, especially for travellers to certain parts of the world, to carry what you and I might consider not insignificant amounts of gold in their personal baggage. If they are able to give a clear explanation that these are their personal effects or for personal consumption purposes, generally they would be allowed to carry on with their travel with those items.

10 Mr Baey Yam Keng asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs what are the conditions that the organiser of the cancelled Future Music Festival Asia 2015 could not meet in order to address the concerns of potential drug abuse at the event.

(for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs): Mdm Speaker, the Future Music Festival Asia (FMFA) is a spin-off from the Future Music Festival (FMF) that was established in 2006 in Australia. FMFA was launched in 2012 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and was staged there in 2013 and 2014.

At the FMF 2013 held in Sydney, more than 100 drug-related arrests were made. The same event held in Brisbane in 2014 saw over 200 drug-related arrests made. The March 2014 FMFA in KL had to be cancelled on its last day after six people died and 14 people were hospitalised due to drug abuse at the event. Two of those hospitalised were Singaporeans. This incident was widely reported in the media. Most recently, 107 concert-goers from the Sydney FMF 2015 in February were facing charges for possessing or supplying drugs at the event. Australian police seized 7,500 Ecstasy tablets believed to be bound for the Brisbane FMF 2015 in March. This was followed by over 50 drug-related arrests at the Melbourne leg

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of the event.

Given the track record of drug-related activities associated with past FMF and FMFA events, the Police had serious concerns with potential drug abuse at the proposed FMFA event to be held in Singapore. The Police and the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) engaged the organisers on several occasions to assess their security plan for the event. However, the organisers were unable to assure the authorities that they could put in place adequate measures to prevent drug-related activities at the event.

Considering the repeated drug-related incidents, including deaths and serious illness, that had occurred at the FMFA and FMF events in KL and Australia respectively, it would have been irresponsible to allow it to be held in Singapore without adequate safeguards and assurances. The event would also not have been consistent with our zero-tolerance stance towards drugs. Therefore, the Police decided to reject the application for this event to be held in Singapore.

However, I note that the impact of the cancellation of the event by the organisers was made greater because they had gone ahead to advertise and market the event before they had obtained approval to carry it out.

Singapore has managed to keep drug abuse under control precisely because we have taken a firm stance, zero-tolerance, towards drug abuse. This approach should extend to any event that is to be held in Singapore, particularly one that is associated with a worrying track record of drug abuse. We want a reputation for Singapore to be a place with music festivals where people can enjoy themselves in a safe and trouble-free manner. We welcome music events that can provide such an environment. There are really many events held in Singapore which do not present such drug-related concerns. In fact, in the same week that the FMFA 2015 was supposed to be held in Singapore, there was a sold-out concert at the Sports Hub which attracted an audience of 30,000. This was larger than the estimated daily attendance for the proposed FMFA 2015.

I also note that the Australian media had reported on 2 April that the FMF group in Australia had announced that it would no longer be holding FMF events in future, citing financial viability as the reason. The media reports on the issue also mentioned the serious drug incidents that had repeatedly been associated with this event in Australia and Asia.

I would like to thank the new Second Minister for Home Affairs for his answer and the efforts to keep Singapore drug-free. I would like to ask the Minister whether such an assessment, based on the track record of the organiser of the festival, has been applied to other applicants for such events related to drug threats. The last

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question is: would the authority have recommended measures to the organisers to take such steps so that the threats of potential drug use are minimised or prevented?

I thank the Member for the question. The track record of the event organiser was very clear. So many years, everywhere they have held it, there have always been incidents connected with drugs. And it would be remiss of the authorities to ignore it altogether. Therefore, we took that into consideration and the fact that, during the engagement with the organiser, they failed to show how they can actually prevent or put adequate measures to prevent the same incidents from happening in Singapore.

Imagine if this incident had taken place and, on the last day, like in Malaysia, death had occurred and we had to cancel the event, what would our explanation be in Parliament today?

So, I hope Members will continue to support the Government's stand to ensure that our zero tolerance against drug abuse is consistent and holistic and prevent such incidents from happening in Singapore.

11 Ms Foo Mee Har asked the Minister for Manpower whether interest rates for CPF accounts will be revised upwards in line with rising interest rates and, if so, how will this be implemented.

Mdm Speaker, the CPF interest rates are pegged to returns on investments of comparable risk and duration in the market. Hence, changes in the yields on market instruments, such as Singapore Government Bonds and fixed deposits, will automatically have an impact on CPF interest rates through the interest rate pegs.

The interest rates on the Ordinary Account, Special Account and MediSave Account are reviewed quarterly, while the interest rate on the Retirement Account is reviewed on an annual basis. This ensures that the CPF interest rates remain sensitive to market conditions.

However – and it is important to highlight this – to shield members from the risk of low market interest rates, the Government has maintained a floor interest rate of 2.5%, or 3.5% for balances of up to $20,000, for the Ordinary Account and a floor interest rate of 4%, or 5% for balances of up to $60,000, for the Special, Medisave and Retirement Accounts (SMRA). These floor rates are considerably higher than the computed interest rates currently of about 0.2% for the OA and about 3.4% for the SMRA, based on the interest rate peg formula.

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So, if market interest rates rise sufficiently, such that the interest rate pegs are above the floor interest rates, then the interest paid to members for the respective CPF accounts will be adjusted upwards accordingly.

Madam, I thank the Minister for his answers. I have one supplementary question for the Minister. As the Minister has explained, currently, the CPF pays a floor rate which is actually very attractive considering the current low interest rate scenario, thereby helping CPF members accumulate savings despite the low interest rate environment. So, I would like to ask the Minister, would the Government consider preserving that positive difference between the current floor rates that they are offering to CPF members as the interest rate changes?

Let me ask it again: can CPF consider a guaranteed premium rate over market interest rates to at least preserve the current positive differences? Currently, there is a floor rate that is offered. So, despite a very low interest rate offered in the market, there is a floor rate of 2.5% for Ordinary Account and 4% for the Special Account. But as the interest rate increases, that gap, the positive difference that a CPF member enjoys, is likely to narrow if CPF rates are not adjusted accordingly.

So, what I am asking is, given that the people are beginning to understand the attractive interest rates that members are getting on their CPF accounts – but it is a moving target, as things are now, market interest rates are also expected to go up – would the Minister adjust the interest rates of CPF accounts in tandem with the market interest rates so that CPF members can enjoy a guaranteed positive spread?

Mdm Speaker, I would like to thank the Member for the supplementary question. I am sure all of us will, generally, if given a choice, prefer much higher interest rates. As I have mentioned, we will review it regularly. It is important for us to do that. What is important is to make sure that the CPF system as a whole benefits. For example, the additional plus 1% that is provided under the SMRA account and, especially, recently, with the announcement that the first $30,000 at the age of 55 or 65 would attract another additional 1%. All this is a sum total package. It is meant to keep the CPF system viable and to continue to make sure that it is adequate in terms of supporting our retirement adequacy. We look at it holistically. Reviewing the interest rates will be part of that whole process. That is something that we will continue to do.

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12 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for National Development what are the criteria for selecting HDB blocks of flats for the Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme.

Madam, the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) allows optimisation of land use and revitalises such old estates through new developments. As the name suggests, the identification of suitable precincts for SERS is on a selective basis.

First, it will depend on the availability of suitable sites for rehousing the residents together. This is important for preserving community ties and is especially valued by our senior citizens.

Second, it will depend on the economic viability of the project. This takes into account the potential for redevelopment and land optimisation of a precinct and also the cost of acquisition. The latter includes the market compensation for the flat and reasonable expenses to cover removal, stamp and legal fees. The Government also gives generous rehousing benefits and grants which include the option of purchasing a replacement flat at a subsidised price.

Third, it will depend on the availability of financial resources to fund the SERS programme.

Madam, may I ask the Minister two supplementary questions? I do have quite a number of flats that are more than 50 years old. So, would MND consider taking a poll of residents in older flats of more than either 50 or 60 years old to ascertain whether they want their flats to be redeveloped on an en bloc basis; that means, to take a poll of residents where they are staying in flats of more than 50 or 60 years old to see whether they want to have it redeveloped?

The second question is: would the Minister give an assurance that residents affected by SERS would definitely get priority in selecting another flat near their affected flats? I understand from the Minister's earlier answer that the answer is yes. I just wanted the Minister to confirm this.

Yes, indeed, the answer is yes. I try to give "yes" answers to most reasonable requests from Members of Parliament. As to the question, "Can we carry out a poll among residents to decide whether we do a SERS or not?", as I have explained, it must

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meet the three criteria, much of it is top down. It depends, for example, on viability. If the project is not viable, even if there is a bottom-up request for it, you cannot just finance it.

13 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Ministry determines the number of childcare places needed while building new HDB precincts and, if so, how does the Ministry arrive at the size and number of the childcare centres for each new BTO project; and (b) whether the current planning parameters are sufficient.

(for the Minister for National Development) : Madam, social communal facilities, such as childcare and eldercare centres in HDB precincts, are planned for by the respective supervising agencies. Through upfront planning and close interagency coordination, HDB works with the various agencies to set aside space for these facilities and to construct them in tandem with new public housing developments.

The number and size of childcare centres in each BTO project are determined by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), the supervising agency for childcare centres. They plan for the childcare centres based on the projected demand for childcare services in that particular area. ECDA regularly reviews the planning parameters to take into consideration changing demand for childcare services.

Mdm Speaker, I am quite surprised to hear that it is determined by ECDA. From my various meetings with ECDA, they told me that it is determined by HDB and that is why I filed this question.

Based on the experience in Nee Soon South, so far, we have six new BTOs. For every new BTO, we have a long queue for childcare centres and that is why I think the planning parameter, the number of childcare centres allowed for the places are insufficient. I hope that whichever agencies that plan for childcare centres can review their planning parameters, so that the new BTO residents will not suffer.

Madam, we noted Er Dr Lee Bee Wah's concern for her residents in the new BTO flats. She is correct that there are BTOs in Nee Soon South. To date, I have checked that there are already 12 childcare centres in Nee Soon South Division. There are three BTO flat precincts that are already included with childcare centres. Three childcare centres are being constructed in three new BTO precincts which will be ready by the third and fourth quarters of 2015. There are six new BTOs sites in Nee Soon South and each BTO site will have childcare centres provided. HDB will continue to work with ECDA to

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anticipate the demand. HDB will try its best to try to accommodate the needs of the residents in that area, following ECDA's assessment of the projected demand for childcare places.

For your information of the Minister of State, for every new BTO of about 1,000 units, the childcare placing is about a hundred over places and, from past experience, this is grossly insufficient. So, I would like the Minister of State to help to work with ECDA to change the planning parameter to allow for more childcare centres.

Madam, we will work with ECDA. ECDA is a supervising agency. As mentioned, HDB will try its best to accommodate requests from the supervising agency. HDB is not in a position to determine the actual number of places required but, if so requested by supervising agencies, like ECDA – and even MSF with regard to elderly facilities – HDB will try its best to make those spaces available.

I would like to ask the Minister of State whether HDB could work with ECDA, for those in-fill BTO projects, to also consider demand from the existing neighbourhood because the existing facilities may not be suitable or conducive to build childcare or whatever community use purposes and, therefore, the new BTO precinct could possibly make up and compensate for the gap in the neighbourhood.

Madam, we certainly recognise the need for childcare centres. ECDA and MSF are working very hard to try to meet those demands and the need for childcare places. We will continue to work with ECDA to look at the request made where there are already existing demands and to see whether existing BTOs can increase the supply to meet the existing demands of residents in the neighbourhood.

14 Ms Rita Soh Siow Lan asked the Minister for Transport (a) why is the requirement for carpark provisions for religious institutions the same regardless of their location, whether within the city centre or beyond; (b) whether the carpark requirement can be reduced if the institution is located within close proximity to MRT stations or large commercial complexes/institutions with ample carparks; and (c) whether this carpark requirement can be further reduced if these buildings are regarded as national monuments or to be conserved.

(for the Minister for Transport): Mdm Speaker, parking spill-overs from places of worship that occur during worship hours or religious festivals can cause significant inconvenience to surrounding

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neighbourhoods. We, therefore, require places of worship to provide, within their premises, a certain number of parking places.

However, we do grant concessions in car parking standards for various categories of places of worship. Those located within the city centre can provide up to 20% less parking than the prescribed standards. Places of worship that are accorded monument status by the National Heritage Board or conservation status by the Urban Redevelopment Authority are exempt from providing any parking. We will study the Member's suggestion to reduce parking requirements for places of worship close to MRT stations.

15 Ms Lee Li Lian asked the Minister for Transport whether there are plans to extend bicycle crossings at traffic junctions to other parts of Singapore.

(for the Minister for Transport): Madam, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has implemented 14 signalised bicycle crossings so far and has firm plans to build a further 38, mostly in areas with existing cycling path networks. LTA is studying where else these crossings should be implemented and we welcome suggestions from Members.

16 Mr Png Eng Huat asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs from 2001 to 2014, what was (i) the number of foreign students who were offered and who had accepted permanent residency when they reached Secondary 1 or later; (ii) the number of such student PRs who had gone on to become citizens; and (iii) the number of such students who had renounced their PR or citizenship.

(for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs): Madam, between 2001 and 2014, around 7,000 foreign students at secondary and Junior College levels have been granted PR on their own merits. About 840 or 12% of these PRs have subsequently taken up citizenship. One percent of those granted PR have renounced PR, while none has renounced their citizenship.

Madam, I just have two questions. What is the desired intention of this scheme in giving PR to such young foreigners with no roots in Singapore versus giving them an option to work after their graduation and, if they are bonded, they will have to serve their bond obligation anyway?

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My second question is: is this scheme effective versus allowing foreign spouses of Singaporeans with Singaporean children or who have lived and worked here a long time, a fast track to getting their PR, since one half of their family nucleus is already deeply rooted here?

Madam, I thank the Member for his questions. Let me take the second question first. There are many ways for individuals to secure PR in Singapore, including young people in the age groups that the Member has indicated. This scheme is just one of a range of possible routes. In fact, the large majority are associated with families because their parents are Singapore citizens or PRs themselves, or because their parents have applied for PR as a family together; and they have come together. So, I want to make it quite clear that the large majority of the PRs of this age group of foreigners are really through some of these other routes.

Secondly, what is the desired intention? Well, as we have stated before, it is part of a larger talent policy in Singapore, so we keep different routes and options available to us. The Member suggested this is a group that is too young to be considered. There is, in fact, an equally persuasive alternative view, because these young people, by virtue of being embedded in our education system for a significant period of time, living and studying cheek by jowl with Singaporean students, are better integrated and, therefore, better able to immerse themselves in our environment.

So, the scheme is targeted, it is very measured in the way it is taken up. As I have given the statistics, the proportion who take up PR and from there to citizenship is clear, the number who actually give up or renounce their PR is very, very low. I would say that, overall, just to give the Member a sense, as a percentage of all the other PRs that we give, for students or young people, it is less than 5%.

17 Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap asked the Minister for Education whether the Ministry will consider reviewing and extending the Edusave Awards to full-time madrasah students.

(for the Minister for Education) : Madam, Edusave was introduced to support the holistic development of students in MOE-funded schools.

We have recently extended Edusave contributions to all Singaporeans aged seven to 16, even if they are not in an MOE-funded school, so that they, too, can receive support for

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secular enrichment activities.

Edusave Awards recognise secular academic and non-academic achievements in the context of MOE-funded schools. It would not be appropriate to extend the Edusave Awards to students in private schools, including those in the six full-time madrasahs that offer a total curriculum that comprises both compulsory religious and secular subjects.

Madrasah students do receive support. MUIS provides assistance for madrasah students from low-income families. In particular, MUIS provides the PROMAS Performance Award to needy madrasah students who perform well in both their religious and secular subjects and exhibit exemplary character.

18 Mr Thomas Chua Kee Seng askedthe Minister for Trade and Industry what is the difference between the existing SPRING-administered SME Talent Programme and the newly introduced SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme.

(for the Minister for Trade and Industry): Mdm Speaker, SkillsFuture is a national initiative to provide Singaporeans with the opportunities to develop their fullest potential, regardless of their starting points. The new SkillsFuture Earn & Learn Programme (ELP) and SPRING's existing SME Talent Programme (STP) are complementary programmes that aim to develop our human capital while, at the same time, address our companies' need for talent, thereby contributing to the larger goals of SkillsFuture.

The SkillsFuture ELP is a work-study programme that benefits fresh graduates from Institutes of Technical Education (ITEs) and Polytechnics to take on jobs in both SMEs and non-SMEs. The programme aims to encourage ITE and Polytechnic graduates to enter industries which they are trained for, by providing them with opportunities to earn an income and deepen their skills through a mix of institution-based and work-based training. They will progress after the programme through clearly-defined career development pathways.

The STP was launched by SPRING in June 2013 to build a strong pipeline of local talent for our SMEs. SPRING works with key Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) to help SMEs reach out and recruit promising students from ITEs, Polytechnics and Universities. Participating SMEs can engage students through internship opportunities and study sponsorships. The students will work in the SMEs after their graduation. SPRING also

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provides assistance to SMEs participating in the STP to develop strong HR systems to ensure that they offer good careers for the students who join their companies.

The SkillsFuture ELP is being implemented in phases, starting with a few sectors. As the SkillsFuture ELP and STP have different but complementary aims, SPRING and WDA have been working closely to harmonise these two programmes. Over time, the STP will scale down and cease for sectors and job roles which have been covered by the SkillsFuture ELP.

19 Dr Benedict Tan askedthe Minister for Health whether the latest salary review for public sector doctors has succeeded in (i) stemming the flow of doctors from the public to private sector; and (ii) achieving a consistent remuneration structure across all restructured hospitals and clusters.

(for the Minister for Health) : MOH plans the training of healthcare manpower in tandem with the development of healthcare infrastructure nationally, including that of the private sector. As doctors are generally trained within the public sector, some of them will eventually join the private sector. Our aim is to retain sufficient good doctors within the public healthcare sector to ensure that we can continue to deliver good quality care to Singaporeans. To achieve this, we not only need to pay our doctors in the public sector competitively, but also provide them with challenging career opportunities spanning clinical service, education, research and leadership.

MOH has worked with the public healthcare institutions to implement a new pay framework for doctors, in two phases in 2012 and 2014. The new pay framework provides better recognition of the important roles that public sector doctors play in the areas of clinical service, education, research and administration. Following the review, our public healthcare institutions are now more aligned in terms of principles and structures of doctors' remuneration while retaining some flexibility to manage individual packages for talent retention purposes.

Beyond pay, the public healthcare sector aims to offer our doctors a fulfilling career that allows them to manage more challenging clinical cases, teach and nurture future generations of doctors, undertake research to improve quality of care and, for some, the opportunities to take up leadership positions in their organisations. Many of these roles are unique to the public sector which the private sector does not typically offer. To support professional and personal growth, public sector doctors also benefit from opportunities for continuing training and development. At the same time, efforts have been undertaken by our public healthcare institutions to improve the work environment for doctors, such as shorter rotating shifts, having protected time for structured learning and the adoption of IT

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to streamline and minimise administrative workload.

I am glad to inform the Member that with the recent changes, the rate of our doctors leaving the public sector has decreased, from 6.5% in 2011 to 5.8% in 2014. The number of doctors working in the public healthcare clusters has also grown by 34%, to close to 6,500 over the same period.

MOH will continue to review and enhance the value proposition of a public service career to attract and retain good doctors in the public sector.

20 Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what is the number of families that have come under the Home Ownership Plus Education (HOPE) scheme since its implementation in 2004; (b) what is the percentage of families under HOPE that have managed to keep their number of children at two; (c) whether the Ministry can provide an update on the profile of families that have broken the conditions of the scheme and their plight; and (d) whether the Ministry considers the HOPE scheme a success.

(for the Minister for Social and Family Development): Mdm Speaker, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) is deeply committed to supporting young and vulnerable families as they go through various life stages. To do this, we work with our partners on a range of programmes. For instance, at the point of marriage, we encourage the young couples to attend marriage preparation programmes to strengthen their marriage foundation. This is mandatory for civil marriages where one party is a minor below 18 years old or where both parties are 18 to below 21 years old.

MSF is also rolling out a new programme called Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Programme (PREP) to help young couples tackle different challenges in their marriage. Through this course, they learn skills in communication and conflict management and more about commitment as well as problem-solving. For young Muslim couples, the two INSPIRASI hubs dedicated to marriage preparation and enrichment offer programmes to help the couples adjust to their multiple roles towards their spouses, towards their parents-in-law and towards their children. They are also taught how to better manage their finances and work towards homeownership.

The HOPE scheme is another such programme to better support our young and vulnerable families. It is intended for lower income couples who wish to keep their family size small, with a view to improving themselves and achieving a better life for themselves as

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well as their children. Families under HOPE receive substantial support and financial assistance in housing, utilities and work training, as well as education bursaries and mentoring support.

Since 2004, more than 3,200 families have benefited from the HOPE scheme and about 40% of 3,200 families have increased their household income. The employment rate of the mothers in the programme has increased from 30% to 60%. About 20% of the mothers have also upgraded themselves through various types of training.

Families under the HOPE scheme are free to choose to withdraw from the scheme and its benefits at any point in time. Nine in 10 HOPE families have remained on the programme since its inception in 2004. This means that only about one in 10 families has withdrawn from this scheme. The Member had asked about the profile. Out of this small group, about 39% indicated that they wish to have a third child. For some of these cases, it is also because their family circumstances have improved. The other 35% withdrew from support sessions, mentoring sessions or had separated. Despite their exit from the HOPE scheme, they are still able to tap on a wide range of social support programmes and channels as provided by the Government and community agencies to better support their family and their children.

I would like to thank the Parliamentary Secretary for the reply. I just have one question: one of the eligibility criteria is for the applicant to stop after having two children, right? I just want to know from the Ministry what are the factors taken into consideration in coming up with this number. Will the Ministry consider increasing the number as we are actually encouraging more Singaporeans to have more children?

I thank the Member for his supplementary question. Like I have mentioned earlier, there is a wide range of social support programmes to better support fellow Singaporeans and I highlighted the PREP scheme and so on. And I said, HOPE is another such programme to better support a certain group of young and vulnerable families who would like to keep their family size small. If you refer to our website, the key considerations are put there. There are various considerations like age of the families, age of the spouses, combined household income, employment status and so on. Family planning is just one of the considerations.

I have also cited earlier that the families can choose to withdraw from the HOPE scheme as and when they wish to, as and when their families' circumstances have changed and improved. For example, if families would like to have a third child, this is where we will work with them to transit them to other social support programmes to ensure that there is a

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smooth transition.

21 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for Education whether the Government will impose a requirement for all autonomous universities receiving Government funding to ensure that (i) eligible Singaporeans are given priority for academic employment; and (ii) all human resource departments in these autonomous universities are to be headed by a Singaporean to ensure that eligible Singaporeans are given due consideration for employment.

(for the Minister for Education): It is important that our Autonomous Universities (AUs) recruit academic staff based on merit, to ensure that they hire the best talent able to deliver high-quality education and conduct research that will benefit our students and Singapore.

All eligible Singaporeans are considered carefully and processes are in place to ensure that hiring is non-discriminatory. Applications for academic positions are put through multiple approval layers involving selection committees, Academic Heads of Department and Faculty Deans before final approval by top management. Senior appointments must be approved by the Presidents or Boards of Trustees.

The Government and our AUs are keenly aware of the need to develop local talent. This is why the Minister recently launched the new Singapore Academic and Research Talent Scheme to encourage more young Singaporeans to pursue an academic career. At the undergraduate level, an MOE-AU undergraduate scholarship has been launched for those who have keen interest and strong aptitude for a career in academia. Under this scholarship, recipients will be paired with NUS, NTU or SMU and benefit from academic mentorship throughout and beyond his undergraduate studies. The student will then be expected to apply for a postgraduate scholarship from our AUs, for PhD studies and post-doctoral stints. These postgraduate scholarships will be co-funded 50-50 by MOE and the AUs. This comprehensive developmental programme is only available to Singaporeans and is intended to prepare each individual for an academic career.

Under the Singapore Academic and Research Talent Scheme, we will grow the number of existing postgraduate scholarships for Singaporeans who are interested to do research and teach at our AUs. We intend to offer over 1,500 scholarships at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels over the next 15 years.

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Additionally, our AUs also actively try to reach out and recruit Singaporean academics based overseas.

Mdm Speaker, I just wanted to ask the Senior Minister of State, I think the banks say the same thing when they talk about wanting the best talent. Hence, we have a lot of foreign employees in the banks, resulting in a lot of unhappiness. May I ask the Senior Minister of State, considering that university lecturers have huge influence on the minds of our many young undergraduates, would it not be better for us to constantly emphasise in employing more Singaporean professors or lecturers, so that they can emphasise Singapore values to our young undergraduates.

Next, MOM has the tripartite guidelines on fair employment practices with the view of strengthening the Singapore Core. Would that not similarly apply to academic places for universities? Because I really feel that we should emphasise employing or giving the best opportunities to Singaporeans to get academic appointments in the universities.

The third question is whether MOE tracks the number of university professors or lecturers who have gone overseas to lecture. As a result, basically, that is a loss of talent from Singapore to other overseas universities.

Mdm Speaker, I think we are certainly in agreement that we do want to have a very strong core of Singaporean academic talent. That is not just because of the influence that they will have on young minds, but also because it is important for our own research and development and our own academic pipeline, that we should have Singaporeans who are well-versed in the different areas of academia. The real question, I think, is how we should achieve that.

Mr Lim's questions had really suggested two things: that the HR director must be Singaporean and that you stipulate that, for funding, you must consider eligible Singaporeans. In a sense, when you are dealing with policy, policy has to be broad. We cannot micro-manage it. We are in agreement with the overall objective, which is, that you should have a strong Singapore Core in academia. How to achieve it? Most of the universities actually do, in fact, have HR directors who are Singaporeans. Two of them have had HR directors who are Singaporeans for the last 10 years. Another two, the newer ones, SUTD and SIT, have had, from the time of inception to present, HR directors who are Singaporeans. One university has had a HR director who is a PR. But the point is that there is still this issue that is being discussed.

You can see that recruitment is a matter not just of the HR director but at different levels. It is not a simple process; there are many layers to it. To the extent that choosing the

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right talent involves a degree of assessment of the candidates' knowledge, their background, their personality – that is something we can leave to the universities. But if the concern is to make sure that we do have a good local talent pool, that message has gone out clearly to the AUs and that is something that we are working towards. Hence, the scheme that I mentioned earlier.

Also, when we talk about eligibility, the question is how you define "eligibility". Let us just say in the context of law, for example, you could have three or four people who are eligible in the sense that they all have a background in various types of international law. But if somebody who is not Singaporean also happens to have worked in the UN and also happens to have extensive international experience, that may be of benefit to our students to have somebody of that background.

You can see that at the edges, there is some element of discretion that is necessary. We would prefer not to put in tools which make it too much like a quota, as it were. The overall and overriding objective is to make sure that we have a strong talent pool and to make sure that Singaporeans are given a fair opportunity to enter academia, continue in academia and do well in it. That, we are in agreement on and that message has been made clear to the AUs.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan.

Madam, thank you for your indulgence. I just wanted to follow up with the Senior Minister of State. I read recently in the newspapers of 3 March this year, that NUS Yale had hired 70 academic staff, of whom only 14 are Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents (SPRs). To me, that is really a disproportionate number of lecturers. I know NUS Yale is not an AU but, surely, there is something that we can do to ensure that students who enlist in universities based locally are taught by a majority of Singapore lecturers, instead of a large number of foreign lecturers. Otherwise, we will just lose our Singaporean identity after a while.

As the Member has pointed out, Yale-NUS College is not an AU. It is still at an early inception stage. So, we will monitor it and track and see how it develops.

22 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry has completed its study of the suggestion on compensation for commuters affected by train and bus service disruptions and, if so, what are the conclusions.

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Mdm Speaker, today, when there is a prolonged train service disruption, commuters exiting the affected stations will have their fares waived or refunded. Free bus bridging services and free boarding of public buses at the affected stations are also provided. For bus service disruptions, affected commuters are given a fare refund and a complimentary bus ticket for a future ride.

We assess that, for now, the current arrangements are appropriate. Our arrangements are similar to those for the London Tube, where only fare refunds are given. Some other cities provide additional compensation but only for prolonged disruptions. For example, the Hong Kong MTR provides a little more compensation in the form of a 10% discount for a same-day second trip when the disruption lasts for more than half an hour. The difficulty really is that it is not a straightforward exercise to identify who should be eligible if we want a comprehensive regime where we compensate all affected commuters, as this may have to include commuters who detoured using alternative routes as well as those who had to forgo their journey altogether.

We will focus efforts on further improving train and bus reliability. This way, we minimise the inconvenience experienced by commuters in the first place.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan.

Thank you, Madam. I think the Minister is fully aware that each time there is a train disruption, commuters who are affected are unhappy and they are not really appeased by the amount of fine that is imposed on the public transport operators (PTOs). The question really is for the Ministry of Transport (MOT) to think of what else it can do to appease the unhappiness that commuters face. I want to ask whether the Minister could consider implementing a form of compensation to these affected commuters. There must be ways of outlining who are the affected commuters and, really, from that sense, their perspective, it would help make them happier, if not less discontented. Ultimately, fines do not go back to them and they feel that, well, so what if the PTOs are fined? I want a compensation for my loss of time, for the fact that I got to take a taxi to work or rush somewhere. So, really, it is a matter of giving them a fair settlement because of the disruption. And I think the PTO should bear that cost.

Mdm Speaker, I can certainly understand where the Member is coming from. It is a subject that we look at from time to time. The difficulty we face so far is that there are different degrees of inconvenience caused to different groups of commuters. There are those in a very, very severe disruption who may have to de-train, get down to the track and walk to the station. There are those who are stuck on affected trains. There are those who may be able, even though their trains are affected, to drop off at an interchange station and find their way around and they are also inconvenienced because the journey is

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longer even though they can continue to complete the rest of the journey on another train. The difficulty is to find a framework that is fair to all these different parties. Much as we have given thought to it over the last year or so, we have not been able to come up with something that we think applies fairly across to all commuters who are affected.

We looked at the MTR practice in Hong Kong. It is for same-day compensation of a 10% discount on a second trip. And if the disruption takes place in the late evening peak hour, for example, then it is a compensation that may not make as much sense as it would, if it had happened in the morning. Even when we look at these different examples, there is no perfect solution that we think is applicable to our case.

Yes, I agree with the Member that the fines may not go directly to those commuters who are most affected. But the fines help, in a sense that it goes towards the Public Transport Fund and, out of the Public Transport Fund, we provide support to those who need it most, meaning the lower-income who are affected every time we have a fare adjustment. This is why we have been able, over the last two fare exercises, to put up to about $7.5 million each time in terms of vouchers to the lower-income families and this, in part, comes out from the fines that are paid by the operators into the Public Transport Fund.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan.

Thank you again, Madam, for your indulgence. Perhaps, I can just boldly make a suggestion to ask MOT to think out of the box. Let us say we compensate every commuter who has popped into an MRT station, give them $5 credit into their MRT card as a form of compensation. The compensation fund helps the lower-income and commuters who are affected may not benefit from that. So, let us think about giving them a compensation of $5, $3, whatever amount it is. Compensate them so that they can feel that, well, I am adequately compensated for the inconvenience caused to me for disrupting my journey. Would MOT consider that?

MOT is open to suggestions. The difficulty is whether commuters who are inconvenienced to different degrees would accept that – an equal compensation applies to all of them, regardless of the extent to which they have been inconvenienced. And I think that is the difficulty.

Mr Yee Jenn Jong.

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23 Mr Yee Jenn Jong asked the Prime Minister whether the Ministry is working with banks to improve SMEs' access to foreign exchange hedging products, including renminbi hedging.

(for the Prime Minister) : Mdm Speaker, I am taking this Question on behalf of the Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

Madam, banks in Singapore offer companies, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), a comprehensive range of foreign exchange solutions. These include foreign exchange forwards, swaps and options against various currencies, including the reminbi (RMB). These hedging solutions are offered for transaction sizes as small as $10,000, which should cater to the needs of most SMEs. SMEs can also choose to hedge their Asian currency risks through the many currency futures contracts listed on the Singapore Exchange (SGX).

To reach out to the SMEs, several banks have organised workshops on the use of these foreign exchange (FX) hedging tools. Besides the banks, SGX and the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) have organised seminars on the use of FX futures to hedge risk. SPRING also provides toolkits and grants to help SMEs upgrade their capabilities in financial management or improve financial knowledge. To reach out to more SMEs, SPRING is intensifying its outreach efforts through a network of 12 SME centres. MAS, on its part, will continue to ensure that the finance industry meets the needs of our SME sector.

I thank the Minister for the reply. Just a supplementary question. I would like to check if our Government agencies have conducted studies on how Singapore's hedging product market compares to those in other countries and also, especially on the usage by our companies. Have studies been conducted to see whether, for example, our SMEs are using this appropriately and sufficiently?

Madam, I can speak from the perspective of the MAS because we engage the banks and the finance sector and I would say that the banks are seeing greater demand for foreign exchange services and solutions from the SMEs. Because our SMEs are growing and there are also more of them going overseas, they are earning international revenue and, therefore, they have more foreign exchange exposure. So, if you talk to the banks, all of them are, indeed, expanding their suite of solutions and services to meet their small business customers, particularly with regard to managing foreign exchange transactions and risks.

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However, I would also say that when we look at the assessment from the financial sector's point of view, a lot of the gap is really in terms of the knowledge and the in-house skills within the SMEs. It is not so much the lack of services but the issue of a lack of knowledge and in-house skills within the SMEs and that means really going out to reach out to the SMEs, providing more courses or helping them to understand how to even quantify their FX exposure, to begin with, and then helping them to understand what are the different options out there in order for them to hedge their FX risks, whether it is through a bank solution, whether it is through a futures contract or, for that matter, through a natural hedge, because you do it in a low-cost manner through a natural hedge by holding a basket of foreign exchange currencies. There are different solutions and I think that is the biggest gap that I think we need to address. As I have said earlier, there are many agencies – SPRING, ASME as well as the banks and SGX – offering different workshops and courses to SMEs to help them raise their awareness level.

24 Mr Yee Jenn Jong asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether AVA's real-time monitoring and early warning systems are effective in alerting fish farmers ahead of time of the occurrence of harmful algal blooms to prevent massive fish kills; (b) whether there is a need to relocate fish farms away from areas prone to algal blooms; and (c) whether persistent algal blooms have made it difficult for Singapore to achieve its target of 15% of fish supply to be from local sources.

(for the Minister for National Development): Madam, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) monitors a few indicators of water quality, such as plankton count and dissolved oxygen, at our coastal fish farming areas. This allows AVA to give farmers early warning when adverse conditions are detected, so that they can take the necessary precautionary measures.

AVA was able to alert the fish farmers of the impending plankton bloom well ahead of time. For example, in the recent incident, AVA first alerted fish farmers to adverse weather conditions on 30 January and advised them to monitor their fish stocks. On 16 and 17 February, as soon as AVA detected elevated plankton levels at the East Johor Straits (EJS), they alerted the fish farmers and advised them to deploy canvas bags or transfer their fish stock to unaffected areas. Those who heeded AVA's advice averted the worst of the fish kills.

We are studying the causes of plankton blooms in the Johor Straits more comprehensively, to give us a better sense of whether the plankton blooms are simply ad-hoc events or regular occurrences. It is premature to determine whether there is a need for fish farmers to relocate away from the Johor Straits and whether plankton blooms will

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significantly hinder us from reaching our 15% local fish production target.

In the meantime, farmers should take steps to minimise the impact should another plankton bloom occur. AVA will help farmers to develop contingency plans. Fish farmers must also modernise their farming methods so that they are better protected. They can tap on AVA's Agriculture Productivity Fund to enhance their resilience. By working hand in hand, we will be able to minimise the impact of plankton blooms.

I thank the Minister of State for the reply. In view of the frequent occurrences of algal blooms in the past and it has become almost an annual affair, are there studies to also see if it is perhaps due to the reclamation works or other projects affecting the environment either by Singapore or by our immediate neighbours? And could the Johor Straits be not so conducive because algal blooms tend to happen in those areas and, perhaps, the flow of the water may not be so good? Also, on the target to achieve the 15%, we are still quite a distance from this. So, are we confident we can achieve this target and by when?

I thank the Member for the supplementary question. It is really not clear whether the on-going reclamation works in Malaysia have an impact on the fish death. But what we are doing now is, following last year's plankton bloom episode, AVA has been working with the Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI) of NUS on a research project to conduct studies on plankton blooms to enable development of effective mitigating solutions. Studies are ongoing and expected to conclude by 2017.

In addition, AVA had also called for proposals for the design and development of closed containment aquaculture system for coastal fish farming last year. AVA recently awarded the tender to five companies to develop a more sustainable sea-based farming system under the co-innovation partnership programme. The companies will be working on systems that offer a sustainable option for coastal fish farms to minimise exposure to environmental changes such as the plankton bloom.

On the question of how far we are from the 15% mark, we are working with all the fish farmers. We encourage them to modernise and look at various options, including the closed containment system and looking at the possibility of high-rise fish farming methodologies. We have been going to various countries to study various options available, with farmers coming along to look at the various options. We are working very hard to meet those targets.

As far as dealing with the current plankton bloom situation is concerned – we have had two, last year and this year – we continue to monitor the situation with the studies being done with TMSI and we hope to be able to help our farmers mitigate. In a recent incident,

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for example, farmers who adhered to the early warning signs were able to minimise the fish kills by introducing the canvas bags which actually managed to save much of their fish stocks.

25 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for National Development (a) how many HDB flat owners have been allowed to opt out of the Home Protection Scheme (HPS); (b) whether the Ministry will make it compulsory for flat buyers to sign up for HPS; (c) whether flat owners who are not covered by the HPS are allowed to sign up for HPS if they are still servicing a housing loan; and (d) whether HDB will make another effort to emphasise the importance of HPS to all flat owners who are still paying for their housing loan.

(for the Minister for National Development): Madam, HDB flat owners who use CPF to service their housing loans must take up HPS. They are only allowed to opt out of the HPS if they have taken up a similar mortgage reducing insurance (MRI). Forty-three thousand six hundred and ten flat owners have been allowed to opt out of HPS on this basis.

Flat owners who are not using their CPF to service their housing loans may have to set aside cash to pay for their HPS premiums, if they do not have enough in their CPF to do so. As their financial circumstances may vary, HPS is currently not compulsory for those who do not use CPF to service their housing loan. Nonetheless, they can sign up for HPS on an opt-in basis, subject to underwriting and health condition at the time of the application. One hundred and forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty-six such HDB flat owners have done so. We will need to carefully study whether to make it compulsory for all home buyers servicing a loan to take up HPS or similar MRI.

HDB actively encourages all HDB flat owners servicing a housing loan to take up HPS, as it ensures that surviving flat members are protected in the event of the death or incapacitation of the lessee. At the point of flat purchase, HDB will explain to flat buyers the benefits and the coverage of HPS. HPS booklets are also distributed to home buyers at HDB. We will continue to work with CPF Board to see how we can further improve coverage and awareness of the importance of HPS to flat owners who are still paying for their housing loan but who may not have HPS coverage.

Mdm Speaker, recently, when I attended the wake of a resident of mine who had passed away, I found out the flat is still not fully paid up and they have school-going-age children. When I asked the wife whether it was covered by HPS, she said, "No." That is why I am asking HDB, if they are still paying for the flat using CPF, can we make it compulsory for them to have HPS? The reason is that in order to get out, they may go and buy an equivalent insurance but, in subsequent years, they may not renew the

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insurance. I would like to ask the Minister of State to consider this.

Madam, certainly, we are looking at this area and will take on board the Member's suggestion.

(Punggol East): Madam, I would like to find out what are the current efforts taken to remind home owners to make premium payments if they have failed to do so, before the policy is terminated.

Madam, HPS owners who do not have enough in their CPF Ordinary Account savings for HPS premium deductions are given a grace period of two months to make their premium payments. I believe that is where the Member is coming from. Any fresh Ordinary Account contributions received in these two months are reserved for HPS premiums to ensure that there is no lapse. During the two months' grace period, two notification letters – one in each month – will be sent to remind members to top up their Ordinary Accounts for HPS payments. If they do not pay their outstanding premiums within the two-month period, their HPS cover will lapse and a notification letter sent to inform them of this lapse in coverage and to alert them to the need to look into this. For members who are still using CPF to service their monthly instalments, the HPS coverage status will be indicated clearly in their annual CPF statements.

26 Mr Png Eng Huat asked the Minister for National Development when will plans to develop Hougang Town Centre under the Remaking Our Heartland (ROH) programme announced in 2011 be released, given that the projected timeline for the development site to be launched is three years.

for the Minister for National Development): Madam, HDB is currently working with the relevant agencies on the infrastructural and technical requirements for this land parcel at the Hougang Town Centre. The plan is for a mixed use development, integrated with the existing MRT station and bus interchange. Because of the complexity in this integrated development, agencies will need more time to resolve various technical issues before the site can be launched for tender.

Madam, just two questions. Is there any indication as to roughly when the plan will be up? The second question is: what is the standard timeframe between announcement of ROH and implementation? I understand three areas were

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announced in 2011 and I think the other two areas have made progress already.

Madam, I want to assure the Member that progress is being made and the ROH for Hougang is not limited to the Town Centre alone. There are various aspects which are currently on-going.

With regard to the question on other sites, the context of each site is actually very different. Therefore, the plans for every town have to be customised according to the specific needs and requirements for the town.