Hansard, Monday, 14 March 2016

Order. I wish to inform hon Members that on 12 March 2016, I received a letter dated 12 March 2016 from Mr David Ong Kim Huat resigning from his seat in Parliament as Member for the electoral division of Bukit Batok with immediate effect.

In accordance with clause (2)(c) of Article 46 of the Constitution, the seat of the Member became vacant with effect from the aforementioned date.

Order. Questions for Oral Answer. Miss Cheryl Chan.

1 Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling asked the Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) whether the Ministry uses governance standards as one of the selection criteria in appointing partners and course providers of SkillsFuture programmes.

Mdm Speaker, SkillsFuture is a national movement to foster a culture of skills mastery and lifelong learning.

But way before the launch of the SkillsFuture movement, the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) had, over the years, been championing lifelong learning and accrediting training providers and training courses through its quality assurance system.

WDA's quality assurance system comprises Organisation Approval and Course Accreditation to ensure that the development and delivery of Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) courses and the assessment of trainees meet required standards. WDA conducts regular audits on accredited training providers to ensure that they continue to have robust systems in place to deliver quality training. WSQ frameworks are also validated and endorsed by industry representatives to help ensure continued relevance to industry needs.

Similarly, the MOE-funded Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), that is, ITEs, polytechnics and the autonomous universities, also have systems in place to monitor and maintain teaching standards and the quality of their programmes. They participate in external audits that ensure their processes and programmes are well-run. In addition, they are validated by external review panels that assess the institutions' systems and teaching approaches.

The training programmes accredited by WDA and delivered by our IHLs have been brought under the SkillsFuture Credit scheme, one of the many initiatives under the SkillsFuture movement. To provide more choices, we have also included other courses, such as those supported by public agencies and selected courses offered by the People's Association, under the SkillsFuture Credit scheme. We will continue to monitor the quality of our appointed partners and training programmes.

I thank the Acting Minister for his answer. I would like to follow up with two supplementary questions. I do support and agree that the SkillsFuture programme is a good one and it should be one that is about broad-based learning and lifelong learning. However, fairly often, I do hear from constituents that some of these WDA courses that are provided for them do not adequately enable them to look for jobs subsequently. One of the reasons they were told was that some of the courses they had taken were insufficient and they needed to go for additional accreditation.

The first question is: would the Ministry consider putting up some guidelines or criteria to say what are the relevant courses which are applicable for particular industries so that people would have better guidance on how to go for the relevant courses because there are a lot provided currently?

The second question is with regard to quality and assurance: could the Acting Minister elaborate on the frequency of the cross-accreditation and how do the auditors regularly benchmark these against what is being provided out there in the market?

I thank the Member for her supplementary questions. About finding jobs for her constituents, it is an inter-play of many factors of which training is one; the person's attitude is one; how picky the employer is is also one. That is why, for many years now, with the CDCs and with NTUC under the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i), there have been many career coaches being trained and they have been in the job for many years. They coach jobseekers and advise them on what courses to take, which companies to go for. For companies that are more picky, over time, e2i and the CDCs would no longer consider them their clients. They work with employers who are more welcoming to different kinds of workers.

So, it is many factors at play, of which training continues to be but one. It is necessary but it is not sufficient. If you have constituents or residents who need help, do feel free to approach the CDCs or e2i, which MOE works closely with.

As for the second question on quality and assurance, the Member asked how frequent the accreditation of courses is. Those are one-time events. If a training provider has come up with a course which it thinks can help workers and students, it can come forth to WDA. WDA has quite a speedy and efficient course accreditation system. Within months, it can be accredited. With accreditation, the course can enjoy Government funding. After that, it will be a yearly or two-yearly audit process to make sure that the course continues to be relevant to the industry and continues to be able to help workers.

I thank the Acting Minister for the reply. I just wanted to add some points. Firstly, to congratulate the SkillsFuture team for including programmes that are online, like Coursera and Udemy, which are very useful.

I would like to suggest to the Acting Minister to consider reviewing the list of courses and programmes in the SkillsFuture list of approved courses more regularly, for example, like quarterly, not just for employability courses but also courses to encourage continuing education, lifelong learning and second-skilling.

I am quite new to this job and even I got to launch the SkillsFuture Credit Scheme, which goes to show the scheme is very new. The answer to the Member's question is, yes, we will review it, whether quarterly or not, let us look at it. I would really like to invite NTUC and Labour Members of Parliament, if there are courses out there that the unions give feedback that these are helpful, do let us know. The intention is to broaden as much as we can.

2 Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Acting Minister for Education (Schools) (a) why are secondary schools directed not to take in transfer pupils whose PSLE scores do not meet their cut-off points; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider allowing schools with vacancies to effect these transfers on a case-by-case basis if the point difference is not significant.

Mdm Speaker, I thank the Member for his question. The rules for school admissions and transfers must be transparent and objective, in order to be fair to all students.

In fact, we had received feedback in past years from some parents who were unhappy that our transfer process was not sufficiently fair and transparent. Some have also pointed out that the transfer process could be improved.

Our schools receive transfer appeals for a wide range of reasons, including good performance in CCAs, past connections to the school or proximity of home to the school. Many of these appeals are from students who had applied for the school in the Secondary 1 Posting Exercise but did not manage to get a place because they did not meet the cut-off point of the school.

These appeals are understandable. However, unless there are special circumstances, allowing students who had not met the cut-off-point to transfer schools would mean that CCA, connections or proximity to the school will take precedence over the PSLE T-score. This will not be entirely fair or transparent to the many students who have a similar or even higher PSLE T-score but had not been admitted in the Secondary 1 Posting Exercise.

MOE reviewed the feedback and decided that it would be better, overall, to run a simpler system where only appeals by students who met the cut-off point would be considered. The Principal can then consider all such qualified appeals and make an appropriate decision after considering other relevant factors. This new guideline for transfers after the Secondary 1 Posting Exercise is to ensure and assure parents and students that the system for appeals and transfers is transparent, objective and fair to all students.

Our overall system remains flexible. With the change in the transfer guidelines, over 800 students appealed successfully and obtained a school transfer this year according to their school preferences. Most met the school's cut-off point, while some did not, as their appeals were on the basis of medical, special needs or exceptional circumstances.

MOE appreciates the need for an appeals system, to help our students and their families cope with unforeseen circumstances. We will continue to exercise flexibility for appeals while maintaining a fair and transparent system.

Ultimately, any appeals system will rest on the good judgement of experienced professionals, especially our school Principals. MOE is committed to supporting holistic education and providing our students with multiple pathways and opportunities to pursue an education best suited to their needs and strengths. We will continue to carefully study how we can evolve and enhance our school admission and transfer processes to support these goals while remaining consistent with our key principles of meritocracy, fairness and transparency.

Mdm Speaker, let me thank the Acting Minister for his reply. Yes, I do receive many complaints from parents and, this time, it is about the sudden change in the policy or the announcement that no appeal will be entertained at all if they do not meet the minimum cut-off point of that particular school.

My first clarification is: what is the timeframe given for the parents when they announce this? Why was it announced so late? I understand it was after they had made the choice for the schools, after the school listing is out. It caught everyone by surprise. I can understand there is a need for transparency. I am very happy to hear that the Ministry will exercise flexibility. The question is striking a balance between flexibility and transparency.

The Acting Minister mentioned that there were 800 appeals that were successful, and there were some that did not meet the cut-off point and, based on special circumstances, they were accepted into the schools. Could the Acting Minister elaborate on the special circumstances for those who did not meet the cut-off point?

Lastly, will the Ministry consider giving the Principal or the School Advisory Committee (SAC) some form of flexibility to admit certain numbers of students, so that they have some autonomy rather than completely no appeals at all? Some Principals were complaining to me that they had no choice because the Minister said that there are no appeals to be entertained.

Madam, I thank the Member for the follow-up questions. For the first issue of complaints on the communications process, the Ministry, in implementing these new guidelines, could have done better in the communications. We will take that as a lesson learnt and see how we can improve it this year.

For the circumstances of students who were transferred without meeting the cut-off point, let me give the Member one good example. We acceded to an appeal from a student who had a birth defect, a spinal cord problem. The student requires regular cleaning of the bladder, every four hours or so. In the initial posting, she was posted to a school that was a little further away, by about 1 kilometre. But upon appeal and seeing the circumstances, we facilitated a transfer to another school closer to her home, even though she did not meet the cut-off point. We do exercise flexibility as such to ensure that the students' needs are appropriately taken care of.

With regard to the flexibility for the SACs and the Principals, even today, we do allow flexibility. We have about 800 students who were successfully transferred because they had made the wrong choice in the initial selection of schools and they now want to make a change. So long as they have met the cut-off point, the flexibility was given fully to the Principals and schools.

On the way ahead, we will see how we can work on some flexibility without undermining the Principals, as I have stated earlier. We have a fine balance to maintain between the fairness of the system and some flexibility for appeals.

For the Member's information, in our system today, 95% of our students are successfully posted to a school of their choice and 90% are actually in a school that is in their top three choices. So, it is a fair system and we will study how we can see some of the appeals that may require special attention.

Madam, I would like to ask the Acting Minister, in the light of the reply to Dr Lim Wee Kiak, does that mean that MOE will, in future, consult grassroots advisors, Members of Parliament, before they make a change of policy? This is because I came to learn about a lot of feedback from parents who were caught unawares about the change in policy and, because of that, they were quite upset.

The other clarification that I wish to ask the Acting Minister is: does that mean MOE is now going back to the situation where a student's PSLE score is the main factor in deciding where to go for a Secondary school? Because I understand that, previously, MOE did say that PSLE score is not the main thing. So, right now, it seems that if you do not meet the cut-off point, that is it for you. You cannot go to a school of your choice. So, perhaps the Acting Minister for Education can clarify.

I thank the Member for his clarifications. We will consult grassroots leaders, where applicable, in policies where they have an impact on the locality and, in other circumstances, on a case-by-case basis.

For the overall system, we do have the Direct School Admission (DSA) system that recognises talents and other achievements before PSLE. So, there is a good balance between academic emphasis and non-academic achievements. Before PSLE, this exercise is carried through the DSA so that we can afford students to be admitted into the schools. Once, however, the PSLE T-score comes out, it would be better, as we have said earlier, to maintain a system that is seen to be fair, transparent and meritocratic. But overall, the system remains one that recognises different pathways for students to succeed. So, we have not changed the philosophy.

3 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether HDB will allow second- or third-time buyers of HDB flats to take HDB loans if they cannot qualify to borrow from the banks; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider reviewing this policy to help this group.

Mdm Speaker, HDB offers all buyers of HDB flats up to two concessionary loans and this is generally sufficient to meet the life-cycle needs of buyers. The limit of two concessionary loans also helps to ensure the stability of the resale market by preventing excessive churning of HDB flats.

Nevertheless, HDB does exercise flexibility to assist households with a third HDB housing loan on a case-by-case basis. Typically, these are households that require urgent assistance but are unable to secure mortgage financing from banks. The households that receive these third loans are required to have sufficient savings and steady incomes to service the loan because this credit assessment is needed to ensure that households do not end up taking on more debt than they are able to afford.

Mdm Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister for answering this question. I just have a follow-up question.

In terms of the third concessionary loan, does the Ministry have a proportion of the number that have been rejected for the third concessionary loan applications? The reason I am asking is because a lot of families who had sold the first or second home, for example, probably wanted to restart or have a fresh start due to divorce proceedings or are in single-income families. This is a vicious circle. So, on the third concessionary loan application, to what extent are the rejections, if the Minister can share with us on that?

Madam, HDB is generally very flexible in looking at these cases. Last year, it provided a third loan to about 900 households. About 75% of these loans are on a non-concessionary basis – that means, market rate – and 25% are concessionary loans.

As I have said, HDB would want to help and assist applicants to buy a home but HDB is also wary of people who over-stretch, families who over-stretch themselves and end up with more debt. I do not think we want that to happen either just for the pursuit of buying a home, over-stretching their finances and ending up with more debt than is prudent. So, that remains the basis for which HDB will do its assessments but, generally, HDB will also be flexible in wanting to assist applicants to buy their own homes.

4 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for National Development (a) in the past one year, what is the number of requests received from HDB flat owners who have purchased a BTO/resale flat to extend the six-month period they have to dispose of their existing HDB flat; (b) what is the percentage of such requests against the total number of BTO/resale flat transactions for the same period; and (c) for the next three years, what is the projected number of such flats that need to be disposed of.

Mdm Speaker, existing flat owners who have collected the keys to another BTO or resale flat today will have up to six months, from the time of key collection, to dispose of their existing flat. HDB will assess requests for more time to sell off the existing flat based on the merits of each case.

Last year, HDB received 249 such requests for an extension of the six-month period. During this timeframe in 2015, there were some 41,400 households that bought BTO or resale flats. But if we were to only look at those who still owned a flat when they collected the keys to their new flat, then the number is 13,700 – meaning to say those who still owned a flat when they collected keys to their new flat, that number is 13,700. So, if you look at the appeal cases of 249 over the base of 13,700 – that works out to be less than 2%. As the Member had asked, the figure is about less than 2% of the overall base of people who are doing this transaction.

Going forward, from 2016 to 2018, about 13,000 existing flat owners are expected to collect the keys to another BTO flat. They will, as per the current rules, have to dispose of their existing flats within six months from the time of key collection. But if there are requests for an extension of time, HDB will be prepared to exercise flexibility on a case-by-case basis.

5 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Transport with the proposed 2020 island-wide ERP system (a) whether this will result in a system where ERP is based on road usage during office hours; (b) if so, whether there are plans to review the annual road tax and COE system to offset any additional costs to motorists under the new system; and (c) what is the implication for transport operators of goods lorries, taxis, movers and delivery businesses.

Madam, while the next generation Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system allows for island-wide coverage, the current policy intent is to price only congested roads. The technology of the new system will allow us to implement this congestion pricing on a distance-travelled basis, which will be fairer to motorists. For example, motorists who travel the full stretch of a congested road can be charged more than those who travel, say, only a part of it. It is, however, too early to talk about its impact on different motorists and if we should adjust any existing tax policy.

6 Miss Cheng Li Hui asked the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry will consider allowing parents to use their Retirement Account savings for their children's full-time subsidised diploma/degree courses at Approved Educational Institutions.

Mdm Speaker, the CPF Education Scheme allows CPF members to use their CPF Ordinary Account (OA) savings to pay for their own, spouses' or children's tuition fees and this is restricted to full-time subsidised diploma and degree courses at Approved Educational Institutions.

When members turn 55, a Retirement Account (RA) is created and monies from the CPF OA and the Special Account (SA) are transferred to the RA up to the Full Retirement Sum. Members who own a property with sufficient charge or pledge on the property can withdraw their RA savings above the Basic Retirement Sum in cash for any purpose, including education. Members who continue to work and make CPF contributions after age 55 will also have fresh OA savings that can be used under the CPF Education Scheme.

CPF members with insufficient OA savings should consider other avenues to finance the tertiary education of their children, for example, savings in the Post-Secondary Education Account (PSEA), student bursaries and loans offered by MOE and CDC/CCC, or the Tuition Fee Loan Scheme and Study Loan Scheme offered by the Government. There are also various financial assistance schemes offered by the tertiary institutions, as well as other community organisations.

We recognise that some CPF members may have tried but do not qualify for these financial assistance schemes. CPF Board has, therefore, exercised some flexibility by allowing them to use their savings in their RA that originated from their OA for the purpose of the CPF Education Scheme. However, CPF members must recognise that they are compromising on their retirement adequacy, especially if their children do not or are unable to repay the loan after graduation.

I appreciate the Minister's reply and the fact that the RA is to fund the retirement of Singaporeans. Would the Minister agree that a significant number of our residents are marrying later and the children are entering tertiary or higher education just when they are retiring? Therefore, would it not be reasonable to allow them to use the RA, with the provision that the children will repay them when they graduate?

For the lower and middle income who may not have sufficient savings and who are unable to get loans and the bursaries may not cover the full cost of the fees, does it not make sense for them to want to give their children a good education and investment in their future?

Mdm Speaker, I agree with the Member that education is the best investment a parent can have for their children. Having said so, let me recap how the CPF Education Scheme came about when it was introduced in 1989.

At that time, the Minister for Labour, Mr Lee Yock Suan, at the introduction of the CPF Education Scheme said, "In drawing up the scheme, my Ministry was guided by one basic principle, namely, that the fundamental objective for the CPF Scheme should be safeguarded. CPF savings have to provide for the old-age needs of the CPF members themselves. Any investment of CPF in education must not violate these primary objectives".

I agree with the Member that education is very important and that is why the CPF Education Scheme was introduced. It needs to be guided by the fundamental principle that the retirement adequacy of the CPF member should not be compromised as a result of the additional scheme. I am also happy to remind the House that since 1989, the Government has introduced many more financial assistance schemes for education.

In response to the concerns expressed by the Member on what if the family is unable to secure sufficient loans to cover the tuition fees and so on, under the Tuition Fee Loan Scheme, diploma students can loan up to 75% and, for the remaining 25%, they can even apply for the Study Loan Scheme. The Tuition Fee Loan Scheme, together with the Study Loan Scheme, will be able to cover up to 100% of the tuition fees. On top of that, they will be able to apply for loans to cover part of the living allowances as well.

The same applies to undergraduate students. Under the Tuition Fee Loan Scheme, they can loan up to 90% of the tuition fees, plus 10% under the Study Loan Scheme. The two loan schemes together will be able to cover 100% of the tuition fees, as well as some amount of the cost of living allowances.

7 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry will consider requiring employers to pay work permit holders through an electronic payment system, given that this is already required of employers of S Pass holders.

Mdm Speaker, our laws already require employers of work permit holders to pay salaries electronically if the workers make the request. Today, two-thirds of these workers already receive their salaries electronically. To enhance this further, since October 2014, Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has introduced an online facility to allow employers to open bank accounts for their Work Permit holders automatically when they apply for their Work Permits.

Mdm Speaker, we had studied whether we should make electronic payments mandatory. However, during consultations with unions, workers and employers, some have expressed a preference for flexibility. So, some workers have also preferred to receive their salaries in cash. They say they will face difficulties in maintaining a minimum sum account balance, as required by the banks, or be charged a fee, if their bank accounts do not meet the minimum sum requirement. Similarly, some small and micro-SME employers like family-run shops, also expressed difficulties in paying salaries electronically as they would need to incur additional administrative costs and resources to perform this task.

Nonetheless, Mdm Speaker, my Ministry will continue to conduct periodical policy reviews. We will continue to monitor the situation and review our laws to ensure that adequate convenience and protection will be put in place for our workers.

I thank the Minister of State for the reply. Just one clarification – if the worker does request to be paid by Electronic Payment System and the company rejects, can he/she then seek help from MOM? And what actions will MOM take?

Mdm Speaker, I thank the Member for the supplementary questions. Under our existing law, we have already mandated employers to make electronic payment provision mandatory for the workers, if they make the request. If workers find that their salaries are not paid on time or not paid in full sum per their contract, they can always approach MOM for assistance. Let me take this opportunity to advertise MOM's telephone numbers. For workers who have difficulties in salary matters or other manpower matters, they can always dial the MOM hotline number at 64385122.

8 Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked the Minister for Home Affairs in light of the recent discovery of radicalised Bangladeshis in Singapore, what are our follow-up efforts and strategies in identifying more of such activities or groups with high potential or likelihood of such ideologies within our midst.

Mdm Speaker, our security agencies will continue to monitor and investigate signs of radicalisation in Singapore. These threats can come from within Singapore or from foreigners in Singapore. As part of the overall counter-terrorism effort, we also share intelligence with foreign security partners to deal with the transnational nature of the threats.

But it cannot just be the security agencies. The larger Singaporean society has also got to play a part in protecting us against this threat. Singaporeans need to help safeguard family and friends from becoming radicalised. Employers need to pay attention on what is going on in workers' dormitories, for example. Workers, too, can play a part in reporting suspicious activities that they may come across. In short, everyone has a part to play to enhance our collective security.

I thank the Minister for the response. Can I just ask two supplementary questions? Firstly, are there specific action plans that we can put up or come up with dormitory operators because they are an important resource for us and they are the eyes and the ears on the ground, especially where foreign workers congregate, for example, in the dormitories?

Secondly, there are locations in Singapore and throughout Singapore where there are frequent, repeated and recurrent gatherings of foreign workers we know and many of them do not create any major problems or issues. But what would be our threshold for stimulus or to take action, for example?

Foreign worker dormitories are subject to a number of guidelines in terms of what we allow and do not allow. The sizing, how they are structured and so on, have to be cleared by the security agencies. For example, quite apart from issues of terrorism, there are other issues related to possible violence and we need to be able to move in and deal with that. The issue of overall security is an ongoing conversation, not just with people who manage foreign worker dormitories, but we need to involve the broader Singapore society and my Ministry will be announcing some plans soon.

With regard to the second question about the gathering of foreign workers in specific places, I will start with this caveat. If you look at the incidence of crime, it is actually lower amongst the foreign workers because they are here for a purpose. If they get into trouble, they will be sent back straightaway and it is a huge economic cost. So, the crime incidence within the foreign worker population is lower than that of the general Singapore population.

Having said that, I think we recognise the point the Member has made and there are some imperatives. First, we need them here, for example, for construction and some of the other types of work. Second, we have to manage that and the growth of the foreign worker population has been managed significantly. But then, that imposes cost on businesses and the economy. At the same time, we have to manage the gatherings. For example, by using the Police and other uniformed services; sometimes, you do not need a Police officer dealing with these issues.

We are looking at all of that. I do not want to give the impression that, therefore, everything is perfect, but it is certainly a problem that has been recognised.

9 Mr Darryl David asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether all male Permanent Residents who complete their National Service get to be offered Singaporean Citizenship automatically and, if so, how soon after completing NS are they offered it; and (b) how many such cases are there every year.

Singapore Citizenship (SC) is not granted automatically to Permanent Residents (PRs) who have completed National Service (NS). PRs who are interested in taking up citizenship would have to apply and will be assessed accordingly.

Each application is evaluated holistically on a range of criteria, to assess how committed an applicant is to sinking roots and also how well the applicant is able to contribute and integrate into our society. The fact that the PR has completed National Service and has performed well during NS will be a plus factor in the evaluation.

For the period from 2011 to 2015, ICA received about 4,000 applications for citizenship from PRs who had completed full-time NS. About 98% of the applications were approved.

10 Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Minister for Health what are the measures available to help Singaporeans who are on non-subsidised rates to obtain subsidised rates at public hospitals if they were previously on employer-provided healthcare insurance which has since expired.

Madam, all Singaporeans who are admitted to public hospitals can choose to be admitted into subsidised ward classes, regardless of whether they had been receiving unsubsidised or subsidised care previously. Hospitals provide financial counselling to patients prior to or upon admission, to help them select a ward class appropriate to their needs.

Patients at the public hospitals who face difficulties with their medical expenses and wish to switch from non-subsidised care to subsidised care, can approach the staff at public hospitals for assistance. Each request is assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration various factors, such as his bill size, medical condition and any changes in financial means and his ability to pay, including employment status. Patients who request to switch to subsidised Specialist Outpatient Clinic services will also be similarly assessed.

I would encourage patients who are facing financial difficulties to approach the medical social workers in the hospitals to discuss the various options.

I thank the Minister for his reply. Some of my residents have shared that in their working life, they had insurance provided by their employers and, so, took advantage of such insurance to become non-subsidised patients. But having retired and having tried to downgrade to subsidised status, some had difficulties doing so, perhaps, due to the means test.

Moving forward, would MOH consider making it easier for Singaporeans with employer-provided insurance to revert to subsidised status once the insurance lapses, without having such stringent means testing, bearing in mind that such patients, had they not made use of their employer healthcare benefits, would have been subsidised patients all along?

Madam, I am sure Dr Tan is quite aware that our resources are always limited and, therefore, we have to try our best to target our subsidies and financial assistance to those who genuinely need them. For patients who are genuinely in financial difficulties, the hospitals and MOH will certainly extend our assistance to them, regardless of whether they have been using their employer insurance before they retire.

I would be reluctant to grant special consideration for patients who, just because they have made use of employer's benefits or insurance, to waive means-testing or to make it easier for them. We treat all patients alike. Those who have needs for financial support, we will do so and we will continue to improve our processes to make sure that those who need financial assistance will get them in a timely manner and as much as they need to. But we have to bear in mind that the resources are always limited and we need to make sure that our assistance is targeted and reaches out to those who really need them.

As a follow-up, I think the larger question is portability of health insurance. Can the Minister address this question?

Madam, I thank Mr Cedric Foo for raising the question. It is a very important question. In fact, we have been working very hard over the last few years to encourage our employers to move towards portable medical benefits for their employees so that their employees would be able to continue to enjoy these benefits beyond their employment with a specific employer and beyond retirement. We have made some progress and we intend to continue to push in this direction.

The real portable medical benefit is MediShield Life which we have introduced, because MediShield Life is universal and is independent of employers. We encourage the employers to provide additional contribution to Medisave to help their employees to pay for MediShield Life premiums or to purchase Integrated Plans which are portable. These are the ways that we hope would be able to help our employees to enjoy portable medical benefits.

I support means-testing, but, essentially, when someone asks for a downgrading process to be started at the hospital, they need to see a social worker and there is a latent phase and a period where they have to wait. Sometimes, the waiting period is such that they may have already had another admission where they have to still pay the paying class rate or they may have had another one or two Specialist Outpatient Clinic appointments with a paying class clinic. So, therefore, I was wondering whether we can expedite and streamline the process of a downgrading.

Madam, we will always try our best to streamline our processes. I must also stress that, again, as I have said in my reply, at every admission into the hospital, the patient is given a choice, whether he would like to be admitted as a private patient or he would like to be admitted as a subsidised patient. Every admission would be treated fresh.

For those who want to switch to subsidised care from non-subsidised care, they will have to work with a medical social worker (MSW) to better understand their needs and tailor our solutions and our assistance, to meet the needs of the patients. I must stress that our MSWs actually go out of their way to help the patients. I have regular dialogues and engagements with the various healthcare professionals and one of the most enjoyable sessions is the session with MSWs, because whenever I meet them, they do not talk about anything else except the well-being of their patients. They always talk about how we can improve the processes, simplify the processes, so that the patients will get the assistance they need as soon as possible.

So, rest assured that our MSWs are working very hard to help the patients to meet their needs and MOH will work with them to see how we can continue to streamline and improve our processes.

Would the Minister consider having communication with the industry with a view to increasing the number of types of possible medical insurance beyond MediShield Life?

Madam, we are in constant dialogue with the insurance industry. In fact, I just had a session with them last week talking about MediShield Life as well as the private products, Integrated Plans, which ride on MediShield Life. Insurance companies also have other products that are independent of MediShield Life. They are also exploring collaboration with the hospitals, so that they are better able to match in terms of the services provided and the needs of their policyholders. We do have this constant dialogue and discussion with the industries, on the one hand, to better understand how the industry operates because we do have a very large universal scheme of MediShield; on the other hand, to also understand the difficulties and challenges they face in implementing MediShield Life as well as the Integrated Plan and also to get their input on how we can improve the product offering in terms of the healthcare insurance sector.

11 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for Health whether patients in hospitals as at 1 November 2015 are able to claim for benefits under MediShield Life even though they were warded in hospitals before MediShield Life took effect on that date.

Madam, MediShield Life coverage is applicable for patients who were admitted on or after 1 November 2015. Individuals with existing MediShield coverage who were admitted before 1 November 2015 will continue to receive benefits under the old MediShield. This approach is consistent with the approach taken in past MediShield enhancements and provides a clear transition at the start of MediShield Life. This was communicated in MOH's various publicity materials, including booklets on MediShield Life, sent to each household.

Significant Government subsidies of up to 80% are also available for those who use subsidised treatment in our public hospitals. Patients can also tap on Medisave for their share of the healthcare bills.

Again, patients who face financial difficulties can approach the Medical Social Workers at the public hospitals for assistance, such as tapping on Medifund.

Mdm Speaker, may I ask the Minister for Health, I have a resident who has exceeded the age for MediShield, the pre-MediShield Life insurance. Rather than getting that patient discharged and then re-admitted after 1 November, would it not be better for MOH to automatically allow a patient in those circumstances to be eligible for MediShield Life rather than force him/her to be discharged and then re-admitted?

Madam, I would like to clarify that our patients' circumstances vary and, therefore, it is difficult for a universal scheme like MediShield Life to cater to each and everyone's unique circumstances at the transition point. I can understand the angst of the patient that Mr Lim referred to. I will encourage the patient or Mr Lim to refer the case to us and we will take a look at the specifics of the case and see how we can help the patient, including providing financial assistance, or looking at other ways to help. The best way is to let us know the specific cases and we will see how we can tailor our assistance scheme to support them.

12 Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what is the current status of the shortage of preschool teachers; (b) what efforts are being taken to attract more applicants to join the profession; and (c) how has the shortage affected the operations of childcare centres.

Mdm Speaker, there are around 15,000 early childhood educators today. Besides teachers, they include centre supervisors and infant educarers. The number has increased by over 1,000 in the past two years.

At the national level, most operators have sufficient manpower to run their centres. However, with the rapid expansion of preschool capacity and the tight labour market, more employers have told Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) that they have found it more challenging to fill staff vacancies. Hence, over the next two to three years, ECDA projects the sector manpower to have to grow by another 1,500 in order to meet the needs for childcare.

ECDA has, therefore, implemented various initiatives to attract and retain early childhood educators. First, it has expanded intakes for pre-service training courses, such as those at our Polytechnics. It is also providing more support to students through training awards and enhanced internships.

Second, ECDA has many more opportunities, through professional conversion programmes for mid-career entrants to join the sector. Mid-career entrants can work, receive a salary and also attain their professional qualifications at the same time. The response on this front has been encouraging.

Third, ECDA is doing more to retain in-service educators through better skills and career development opportunities. Last year, for example, ECDA launched the Professional Development Programme to equip educators with competencies needed for larger job roles. More recently, ECDA launched the SkillsFuture Study Awards for the early childhood sector to support aspiring centre leaders.

While we have made some progress with these initiatives, the manpower situation for this sector will remain tight. ECDA will continue to work closely with employers in the sector to attract and retain early childhood educators.

Mdm Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister how did the projection of another 1,500 teachers come about, in terms of what is the projection of the number of children that we are going to serve.

The second thing I want to ask the Minister is: how many of the childcare centres or early childhood education centres are currently operating below capacity because of manpower shortage? Which means that, physically, they have the infrastructure, but because they do not have enough teachers, therefore, they cannot bring in the students.

Lastly, I do have many, many childcare centres in my area with a long waiting list. Unfortunately, due to the physical structure, they cannot take in anymore. I do have childcare centres whereby there are physical structures but there are not enough teachers at all. I am just wondering how will the Ministry help to solve this problem.

Mdm Speaker, with regard to the first question, the projection is in terms of looking at the number of students that are going to come online in the next couple of years. We also have a certain student-teacher ratio. That is the basis for the projection.

In terms of enrolment rate, so far, what we find from the childcare centres, the number of childcare places, when you aggregate them as a whole, the enrolment rate is not at maximum. We actually do have some spare capacity. But what you find is that there are localised shortages. There are particular areas where you do have very high demand and where we may not have enough places.

Overall, the numbers may look fine but that is scant consolation to parents because they are looking for places that are nearer their homes. This is where we are continuing to work with the various operators to make sure that the supply of teachers, educarers and so on are coming online. As for physical capacity, by and large, that is on track, but in some of the areas where there is high demand, we are also endeavouring to look at where we can set up, physically, new centres as well. This is something that we are working closely with the sector. By and large, I would say that, at the moment, the plans that we have in place, they do look encouraging but we need to constantly track that.

Madam, let me declare that I am the Executive Secretary of the Education Services' Union. My question relates to what the Minister commented about efforts to attract and retain people in the industry. I wonder if the Ministry would consider elevating the awards or the recognition to preschool teachers, similar to that of a Teachers' Day nationwide effort, so that members of the public, parents and everybody will recognise preschool educators as important in the education services and the delivery of the character development of our children.

Mdm Speaker, we would be happy to take on board suggestions of how we could improve the image as well as the standing of the educators in this area. We will take on board some of these suggestions and we will see how we can implement some of them.

I would like to build on what my hon parliamentary colleague Dr Lim Wee Kiak had said. For centres that are currently facing a shortage and possibly cannot even open, cannot even start operating, despite everything already being in place, what will the Ministry be doing, so that it can start operating and help parents who are in desperate need of childcare currently?

Mdm Speaker, I am fully aware of the Member's particular concern and we are working with her on a particular childcare centre in her area. We acknowledge that there are some areas where there are shortages simply because of demand in those particular areas. So, what we try to do is to work with the centres themselves to see whether we can accelerate the process of setting them up. In terms of recruitment and for the parents themselves, we will help them source for the next available centres that are as near as possible to their homes.

I thank the Minister for answering all the questions. I have a question pertaining to how we can address a potential shortage in this area, that is, from people with foreign qualifications in this childcare or child education sector. I have come across a couple of Singaporeans, for example, who have studied overseas, they have the relevant qualifications. I am wondering what paths are there for such Singaporeans, or even PRs with these qualifications. Does ECDA recognise them and, if not, are they obliged to go through an ECDA-certified process before they are allowed to work in the child education industry?

I fully acknowledge the suggestions put forth by the Member. While we recognise that we need to increase the number of teachers to meet demand, I think it is important for us to maintain standards. I also recognise that there will be those who are educated abroad, trained abroad. I think ECDA will be quite happy to review the various considerations in taking them on board. Should they meet the requirements, we would be happy to take them in.

I thank the Minister. He had mentioned the Professional Conversion Programmes. May I know what is the length of time needed to complete these Professional Conversion Programmes? Secondly, where the community actually requires a lower standard of care, say, a child minder instead of a pre-school teacher, would the Ministry consider having lower standards of qualifications, so that the community will at least have a choice of having their children still cared for in a centre?

Mdm Speaker, the Professional Conversion Programme is essentially for mid-career switches. Those who possess tertiary qualifications, they can enrol in the PCP for childcare teachers or kindergarten teachers. It is an accelerated programme delivered over 12 to 15 months and the range of different support that is available. The salary support is at about 90% of the basic monthly salary, capped at $4,000.

Like I have said, the response has been encouraging. We do encourage individuals who are looking at mid-career switches to consider this as a viable profession. With regard to lowering the requirements for educarers, we constantly monitor that. We are mindful that it is really about the kind of thresholds that we want to set for the different educators and educarers. If, indeed, by adjusting some of the requirements, we could expand the numbers that can come on board, that is something that we would want to consider.

It is always a balance. It is a balance between needing to meet the numbers but, at the same time, making sure that there is a list of basic level requirements to ensure certain standards are met. This is something that we are constantly reviewing, given the different dynamics at play.

13 Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) how many childcare operators have applied for the Partner Operator (POP) scheme; and (b) what is being done to get more childcare operators to join the Scheme.

Mdm Speaker, the Partner Operator (POP) scheme, along with the Anchor Operator scheme, improves the availability of good quality and affordable early childhood services for parents. Over 30 childcare operators applied for the POP scheme through an open and competitive process. Out of these applicants, 23 were appointed in October 2015. Together, they run 169 POP centres offering a total of 16,500 places.

The scheme is still relatively new. We will monitor its progress and evaluate its impact at a later stage, before considering whether to have a new round of applications. Besides the one-time fee reduction from January 2016, POP centres are also required to keep fees affordable and meet certain quality targets in the next few years.

14 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources what preventive measures are in place to ensure that essential services are not affected by flash floods.

To prevent and mitigate floods, PUB adopts a comprehensive "source-pathway-receptor" approach that covers Singapore's entire drainage system, addressing flood protection not just along the drains and canals through which stormwater travels, but also in areas generating stormwater runoff and areas where floods may occur.

To this end, PUB has an island-wide drainage improvement programme to enhance the capacities of our drains and canals. These pathway measures will ensure that our land and facilities for the essential services remain adequately protected against floods.

To further increase our flood resilience, since January 2014, all new developments and redevelopments of 0.2 ha or more are required to control the peak runoff entering the public drainage system. These source measures will improve the flexibility and adaptability of our drainage system to cope with higher intensity storms.

Finally, on receptor measures, PUB's Code of Practice on Surface Water Drainage specifies minimum platform level requirements for all developments. In particular, PUB sets higher platform and crest level requirements for critical installations, special facilities and developments with linkages to underground facilities, such as an underground MRT station. These measures will prevent flood waters from directly entering the facilities and causing disruption to essential services.

Beyond structural enhancements, PUB has instituted measures to help the public, including essential service providers, better prepare for flash floods. PUB has a network of about 200 water level sensors and 170 CCTVs installed to remotely monitor drain and flood conditions. This information is freely available on PUB's website, social media platforms and mobile apps. Since August 2011, PUB has also implemented a free SMS alert system to provide the public with early warnings of heavy rain and rising water levels in canals.

Our holistic approach to flood management has served us well. Despite increased urbanisation, flood-prone areas have been reduced from 3,200 ha in the 1970s to 32 ha today. However, with climate change, we can expect to experience more extreme and unpredictable weather; from more frequent and intense storms, to longer and more severe dry spells. There is a fine balance we need to maintain in the face of climate change. PUB will continue to put in place measures to minimise flood risk on one hand and strengthen the drought resilience of our water supply on the other.

I thank the Senior Minister of State for the answers. My question actually arose because I read that there were certain reported cases of flash floods occurring near hospitals. That is the background.

I have three supplementary questions. One, have there been any known cases so far where essential services have been disrupted due to flooding? Two, is there a protocol in place to inform emergency vehicles early on if their route has been affected by flooding? Three, are there any measures which can be taken to minimise the need to divert emergency vehicles, as diversion may lead to time delays, if they have to go to another hospital?

I thank the Member for his three supplementary questions. Firstly, let me say that flash floods are a result of rainwater overwhelming the drainage system. I have gone through the records of the recent flash floods in the last couple of years and most of the flash floods receded within 30 minutes. Obviously, that is not to say that we do not acknowledge the inconvenience and delay that might be caused. But generally, whilst there might be delays or some cars might be stranded, public transport had not been affected – that means, buses and all that. Even though there is a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for diversion, we have not had to do this for the incidents involved.

As to the question about known cases where emergency vehicles were delayed or diverted, I do not have information with regard to that. As I have said, I have checked and essential services had not been disrupted, including public transport.

Whether there is a protocol, PUB works very closely with LTA, SCDF and all the other agencies. In fact, once the Meteorological Services of Singapore (MSS) puts out an alert of a heavy storm, PUB's flood monitoring operations will kick in. As I have said, we have got water sensors as well as CCTVs. We also have access to LTA's CCTVs to monitor the situation and to give alerts in advance through social media websites, mobile apps, as well as on our PUB website. There is also a free SMS alert system. SCDF services would also utilise this to make sure that if there are any issues about flash floods in various areas, they will be aware of it.

Can the hon Member remind me what was the third question?

The third question is: what are the measures which can be taken to minimise the need to divert emergency vehicles, as diversion may lead to more time delays?

Yes, I think I have answered that. Actually, the flood monitoring operations kick in and there is an operations centre. In fact, the public can also use our PUB-One hotline to inform us of any flash flood incidents that they may be aware of and, in the spirit of the Minister of State Mr Sam Tan, let me publicise PUB-One's hotline, too. In fact, it is very easy. It is just "1800 Call PUB" or 1800 2255782.

I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State whether she is aware of any cases where access to hospitals has been disrupted by flash flooding and, if so, how long those cases took to recede. The purpose of asking that is just to assess the risk to accessibility to our hospitals in future, whether there is a risk of an extended blockage of access to hospitals due to flooding.

I think I have answered those questions. I said that based on the information I have − and I have actually made the effort to check through the records of flash floods that occurred over recent times − I do not have any information of access being blocked. It could be that there might be some ambulances which decided, because of the warnings that we had, to take a different route. But I do not have the information. As far as I am concerned, there was no blockage to access to hospitals. I do not have such information.

As I have said, we have advance warnings to the public and we also work very closely with SCDF, LTA and all the other agencies.

15 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources whether the Ministry will consider extending the smoking prohibition at any playground or exercise area to also include any area within a radius of 5 metres from the outer edge of the playground or exercise area.

(for the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources): My Ministry's long-term goal is to prohibit smoking in all public places to protect non-smokers from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke. Smoking is already prohibited in more than 32,000 premises, including shopping malls, hospitals, schools, bus-stops, covered walkways and common areas of residential premises or buildings. Playgrounds and exercise areas are also places where smoking is currently prohibited. To protect users of such facilities against second-hand smoke, the smoking prohibition is applicable to any sidewalk, chair, bench or amenity adjacent to the playground or exercise area.

My Ministry will take into account the Member's suggestion to include any area within a radius of five metres from the outer edge of the playground or exercise areas when extending the smoking prohibition in future.

I thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply, but I think a lot of residents have provided feedback that while we have extended the prohibition to cover also the sidewalks, chairs and benches, it really is a grey area because a lot of people are smoking on the grass patch which we are not sure whether that is legal or illegal. Which is why I hope that the review will consider making it just a five-metre radius from the outer perimeter of the exercise area or the playground. Considering as well that these are areas where people are exercising and our children are playing, we really should not have second-hand smoke.

As mentioned in my earlier reply, we will take into account the Member's suggestion to extend the smoking prohibited area to within a five-metre radius from the outer edge of the playground and exercise areas. There are jurisdictions in other countries that have implemented this. As I have noted earlier, the smoking prohibited areas have been extended to all sidewalks and these areas could already be well within the suggested five-metre radius.

At the end of the day, all stakeholders have to play their part and exercise civic-mindedness and social responsibility. I would like to urge all smokers not to smoke near the playgrounds and smoking prohibited areas. Should there be actual cases, perhaps a gentle and polite reminder asking the smoker to move away may well do the trick.

May I just check when this review is going to take place?

We are monitoring and also looking into an extension of some of these smoking areas. So, as soon as we have made the decision, we will make the announcements.

16 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Minister for Transport in view of the increasing number of elderly living in Toa Payoh East-Novena who are less mobile and have poorer eyesight whether the Ministry will consider prohibiting the use of electric bicycles on designated pedestrian walks and traffic light crossings in Toa Payoh East-Novena for the safety of the elderly and young children.

Mdm Speaker, electric bicycles can only be used on roads. Those caught riding on pedestrian footpaths will be fined. For everyone's safety, LTA had tightened the technical requirements for electric bicycles in December last year. Only electric bicycles which weigh less than 20 kilogrammes and the motor power cut off as they reach speeds of 25 kilometres per hour or, if the cyclist stops pedalling, are allowed on public roads. This is to minimise injuries in case of accidents. LTA has also stepped up enforcement and penalties against electric bicycles that do not comply with these requirements.

I thank the Senior Minister of State for the answer. My question actually arose because there has been an increasing number of incidents and also feedback from my residents in Toa Payoh East and I am sure in other constituencies in Singapore as well, especially those that have an increasingly ageing population. A number of my elderly residents have been hit by bicycles that have been moving much faster than the 25 km/h speed limit mentioned. What other further action plans have been taken to enhance the enforcement on these electric bicycles, especially on pedestrian pathways and traffic crossings in particular?

Mdm Speaker, I thank the Member for the supplementary question. A comprehensive review is currently being undertaken by Parliamentary Secretary Assoc Prof Dr Faishal Ibrahim and I understand that the current discussions are in the advanced stages. The review panel will be making its announcement known soon and it will address the different aspects that the Member has raised.

17 Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng asked the Minister for Transport (a) what are the criteria for installing elevators for (i) overhead pedestrian bridges and (ii) within train stations to street level; and (b) whether elevators at such locations can be installed for neighbourhoods which have a higher percentage of elderly residents.

All MRT and LRT stations are barrier-free. This means that, among other things, they will have to provide lifts from the platforms to street level.

As for providing elevators at overhead bridges, LTA is giving priority to those bridges that are near MRT stations, bus interchanges, healthcare institutions, welfare homes, homes for the aged and special needs schools. LTA will also prioritise those located in neighbourhoods with a higher percentage of elderly residents.

I would like to thank the Minister for confirming that elevators will also be approved for neighbourhoods that have a higher number of elderly residents. At Farrer Park MRT station, there is only one exit that has access from the basement to the street level. This has caused quite a bit of inconvenience for my residents who are wheel-chair bound.

For instances like these, could there also be a full study of barrier-free accessibility for these areas? Also, is it possible for the Minister to consider whether for neighbourhoods with a higher percentage of elderly, there could be a full package of support covering traffic lights, duration of traffic lights, distance of traffic lights from the residences and also the overhead bridge lifts as well? It would be good if there is a full package that could be studied and implemented for these neighbourhoods.

Madam, the short answer is yes. I group all these efforts under the first-mile-last-mile connectivity programme. This is one of my top priorities for the next couple of years because, if we want to push our car-lite strategy, our public transport must be top-class. Besides railways, their accessibility and reliability, a big part of this will be first-mile-last-mile connectivity. How do we bring a commuter from his or her home to where he or she wants to go? Barrier-free access for both young and old and, especially, the vulnerable, would be a key part.

As for the specific question on Farrer Park MRT station, I would have to check because I am not familiar with the station. Although I have been taking trains, I have not visited all the stations yet. Farrer Park, we will have to take a look.

Mdm Speaker, I want to thank the Minister for clarifying that priority will be given for areas where there are more elderly residents. I have spoken on this topic for the past three years in Parliament, asking for an elevator to be built in my ward. I have written to the Minister personally. May I ask the Minister would there be a timeline within which I could get a reply before the elderly grow even more elderly and may not make it?

Yes, Madam, I recall hearing the conversation between the Member and my predecessor about his needs in Mountbatten ward. I thought that Mr Lui Tuck Yew at that time had already responded to some of his requests. As to the specific recent requests, we have to take a look.

The issue is this: first-mile-last-mile connectivity is definitely my priority. At the same time, there are so many overhead bridges. I have to set priorities and the programme is also subject to availability of funds that I hope I can get from a sympathetic Minister for Finance. We will roll it out as quickly as we can because this is important, especially as our citizens become more elderly. This is a very important part of how to make sure that their quality of life and day-to-day moving around can be enhanced. The alternative is, the seniors get stuck and do not move around as much. This will have huge implications for my previous Ministry, MOH.

Mdm Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister, when he mentioned the higher percentage of elderly, would the criteria also be extended to private estates where there is a higher percentage of elderly as well?

We do not make any distinction between public or private estates; we are all Singaporeans. Public estates are more compact and, so, the number of people affected would be a lot bigger. Often, in some of the projects, the HDB estates get priority, not because we favour public versus private estates, but it is because their sheer needs are heavier.

18 Mr Png Eng Huat asked the Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) whether he can provide an update on (i) the enhanced tracking efforts for international students who are receiving tuition grants in our polytechnics and publicly-funded universities; (ii) the number of international students who have not served their grant obligation upon graduation to date and the amount of tuition grants given to them; and (iii) the number of these students who have not served their grant obligation for more than three years after graduation.

MOE takes a strong view of the tuition grant bond service commitment for international students. Over the past few years, we have put in place a number of measures to ensure bond fulfilment by tuition grant holders.

At the start of their freshman year, all international students on tuition grants are briefed on the terms and conditions of the Tuition Grant Scheme, as well as the consequences of defaulting on their service obligations. They are also reminded of their obligations in their final year, just prior to graduation.

MOE is also working with other Government agencies to track the bond service records of the graduates closely.

Our tracking efforts show that for a typical batch of Tuition Grant recipients, the large majority – more than eight in 10 graduates – have served or are serving their bonds or have secured approval from MOE for deferment while they pursue further studies.

However, there will inevitably be a minority for which our data cannot ascertain if they are fulfilling their service obligations. This minority group accounts for about $30 million of grants per year. This is around 2% of total grants to local students, or 1% of the budget spent on polytechnics and universities every year. It would not be accurate to say this entire minority is in default. Let me explain.

Let us take 2012, since the Member asked for the number of defaulters three years after graduation. As of January 2016, 84% are working or have applied for deferment. Of the remaining 16%, we tracked them and found that some are working in Singapore but we do not have their employment records. Some others are furthering their studies but did not go through the deferment procedures. These should not be viewed in the same light as individuals who knowingly and willingly decide not to fulfil their service obligations.

MOE has sharpened the deterrent measures against defaulters to send a strong signal to deter would-be defaulters. For example, where liquidated damages cannot be recovered, defaulters face serious adverse consequences if they subsequently apply to work or reside in Singapore.

This may be why the number of defaulters is falling and MOE will continue to monitor the effectiveness of these measures and improve them.

Mdm Speaker, I have three short supplementary questions for the Acting Minister with regard to those international students who have not served their grant obligations for more than three years after graduation.

First, are there any of such students who are classified as not contactable anymore? How many such students are there? The second question is, what is MOE going to do about these non-contactable students? I find it strange that they are not deemed in default of their grant obligation. The last question is, how many international students have been taken to task to date for not fulfilling their tuition grant obligations?

I thank the Member for the supplementary questions. There are students who are non-contactable. We try to reach out to them, there is no response, you cannot locate them. It is a dynamic situation. Over the years, the numbers that we can contact to ascertain their situation to see whether they are working, have been improving. Slowly, we are able to contact more and more. There will be some that are non-contactable. Just like some of our friends. We also cannot contact them; no response.

If some of them are really non-contactable, they will be considered in default. As for what then is the active action taken against them, as I have mentioned earlier, serious, adverse consequences, if they ever try to apply to enter or reside in Singapore. As you know, if you apply for work pass or Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP), the answer is a binary one – yes or no. The Member can infer what "adverse, serious consequences" means.

The Acting Minister still has not answered the last question. So, has there been any action taken against such international students for not fulfilling their grants?

Yes, of course, the answer is yes. We recover liquidated damages, failing which we will take serious, adverse actions against them.

19 Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked the Minister for Home Affairs how much training are Police officers given in recognising mental health presentations and what is their course of action if they encounter such cases in carrying out their duties.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) equips Police officers with the skills to handle their jobs effectively through various structured and customised training programmes.

All Police officers undergo a three-month Police Basic Officer Course when they first join the Force. During the course, officers are trained to handle different situations, including encounters with persons who show signs of mental illnesses.

After the basic three-month course, officers attend a customised course based on their vocation. Those deployed to patrol duties attend a three-month Neighbourhood Police Centre Ground Response Force (NPC GRF) course. During the course, they learn techniques in dealing with situations where there are disputes or violence, including taking control of the situation, preventing escalation of violence, rendering and requesting for medical assistance, investigating possible offences committed and providing the parties involved an avenue for conflict resolution. The training would involve officers having to deal with situations where they come across people with mental health conditions.

In addition to training, SPF works closely with agencies, such as the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), to manage persons who may have mental health conditions. When our frontline officers suspect that a person is suffering from mental health conditions but the person does not pose any danger to himself or others, they will liaise with AIC to follow up on the case.

In cases where our officers take the view that the person is of unsound mind and poses a danger either to himself or to someone else, Police officers may arrest him under the Mental Health Care and Treatment Act for referral to IMH for expert medical assessment.

20 Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked the Acting Minister for Education (Schools) whether there is training provided for school teachers, educators and school counsellors on recognition and initial handling of psychological and mental health-related presentations amongst students.

Mdm Speaker, yes, our teachers and school counsellors are equipped to help students in the psychological and mental health-related domains.

Acting Minister, do you wish to take the two questions together?

I will just take this one.

Are you taking Question Nos 20 and 21 together?

I am taking Question No 20 only.

Okay.

If I may continue, yes, our teachers and school counsellors are equipped to help students in the psychological and mental health-related domains.

Teachers are the first line of contact for all students. We have, therefore, equipped them with the competencies to carry out three specific roles.

First, teachers establish amongst classmates a culture of mutual care and support and teach students life skills to improve their emotional resilience.

Second, teachers recognise common distress signals and identify students who need help. These signals include poor attention, social withdrawal, mood changes, aggression or any behaviour that is uncharacteristic of a student.

Third, teachers engage with such students to understand their issues and provide care and support.

For complex cases requiring more extensive support, teachers will refer students to school counsellors. All school counsellors have professional qualifications in counselling. They provide interventions for psychological and mental health-related issues, such as anxiety, depression, relationship problems and suicidal behaviours. School counsellors will refer the more severe cases to medical professionals for treatment.

21 Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked the Acting Minister for Education (Schools) whether school counsellors are or should be required to conduct psychological assessments of suicide risks of students being investigated by the Police and whether school counsellors should be required to be present when students are being interviewed by the Police on school premises.

Mdm Speaker, our schools take the psychological and mental well-being of our students very seriously. The entire system of caring for our students, teaching them skills for emotional resilience, supporting and intervening when they have greater difficulties is developed in consultation with mental health experts, including Dr Daniel Fung, Chairman of the Medical Board of the Institute of Mental Health.

Our teachers teach students the life skills to improve their emotional resilience, as I had mentioned earlier, and they are the first line of support.

Currently, all our school counsellors are trained to carry out suicide risk assessments. The assessment is a comprehensive process that considers a range of acts. These include the student's personal circumstances, past and present challenges, medical status, coping ability and the level of support from family and friends. The assessment also involves direct questioning of the student's intentions and plans to take his or her own life, as well as checking for prior suicide attempts. So, it is very upfront and personal.

Currently, when the Police go to a school to require a student's assistance in investigations, the school leaders or staff will first check on the physical and emotional well-being of the student. We do not conduct a suicide risk assessment for every case as such screening may add distress or confusion to some students, especially for those who have not even contemplated suicide. Instead, our approach is to conduct suicide risk assessments for students who show signs of serious emotional distress or who have mental health concerns that are known to the school.

Given the dynamic psychological state of a child, suicide risk assessment is not fool-proof. Subsequent developments that occur after the assessment can also alter the risk profile of the student. It is, therefore, more important to ensure that there is consistent monitoring and support to ensure the safety and well-being of the child throughout and following the period of Police investigation.

Parents and schools have to work together. Our schools monitor the student's well-being before and during the Police interview at the school. They will continue to check on the student's well-being after the student returns home following further questioning at the Police station, as well as when the student subsequently returns to school. Likewise, during this critical period, parents will need to give greater attention to support their child and work with the school on any follow-up steps that are necessary.

MOE is already participating in the review of Police procedures involving juvenile offenders. Depending on the recommendations of the review, MOE is open to the possibility of school counsellors as "appropriate adults" to be present with the students.

Order. End of Question Time.

[Pursuant to Standing Order No 22(3) Written Answers to Question Nos 23, 25, 29-39, 42 and 44-45 on the Order Paper are reproduced in the Appendix. Question Nos 22, 24, 26-28, 40-41 and 43 have been postponed to the sitting of Parliament on 24 March 2016.]

[(proc text) Order for Second Reading read. (proc text)]

Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The Economic Expansion Incentives (Relief from Income Tax) (Amendment) Bill 2016 puts into legal effect the income tax changes introduced in Budget 2015 as well as other amendments arising from the regular review of our tax incentive regime.

Let me draw Members' attention to the two key legislative changes contained in this Bill.

First, is to apply the maximum tax relief period for each Pioneer Certificate (PC) on the incentivised activities. The Pioneer Incentive is designed to attract and anchor new economic activities, that is, pioneer activities with significant economic benefits to Singapore and to encourage companies to acquire new technologies. The objective of the incentive is to drive the growth of high value-added or high-technology industries in Singapore.

A company can be awarded multiple PCs when it anchors different qualifying economic activities in Singapore over time. However, the Economic Expansion Incentives (Relief from Income Tax) Act (EEIA) currently only allows for each company to enjoy a maximum tax relief period of 15 years, regardless of the number of PCs awarded to the company.

To encourage all companies, including existing ones, to continue to anchor more pioneering activities in Singapore, the EEIA will be amended to make clear that the maximum tax relief period is to be applied on the incentivised pioneer activity, instead of the company as a whole.

Clauses 3, 4 and 13 amend sections 5, 6 and 17 respectively to give legislative effect to this.

The second major change is to apply the maximum tax relief period for each certificate issued for Development and Expansion Incentive (DEI) on the incentivised activities. DEI was introduced to encourage companies to expand by investing in technology as well as major upgrading of equipment and operations. Under the EEIA, the tax relief period under DEI is generally capped at 20 years and currently applied on the company, instead of the incentivised qualifying activities. As DEI similarly aims to encourage all companies engaged in high value-added manufacturing or services activities, including existing ones, to continue to expand in Singapore, the EEIA will also be amended to make clear that the maximum tax relief period will apply on the qualifying activities for DEI.

Therefore, clauses 17 and 18 amend sections 19J and 19K respectively to give legislative effect to this.

The remaining legislative changes arising from our periodic review of the income tax system are technical in nature or relate to improvements in tax administration.

Mdm Speaker, the proposed changes to the EEIA seek to encourage economic activities in Singapore. These changes also reflect the Government's commitment to monitor the effectiveness of our tax incentive regime and to keep it competitive and relevant as economic conditions change. Mdm Speaker, I beg to move.

[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]

Mdm Speaker, I stand in support of this Bill and I applaud the Government's support for pioneer industries and pioneer service companies and provide them with tax benefits.

However, I would like to seek some brief clarifications and also make some suggestions.

Firstly, on the selection criteria for pioneer service companies and industries. There are amendments to section 17 of the Act but not to section 17(2) specifically, which states "The Minister may, if he considers it expedient in the public interest to do so, approve the application and issue the company with a certificate subject to such terms and conditions as he thinks fit".

Can the Minister provide more clarity on the criteria for the approval of the application and consider adding such information into section 17(2)?

Can the Minister also consider this for section 4(1) which states "The Minister may, if he considers it expedient in the public interest to do so, approve an industry, which is not being carried on in Singapore on such a scale adequate to the economic needs of Singapore and for which in his opinion there are favourable prospects for development, to be a pioneer industry and any specific product of that industry to be a pioneer product."

EDB does have some of this information on its website and factors of consideration as well, but I hope we can provide more clarity in the legislation itself. We need a clear and unambiguous framework to select and admit companies which will benefit from the pioneer status.

I ask this so that companies can also better understand the considerations taken and, hence, can plan accordingly and make better plans to become pioneer industries or pioneer service companies.

With regard to the proposed amendments to section 19J(d) where the Minister decides whether the concessionary tax rate for income from a qualifying activity is either 5% or 10%, can the Minister provide more details on the criteria for receiving either 5% or 10%? This greater clarity will again allow companies to make better plans which will, ultimately, benefit Singapore.

The main aim of providing all these clarifications is so that companies have a higher chance of a successful application, resulting in fewer resources wasted through failed and repeated applications.

My second concern is how we can help more SMEs and startups benefit from these tax reliefs. Can the Minister provide details on the total number of approved pioneer industries and pioneer service companies in the past decade and, of those, how many are SMEs and startups?

SPRING Singapore is already helping the start-ups with the ACE Start-ups Grant and all companies, especially the SMEs, with the Productivity and Innovation Credit Scheme. Will EDB be doing more to help them also become pioneer industries and pioneer service companies? It does seem like a huge hurdle to overcome to become a pioneer industry and I hope we are not setting a hurdle too high for SMEs which, with a bit of help, have the potential to be global game changers and make Singapore proud.

Lastly, many companies are aware of the PIC scheme but far fewer are aware of the Economic Expansion Incentives Act. I hope we can roll out more initiatives to increase awareness and encourage more applications.

This will be in line with our overall goal of building up innovation, inspiring more creativity and driving more research and development in Singapore.

In conclusion, the Economic Expansion Incentives Act has provided important tax relief for companies in Singapore and help increase the growth of pioneer industries. I believe that with more clarity on the criteria for the approval of applications, more awareness and, with the amendments proposed in this Bill, our efforts will be further strengthened. Mdm Speaker, my request for the Government to review the above notwithstanding, I support the Bill.

Minister Lim.

Mdm Speaker, I thank Mr Louis Ng for supporting the Bill. Mr Ng has suggested that we provide more clarity on the qualifying criteria for the Pioneer Certificate (PC) as well as the Development and Expansion Incentive (DEI) so as to raise companies' awareness of the incentive under the Act.

Madam, we share the same intention of ensuring clarity, transparency and a level playing field. But at the same time, we also have to be flexible and responsive to the complexities and special needs of the different economic sectors as we have to deal with a very complex economic environment.

Let me start by first clarifying that the core objective of the PC and DEI is to encourage companies to undertake substantive economic activities in Singapore, thereby creating good jobs for Singaporeans and create spin-offs to our economy. The objective really is to encourage "queen bees" to set up operations here and thereby help build a cluster around them. Applications are, therefore, assessed based on the scale and the qualitative aspect of their economic contributions to Singapore. The exact level of support is thereafter calibrated to commensurate with the level of economic contributions from the company.

As Mr Ng noted, the PC and DEI are listed on EDB's website, along with the broad factors of consideration for each scheme. And within these perimeters, the Government assesses the merits of each application based on the range of criteria, including, very relevant, the fixed asset investment, total business expenditure, skilled jobs created, capabilities and technologies developed, as well as spin-offs to the rest of the economy from each proposal. The actual incentive awarded to the company will depend on the combination of these factors. And over time, in fact, they have also raised the bar and the requirements for the various criteria to ensure that only deserving companies receive the incentives. EDB keeps companies informed of the PC and DEI schemes through regular engagements and companies interested to apply for these schemes are, of course, welcome to approach the EDB for further details.

Mr Ng also asked how SMEs and startups can benefit from these schemes, especially those with the potential to become globally competitive. In addition, he has also requested for details on the total number of PCs awarded and of those awarded, how many are awarded to SMEs and start-ups.

Madam, we had awarded the PCs to a total of 239 companies over the past 10 years and, more recently, 71 companies had been awarded PCs between 2011 and 2015. And of these 71 companies, two were SMEs, of which one was a local SME. As Members can well understand, PC requires companies to commit to economic contributions of substantive scale and, therefore, it is quite natural that the bigger companies will tend to qualify.

Although the PC and DEI may not be the suitable platforms to develop our SMEs and start-ups, I would like to assure Members and Mr Ng that the Government agencies have a range of programmes in place to support the different needs of companies along their various stages of growth. For example, SPRING Singapore partners incubators to support innovative startups to scale up. SPRING also supports SMEs to innovate and raise productivity through schemes, such as the Capability Development Grant. IE Singapore helps our companies on their internationalisation efforts and EBD works closely with our local enterprises to develop our economic and various industry clusters, including partnering SMEs on capability transfer and supplier development through initiatives, such as Partnerships for Capability Transformation (PACT).

I would like to thank Mr Ng again for his comments and suggestions. The Government will continue to review our incentives on a regular basis to ensure that they remain relevant and meet the needs of the different types of companies that we have.

[(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)]

[(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)]

[(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Mr Lim Hng Kiang]. (proc text)]

[(proc text) Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]

[(proc text) Order for Second Reading read. (proc text)]

Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The adverse health effects caused by smoking tobacco are well-known. Smoking is the primary cause of lung cancer and is also a risk factor for other types of cancer, such as cancers of the mouth, upper throat, oesophagus, bowel and bladder. Smoking is also a risk factor for many major chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, chronic lung diseases, heart disease and stroke.

Tobacco itself contains more than 60 chemicals, including nicotine. Nicotine is the substance that causes addiction. Once addiction sets in, many smokers find it difficult to quit even though they might want to.

Worldwide, tobacco is the cause of approximately six million deaths annually. More than five million of those deaths are a result of direct tobacco use, while more than 600,000 are the result of exposure to second-hand smoke. Many deaths due to tobacco use are preventable. Smoking is the second highest risk factor that contributes to the burden of disease in Singapore. About six Singaporeans die prematurely from smoking-related diseases each day.

In Singapore, we have brought down smoking rates over the years, from 18.3% in 1992, to an all-time low of 12.6% in 2004. We did this by being aggressive in our tobacco control measures. We introduced progressively stricter restrictions on smoking advertisements, banned the use and possession of tobacco by minors under 18, introduced mandatory graphic health warnings and banned misleading descriptors, such as "mild" or "light".

Nonetheless, our smoking prevalence has, in recent years, crept up somewhat, to reach 13.3% in 2013. We have tightened up our tobacco control measures in the past two years. In November 2014, we introduced the ban on shisha or water pipe tobacco.

In December last year, we banned emerging tobacco products not currently in the Singapore market, such as smokeless cigarettes. On 1 August this year, the ban will be extended to products available here, such as snuff and gutkha.

The Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) (Amendment) Bill seeks to amend the current Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act to introduce the point-of-sale display ban.

In addition, MOH will be using the opportunity to further streamline our tobacco control measures and address new regulatory challenges posed by the tobacco industry.

Mdm Speaker, please allow me to highlight the major provisions being introduced in the Bill. First, let me elaborate on the point-of-sale display ban.

The ban on point-of-sale display of tobacco products is a continuation of our tobacco control efforts. Firstly, we want to reduce exposure of non-smokers, especially youths, to the advertising effect of point-of-sale tobacco product displays. The aim is to, ultimately, de-normalise tobacco use.

Secondly, we want to decrease impulse purchases of tobacco products, thereby helping smokers who are trying to quit. Other countries, such as Australia, Canada, Iceland, New Zealand, Thailand and the UK, have successfully introduced a point-of-sale display ban.

The new section 12A in clause 14 of the Bill will introduce the prohibition on the display of tobacco products. This will apply to all tobacco products, including cigars, beedies, "ang hoon" and others, in addition to cigarettes.

General tobacco retailers will be required to use storage devices to keep tobacco products out of the direct line of sight of customers and the public within their premises. They may choose different methods to comply with the ban, so long as the storage unit is self-closing. Options include using gravity flaps, vertical blinds, curtains or automated sliding/closing doors. As per current requirements, the storage unit has to be plain and without design, sound or lighting decorations, as these could draw attention to the storage units and be used as a form of advertising.

Specialist tobacconists serve a niche market, as they sell primarily cigars. Unlike customers of general retailers, who may be shopping for other products, most customers who step into a specialist tobacconist shop have already made up their mind to buy tobacco products. Hence, for such shops, we will focus on limiting the advertising impact from outside the shops. Regulations will be crafted to allow specialist tobacconists to display their products within their premises, so long as the products are not visible from outside the premises.

Following feedback and appeals, general tobacco retailers will be allowed to use a text-only price list to facilitate communications with customers. Display of the price list is allowed only upon customers' request and its appearance will be prescribed by MOH. This is provided for in the new section 3(1A) in clause 4 of the Bill.

We have engaged tobacco retailers extensively since 2014 and briefed them on the requirements. Tobacco retailers will be given a one-year grace period before the point-of-sale display ban takes effect.

Globally, there has been a marked increase in the popularity of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), also known as e-cigarettes, especially among young people. ENDS vapour contains cancer-causing agents. Studies show that high school students who use ENDS are more likely to move on to smoke cigarettes. To protect public health, Singapore has pre-emptively banned the import, distribution and sale of ENDS.

ENDS are banned under the existing Act as imitation tobacco products that are designed to resemble existing tobacco products. Earlier models of ENDS looked like traditional cigarettes, to appeal to smokers or would-be smokers. However, newer varieties of ENDS do not necessarily look like cigarettes. They are sleek, colourful and deliberately attention-grabbing. They target not just current smokers, but also seek to expand market demand, especially among youth and women. Please let me show you. This is ENDS 1.0, an earlier version. And these are the newer ENDS products.

Clause 18 of the Bill repeals and re-enacts section 16 of the Act to make it clear that the existing ban on the importation, distribution and sale of imitation tobacco products also includes products that may be used in such a way as to mimic the act of smoking, even though they may not necessarily physically resemble cigarettes or other tobacco products. The ban will also extend to the components of such products, to prevent such products from being imported in parts and re-assembled thereafter.

With the increasing popularity of ENDS, there is a need to control the advertising of such products. Clause 4 extends the existing prohibition on advertisements for tobacco products to imitation tobacco products and corresponding amendments will be made to sections 6, 7 and 8 of the Act.

With expansion of online access, there is increasing use of the Internet for tobacco advertising and commerce. As part of the global public health community, Singapore should ensure that our existing prohibitions on tobacco advertising and promotion are comprehensive and cover online advertising and promotion originating from Singapore. This is in compliance with the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, to which Singapore is a signatory.

Clause 4 of the Bill amends section 3 of the Act such that our ban on tobacco product advertisements extends to advertisements that are published electronically in Singapore. These include advertisements originating from Singapore, even if targeted at a foreign audience, as well as advertisements originating from outside Singapore that are accessible by persons physically in Singapore and published by a Singapore-connected person. A "Singapore-connected person" is defined in clause 2 of the Bill. The amended section 3 also prohibits Internet advertisements that provide a facility to the person accessing these advertisements to buy tobacco products or imitation tobacco products.

Clause 9 amends section 9 to prohibit tobacco product sales promotions that originate from Singapore, even if targeted at persons outside Singapore.

Sales promotional schemes have evolved over the years. The new section 9A in clause 10 of the Bill makes it explicit that customer loyalty programmes involving tobacco products, such as the redemption of reward points for tobacco products, and other promotional schemes are disallowed.

Besides the changes outlined above, we also took the opportunity to make a number of additional amendments to the Act to be in line with the latest legal policy developments, improve clarity, and enhance its implementation. Some of these are as follows:

Clause 12 amends the wording of section 11 to improve clarity. Authorised officers may seize the tobacco products if an offence is committed under section 11(1).

Clause 15 allows the Health Sciences Authority to specify the visual characteristics of the "No sale to minors" sign used.

Clause 16 repeals the current section 14. The existing ban on sale of tobacco products via vending machines will now be covered under the amended section 18.

Clause 20 repeals and re-enacts section 18 to clarify the licensing requirements for the wholesale or retail of tobacco products in Singapore. It will limit the sale of tobacco products to a single point of sale specified in the tobacco retail licence, to limit access to tobacco products. For example, a supermarket may only have one point of sale for tobacco products, which is already the current practice.

The Minister will be empowered to make regulations to give effect to these licensing requirements, as provided for in clause 31. For example, the Minister will be able to make regulations to specify the fees to be paid by tobacco wholesalers and retailers and the length of time for which the licences are granted.

Clause 24 provides that Police officers and authorised officers are empowered to ask a suspect to produce identification, search his bags and require him to reveal the contents of his pockets. This is necessary to prevent suspects from concealing evidence in their bags or pockets from enforcement officers. As a safeguard, enforcement officers have been trained to follow standard operating procedures strictly and regularly undergo refresher training. No physical search of the body is involved.

Clause 25 enhances the powers of investigations, by allowing the Chief Executive, HSA, and authorised officers to require relevant information to be furnished in writing, for the purposes of investigation.

Clause 26 amends section 26 to empower the Chief Executive and authorised officers to inspect and seize electronic documents and materials, computers or other relevant equipment in which evidence may be stored and to request that access codes or passwords be provided.

The clause also extends existing search powers of premises to include conveyances. It will be an offence to wilfully fail to comply with a requirement made under the amended section 26.

Clauses 28 and 29 extend the scope of powers of forfeiture to include any imitation tobacco product, document, material or article and empower the Chief Executive to give directions on the disposal of forfeited items seized under the Act. I would like to clarify that the powers of forfeiture are not new to the Act. The amendments here take into account the other changes in this Bill, as well as the changing enforcement landscape, and are scoped to allow HSA to continue exercising its functions under the Act effectively. Similar powers of seizure are provided for in the Health Products Act and the Sale of Food Act.

Mdm Speaker, smoking is the primary cause of premature death in Singapore. Though we are fortunate that smoking prevalence in Singapore has remained relatively low compared to many other countries, we must not be complacent. We also know the industry aggressively markets their products to youth, so as to hook them from an early age.

As such, we must continue and, in fact, step up our efforts to protect the public from the advertising effects of tobacco and introduce new measures to enable us to keep pace with the rapid changes in the industry. I seek Members' support for this Bill. Mdm Speaker, I beg to move.

[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]

Mdm Speaker, the enhancements to the Bill are evident indicators of the Government's unrelenting determination to create a smoke-free living environment in Singapore. In Singapore, tobacco kills about 2,500 smokers and 250 non-smokers each year, said the Health Promotion Board (HPB) statistics in May 2015 and that is seven and a half people killed each day. From a social viewpoint, tobacco use impinges on other peoples' lives. From an economic standpoint, the health problems created impose a financial burden on all taxpayers – you, me and everybody. This does not include the emotional and mental suffering of the victims and families who lose their loved ones due to smoking.

We have, as part of our anti-smoking campaign, required cigarette packs to carry graphic images and warnings since 2004. This was recommended as part of WHO's Tobacco Free Initiative. Such graphic warnings were found to be generally effective in creating awareness and motivating people to quit smoking, according to a study by the Harvard School of Public Health. Yet, a survey done in 2013 showed that many smokers in Singapore were undeterred by the graphic warnings. A similar sentiment was echoed by a British study held in the same year. Differing demographics worldwide can lead to inconsistencies. Therefore, we need to review policies regularly and explore new solutions.

Many tobacco companies and retailers rely on point-of-sale displays to compensate for the inability to advertise tobacco sales in many countries. Tobacco companies are great marketers. In some local convenience stores, cigarette packages dominate the most eye-catching display wall. The display takes a premium spot, for example, next to the cashier's counter. In several countries, the UK, Canada, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand among others, such displays are banned.

The Centre for Tobacco Control Research at the University of Stirling said 46% of UK teenagers were aware of the displays and those who intended to smoke were more likely to recall brands they had seen at the point of sale. Research by the Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer in Australia and Stanford University in the US confirmed this. A study of 25,000 young people in New Zealand found that children exposed to displays were almost three times more likely to smoke.

Research in Australia and the US shed light on the rationale: point-of-sale-display advertising of cigarettes normalises tobacco use for children and creates a perception that tobacco is easily obtainable.

To further drive home the point, RAND Corporation did a one-of-a-kind laboratory replica of a convenience store to examine whether limiting displays of tobacco products in retail outlets could reduce the intention of young people to begin smoking. The results, published in November last year, showed that there was an 11% reduction in smoking intention when the display of tobacco products was hidden, compared to when it was visible behind the cashier.

Point-of-sale display is a common sales promotion tactic. I believe many of us can recount a time when we bought something on impulse at the cashier, simply because seeing it stimulated a desire for it. There is already a blanket ban on advertising and promotion of tobacco products in Singapore. It only makes sense to extend the ban to point-of-sale displays. In conjunction with the proposed increase in the minimum age to purchase cigarettes in the near future, this measure is expected to reduce temptation and impulsive cigarette buys. I pledge my full support for the ban on tobacco displays.

By the same logic, it seems ideal to prohibit Internet advertising, especially as our youths spend more and more time on the Internet. Online shopping is fast growing and last year, a news report indicated that people were hawking banned e-smoking devices online.

But I have to caution against the possible limitations of this. Firstly, forcefully limiting exposure could be a double-edged sword. When there is too little of something, it becomes a novelty, a taboo, an object of curiosity. Consider drugs and marijuana, they are never openly sold, yet people fall prey to it. Just recently, "Ah Boys to Men" actor Noah Yap was sentenced to nine months detention for taking cannabis.

Second, the World Wide Web is too extensive to police. There are numerous online groups advocating smoking.

Just do a search and you will find a number of smoking and drug-use advocacy pages on Facebook with thousands of followers. There are even web articles dedicated to paparazzi shots of celebrities smoking, glamorising smoking in a perfectly legal way.

Ultimately, there is a limit to the effect of banning point-of-sale displays and Internet advertising. I recall a news report that interviewed a smoker who had been smoking since he was 15. He said, "I do not need to see the pack to crave a cigarette. What matters most is the smell." When adults smoke, children and teens see them. They walk by and they whiff the smoke. They probably even associate smoking with adulthood. Thus, we must invest more resources in continued public awareness and outreach efforts, both for youths and adults.

Smoke-free zones in public spaces can also reduce the visual and nasal temptation of cigarettes. In Nee Soon South, we have piloted designated smoking points at one zone. There are smokers who use them though there are still some smokers who smoke outside them, but I believe that, through social conditioning, we can eventually be like Japan, where most smokers voluntarily smoke at designated spaces. Following residents' requests, we are now expanding them to the whole Nee Soon South. Certainly, I hope to see a wider adoption of Designated Smoking Points to minimise exposure of non-smokers to second-hand smoke that causes cancer, heart disease, lung disease and childhood illnesses, including cot death and asthma.

We must also create an environment that is more supportive and encouraging for potential quitters. When we piloted the Designated Smoking Points in my constituency, we also had Blue Ribbon Ambassadors. These ambassadors would not only encourage smokers to smoke in the designated smoking points, but also advise them on how to quit smoking. I hope that we can eventually pool together more resources to turn it into a nation-wide effort. We are striving to be a more compassionate society and, in our good intentions to combat the harmful effects of smoking, we must not make smokers feel alienated and criminalised.

I posted on my Facebook page about me speaking on this tobacco Bill and one of my residents messaged me, she told me that she started smoking at age 15. And she says that you can increase the price of cigarettes, you can put it in different packaging, you can show all the eerie, ugly pictures of the smokers; it will not deter them from smoking.

Because she says that, "Since my lungs are already so black, it does not matter". And she says that one day she saw a flyer from HPB to show them that if you were to stop smoking for a certain number of days – she told me 17 days but when I go and check the website, it has various pages – she says that if she stops smoking for 17 days, her lungs will be free of most toxins.

That gave her the hope and the desire and the motivation to quit smoking. So, she started to quit smoking but she said she failed many times. Eventually, she managed to quit at the age of 27. And now I ask her how old she is now, she said she is 32, happily married with a daughter.

So, I would like to ask for more such encouragement for those smokers. Of course, we need to have more educational talks in schools to deter people from even starting to smoke and perhaps show them how to do so, how to have stress management because many of them say that they picked up smoking because of the stress in school. Perhaps, introduce to them meditation, introduce them to sports and, for those already smoking, there is another set of education – to give them hope and chance to reverse their lungs.

Having said much on the hazards of tobacco smoking, I would like to briefly wrap up by asking for help to small retailers who sell cigarettes. For them, cigarette sale is good revenue.

It would be impractical to expect these small business owners to change their focus to something else in a short period of time. This is especially so since their other major source of revenue, alcohol sales, has been restricted already. How can we help them adapt? What substitute can they sell in place of cigarettes to generate income? As part of our commitment to help small businesses, I hope the Ministry will be able to look into the situations of these small shops. Mdm Speaker, in Mandarin, please.

(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Singapore has been actively bringing down the smoking rate. Prohibiting shops from displaying tobacco products and banning online tobacco advertisements will minimise the temptation to the young and, hopefully, can reduce the smoking rate effectively. However, the effect of these measures can still be limited as young people can easily see or smell adult smoking on the street. This may even give them the impression that smoking is a sign of adulthood, enticing them to try smoking. Hence, I suggest that we should build more Designated Smoking Points that are far away from schools and crowded areas so as to reduce the temptation to youngsters. At the same time, we must pay more attention to encouraging and helping smokers to quit smoking.

On the other hand, many small retailers are already affected by the restrictions on selling alcohol; now, with tobacco sales also falling, they may face financial difficulties. I hope the authorities can look into how to help these small shops transform. I support this amendment Bill.

Mdm Speaker, I stand in support of the Bill. May I first declare that I am a doctor and a medical oncologist. I look after patients with cancer, including smoking-related cancer. I have sat by the bedside of patients suffering from advanced lung cancer. I have seen what happens when a life is cut short and dies because of smoking.

Mdm Speaker, tobacco is a public health scourge. And it has been known in the scientific community even before Singapore's Independence. One of the first studies was actually done in the UK by British doctor, Sir Richard Doll, published in 1950. Around the world, there has been plenty of research on this. The Harvard Medical School recently has also found that there is no safe minimum level of tobacco use. Even men who smoke occasionally have an overall death rate 1.6 times higher than non-smokers.

We know that, today, among all cancers in Singapore, lung cancer is the number two killer among male cancer patients and lung cancer is the number three killer among female cancer patients. Between 2010 and 2014, there was an average of nearly 1,400 people in Singapore diagnosed with lung cancer each year. We know that smoking-related diseases are among the top killers in Singapore. Six to seven Singaporeans die prematurely from smoking-related diseases each day.

Mdm Speaker, imagine if somebody tried to import a new lifestyle product that caused lung cancer in Singaporeans; contributed to heart disease, lung disease and stroke in Singaporeans; led to the death of six to seven Singaporeans a day prematurely; had no safe minimum level of use; and, worse still, was addictive. Would you want such a substance on sale in Singapore? Or would you want to keep Singaporeans and our children safe from it?

Second-hand smoking is harmful as well. It hurts those around the smoker: co-workers, family members and, especially, young children – who are put at higher risk of asthma, lung infections and, in some cases, the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Smoking can also make the living environment quite unpleasant for neighbours. A number of my Clementi residents have shared these concerns with me.

So, why is tobacco still around in Singapore, despite these harms? Some of it is due to history. Tobacco has been around for a long time in the world and in Singapore. An addictive chemical, once entrenched, is very hard to roll back – no matter the harmful consequences, the poisonous effects of the substance on the consumer, their family and society. This has deep lessons for our efforts in other Ministries, especially regarding drug control, but, today, I will focus on tobacco.

So, how might one roll back the presence of tobacco in Singapore? Of those who have already started smoking, they find it very, very difficult to quit. And I have sympathy for how difficult it can be for a smoker to quit. I remember a patient who could not stop smoking even though he had been diagnosed with lung cancer, even though he had young children at home breathing his second-hand smoke. He could not bring himself to stop because he was addicted.

So, while it is important to help existing smokers to quit, the greatest battle is upstream: for the hearts and minds and help of our children and youth. We must make sure they never start smoking in the first place.

And this is the key, Mdm Speaker, to long-term control of tobacco in Singapore. This is the idea behind campaigns, such as those for a Tobacco-Free Generation: the idea that anyone born after a certain date should not be allowed to buy cigarettes or tobacco. And I call upon MOH to go even further and consider such a proposal. Because a Tobacco-Free Generation policy does not disadvantage existing smokers. Some of them are still battling their addiction. They would still be able to purchase cigarettes, subject to the prevailing laws and regulations, even as they try to quit. But, over time, there would be fewer smokers and less harm caused by second-hand smoke.

The original Tobacco-Free Generation campaigns focused on the Year 2000. The children of the year 2000 will be 16 years old this year. In two more years, they will be 18 years old. Old enough to start thinking about buying cigarettes. Some may even have started smoking because of peer pressure and illegal cigarettes. It is not too late to raise the minimum legal age further. I understand there are consultations on-going. But even better still, Mdm Speaker, if we implement a Tobacco-Free Generation policy, either way, this will help us build towards a Tobacco-Free, smoke-free, SG100 and a healthier future for our children and grandchildren. I support the Bill.

Madam, cancers of the oropharynx, larynx, esophagus, trachea, bronchus, lungs, stomach, liver, pancreas, kidneys, ureter, cervix, bladder, colon and rectum and the myeloid leukemias; chronic diseases like stroke, hypertension, blindness, aortic aneurysm, pneumonia, peripheral vascular diseases, asthma, chronic obstructive lung diseases, diabetes, hip fractures, erectile dysfunction, immune deficiencies and disturbances during pregnancy and congenital problems. That is not the whole list. All these and more have been linked to smoking and exposure to tobacco smoke. That is, practically, the whole body's organs and systems!

Smoking causes more deaths annually than HIV/AIDs; plus illegal drug use; plus alcohol use; plus motor vehicle accidents; plus firearms-related injuries, all put together. Tobacco is the single greatest cause of preventable death globally. Thus, the reason why this Bill is critical for us and for Singapore.

When we pass this Bill, we will join 16 other overseas jurisdictions in banning point-of-sale display, which include Iceland, Russia, Kosovo, Canada and the like. It will also help us push the envelope further after being the first ASEAN country to ban tobacco advertisements in 1971 – that is, very early on. Also, the first ASEAN country to introduce graphic pictures to warn of the dangers of smoking on cigarette packs in 2003; and also being a party to the WHO Framework Convention in Tobacco Control.

Mdm Speaker, I obviously support the Bill. I also want to share on the proposal and concept of tobacco-free generations. This is a worldwide movement and it is also quite active in Singapore. I have been a part of this movement, as with several other Members and we have many students, youths and members of the public who have come forward as ambassadors to the messaging and movement. This relates to the banning of the provision of tobacco to any citizen born after a specific year and the year 2000 has been chosen and proposed as it is easy to remember. There are some jurisdictions that have taken this up more formally, even for debate at their parliamentary levels and in different legislatures.

Also, I have the following clarifications to make: first, are there any tobacconist or such similar facilities or stores that we have in Singapore? If we do, as they are specific niche theme facilities, how will we be managing and regulating them? Will the same guidelines apply to them? Two, for duty free outlets, how will the change be implemented? It is mentioned that they will be regulated later, thus what kind of timeline are we looking at? Third, retailers have been given a 12-month grace period with the passing of this Bill, for compliance. I feel that this may be a little too long, considering the magnitude and the multiplier effect of smoking and tobacco, even one extra day is a day too long. Are there any chances that we could shorten this grace period? Fourth, on the text-only price listing, can the Minister elaborate what exactly can it contain? Fifth, can the Minister also share with us or summarise the application of the Bill in cyber space because it is not uncommon that for every web page that we visit at the peripheral, there are always advertisements related to smoking, and so on. Mdm Speaker, in Malay.

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I fully support this Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) (Amendment) Bill. Each year, our Malay community occupies the top position in the national statistics on smoking. From 1992 to 2013, the proportion of smokers in our community went down by only 5%, from 30.8% to 25.3%. We must, as a community, try our very best to reduce this figure further, because this is associated with our health and the lives of our future generations.

Our Malay community also has poor health statistics, and smoking is linked to many chronic diseases that affect us. To our young people, please do not associate smoking with the coming of age or the rites of passage, or as a symbol of adulthood. Hence, we must put together a better and stronger effort to improve and reduce these figures significantly. Everyone, every citizen, every family member plays a very critical role.

I would like to send a message to the smokers out there, that is, we are ready to help. There are also voluntary bodies that conduct many programmes to kick the smoking habit. The upcoming Ramadan month this year can be used as the starting point for you to stop smoking completely. As the saying goes: "Where there is a will, there is a way."

So, let us work together with everyone to ensure better health for all.

(In English): Madam, this Bill is about society's stand against cigarette smoking. We need to protect our future generations. There is a strong trend noted worldwide, for those who start smoking as teenagers, they do go on to become adult and long-term tobacco users. We in this House can take the step to break the vicious cycle and we must do it and do it now.

Mdm Speaker, this Bill intends to introduce more controls and measures to reduce smoking rates in Singapore. As a former smoker, I fully support the controls and measures that will be put in place.

On 12 October 2013, I took my last puff after smoking for 17 years. I have not smoked since and I do not intend to. I tried without success to reduce my smoking for many years but I ultimately decided that "cold turkey" was the best way to quit. I did play cheat a little as I quit smoking when I was at a conference in Disneyland. It was a place I knew did not sell cigarettes. I was there for a week and, as such, it made it harder for me to get a cigarette in case I gave in to my cravings, which were quite severe during the first week of quitting.

It was hard to quit, the nicotine withdrawal symptoms were terrible and I was a grouchy smurf for quite a while. But it was worth it and I feel healthier now, my family members benefit and are healthier as well, and I save loads of money.

If there was one thing I remembered about the quitting process, it was that I did my very best to avoid places selling cigarettes, which was actually very difficult or impossible at times as I had to avoid 7-Elevens, coffee shops and the list goes on. Every time I saw a cigarette packet, it was tempting and my cravings shot up.

As such, I find the new section 12A, which prohibits the display of tobacco products, extremely useful. This will not only help people who are trying to quit but also possibly reduce the number of people who are enticed to start smoking.

The amendments to curb tobacco product advertisements are also crucial in our fight to lower smoking rates in Singapore. After all, the goal of advertisements is to make you buy what you do not want to buy and we need to make sure people are not driven or tempted, either subconsciously or consciously, into smoking.

I started smoking when I was 18 years old – pretty stressed in school. But a research by WHO shows that people who do not pick up smoking before the age of 21 are unlikely to ever start smoking. There was previous discussion about raising the minimum smoking age to 21 years old. Can the Senior Minister of State clarify why this proposal was not included in this Bill?

I support this Bill but I do have one concern with regard to the amended section 26(1)(b) and (c) which allows the Chief Executive or an authorised officer to, at any time and without warrant, enter and search any premise, stop, board and search any conveyance that the Chief Executive or authorised officer reasonably suspects is being used for or in connection with the commission of an offence under this Act.

Can the Senior Minister of State clarify why a warrant is not required and what safeguards will be put in place to ensure that there will be no abuse of this? I am especially concerned that even authorised officers are allowed to do this, to search without a warrant.

But, ultimately, as always, we need to go beyond legislation. Among Singapore residents, as we have heard earlier, the percentage of current smokers dropped from 18.3% in 1992 to 12.6% in 2004, but stabilised thereafter with 13.3% of smokers in 2013.

Controlling the advertisement and sale of tobacco and increased enforcement efforts can help, and probably have helped, to reduce the smoking rates. However, I believe that public education is the long-term solution.

I remember when I was young, there was a campaign with the slogan, "One puff and you are hooked." The distinct image of a smoker with a fishing hook in his mouth is still fresh in my memory.

I think we need to change the narrative. While that had the desired effect of educating the public on the dangers and addictive nature of cigarettes, it also gave a fatalistic view of smoking. As Er Dr Lee Bee Wah has mentioned earlier with her resident's story, I think many felt that since they are already smoking and it is so hard to quit, they might as well just continue.

So, while we focus on efforts to ensure that people do not start smoking, let us also see how we can intensify our efforts to encourage more smokers to quit, to show them that it is possible to do so.

The last big public campaign that was launched was the "I Quit" campaign in 2011. I joined that campaign. Since that "I Quit" campaign's inception to 2014, a total of 5,000 smokers have pledged and 14% of those who pledged have successfully quit smoking.

Will the Ministry expand this campaign this year, which will be held in May? Can we think out of the box to launch more campaigns that will help us to reach our aim of getting smoking rates down to 12% by 2020?

There are many things we can learn from other successful "quit smoking" campaigns around the world. One such example is the "Tips from Former Smokers" Campaign by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the USA.

One of the main strategies of the campaign was to focus on real people and stories on how smoking has affected their lives and how they managed to quit smoking. While it is true that everyone knows smoking is bad for health, the personal stories shared in this campaign were compelling and communicated in a very human way that smoking causes immediate damage to your body and that this damage can happen at a young age and can be severe. It sparked a national conversation and encouraged non-smokers to speak to their loved ones who smoke.

Some statistics of the campaign include: (a) an estimated 1.64 million Americans tried to quit smoking because of the 2012 campaign; (b) approximately 100,000 smokers are expected to quit for good; (c) an estimated six million non-smokers talked with friends and family about the dangers of smoking; and (d) an estimated 4.7 million additional non-smokers recommended cessation services to their friends and family.

In conclusion, let us continue to implement controls and measures on the advertisement and sale of tobacco, let us continue to find more innovative ways to encourage smokers to quit, and let us hit our target of getting smoking rates down to 12% by 2020.

Mdm Speaker, my request for the Government to review the above notwithstanding, I support the Bill.

Mdm Speaker, together with other Members of this House, I rise in support of this amendment to the Act. I think we are all aware of the health risks to smokers and those exposed to smoke.

Smoking is a significant contributor to disease burden. Many of us have spoken and expressed concern about the increasing healthcare expenditure by the Government. By the simple act of eliminating smoking, this would have a significant impact on reducing healthcare utilisation and also healthcare expenditure in many countries, including our own.

Singapore has made much progress in controlling smoking rates and now boasts one of the lowest smoking rates in the world. But more can be done and there are areas of concern. The rate of reduction of smoking rates is plateauing and the rate of smoking amongst the young is still stubbornly high. Most smokers also pick up the habit in their youth and smoking cessation remains a challenge to most smokers. So, I feel that this amendment is both timely and forward-looking.

With the strict regulation and restriction of tobacco-related products in many countries, tobacco companies have been focusing their marketing efforts at the points of sale. And many studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of such a strategy in enticing new smokers and also making it harder for smokers to quit. At the same time, instituting a point-of-sale display ban has been shown to be effective in both reducing smoking initiation and also helping smoking cessation.

I think many of us have experienced this. When we go for a meal in a shopping mall, in a supermarket queue waiting to pay for our purchases, or at the petrol kiosk waiting to pay for our petrol, we end up purchasing things that we did not actually think we were going to purchase that were just available and attractively displayed at the counter. This phenomenon is not new. This phenomenon of impulse buying is well recognised by retailers and has been exploited by most retailers, including cigarette companies.

A study conducted a few years ago by researchers at Johns Hopkins found that, in the US, as much as 11.2% of cigarette buyers were impulse buyers and the most likely impulse buyers were the young between 18 and 24 years old and also those who were occasional smokers and, finally, those who were trying to quit. And close to a third of respondents confirmed that point-of-sale displays made quitting harder for them.

Besides Singapore, a few other countries have instituted point-of-sale display bans. Iceland was the first to do so, followed by several other countries – Thailand, Ireland, Norway, Finland, Canada and Australia. And Singapore will be the next on the list.

Studies conducted in some of these countries since the ban have clearly demonstrated a marked reduction in consumer exposure to tobacco products, as well as a significant reduction in impulse buying. A review of 20 scientific studies have also overwhelmingly confirmed the association between point-of-sale displays and smoking promotion and susceptibility.

A recent meta-analysis, which is a study that reviews the evidence provided by other well-regarded studies, was published in January this year and it looked specifically at the relationship between point-of-sale displays and smoking rates and susceptibility in the young and adolescents.

The evidence was clear: children and adolescents who were exposed to point-of-sale tobacco promotion have around 1.6 times higher odds of having tried smoking and around 1.3 times higher odds of being susceptible to future smoking, compared with those who were less frequently exposed. And this study concluded that "legislation banning tobacco point-of-sale promotion will effectively reduce smoking amongst young people."

I think it is reassuring that this amendment to the TCASA will spell the end of the Tobacco Power Wall in Singapore and also tighten regulations pertaining to online advertising and marketing and also close loopholes regarding imitation tobacco products.

I have two further issues to raise, which I hope the Ministry will be able to consider.

First, it is with regard to the minimum age at which persons can use or purchase tobacco products. I think this has also been brought up by some of the hon Members who have spoken before me. I also feel that 18 is still too young and would like to call for it to be raised to at least 21 years of age. There is good evidence that such a move will further reduce smoking initiation rates and there appears to be broad support from the public for such a move, as indicated by the findings of the recent public consultations for this amendment. The World Health Organization has also stated, based on prevailing evidence, that people who do not begin smoking before the age of 21 are unlikely to become chronic smokers.

Second, since we are already banning point-of-sale displays, I feel that it would just be an incremental but still significant move if we were to continue with our plans to introduce plain packaging for tobacco products. I understand that the Ministry is already studying this and I call upon the Ministry to expedite this move. Australia was the first jurisdiction to have done so and the impact thus far has been encouraging and several other countries have also indicated that similar legislation is in progress. There is strong opposition to such legislation from tobacco companies and some of them are even bringing lawsuits against governments, but I think this is just another indication that standard packaging would further reduce smoking initiation and accelerate smoking cessation.

Dr Lisa Henriksen from the Stanford Prevention Research Centre of Stanford University recently wrote of the retail environment as a barometer of progress towards the endgame for tobacco control. And I strongly believe that this amendment to the TCASA is an important step towards safeguarding the health of our society and it is an important step towards a tobacco-free generation and so I warmly support it.

Mdm Speaker: Senior Minister of State Amy Khor.

Mdm Speaker, I thank Members for speaking up in support of the Bill. Clearly, all of us have been touched by the issue of smoking at some point in our lives, either personally or professionally.

Dr Tan Wu Meng has shared how, as a medical oncologist, he had witnessed first-hand the damage wrought on his patients by tobacco. Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef has pointed out the diseases caused by tobacco – it seems as if almost every organ in the body can be affected by tobacco use! Mr Louis Ng provided personal insights on how difficult it can be to quit smoking and how he tried to avoid point-of-sale displays of cigarettes while quitting. I must commend him for being creative in quitting smoking by going "cold turkey" in Disneyland.

During my engagement session with tobacco retailers in December 2015, one comment made stayed with me for a long time. A retailer told me that even though he sold tobacco, he did not want his own children to smoke! He acknowledged that tobacco could cause addiction among his customers.

This is why we need to continue to strengthen our tobacco control measures and provide a supportive environment for smokers to quit. We need to make sure that our youth do not pick up the habit. We want to bring smoking rates down even more. The point-of-sale display ban plays a part in fulfilling these objectives.

Let me now respond to the queries and suggestions made by Members in respect of this Bill.

With regard to the point-of-sale display ban, I had earlier described the requirements for general tobacco retailers to keep their tobacco products out of sight of customers and the public within their premises. I also said that specialist tobacconists are required to keep tobacco products out of sight from outside their premises because these specialist tobacconists usually sell mainly cigars and, perhaps, alcohol. To do this, they can completely make their store windows opaque, use curtains or any other method that achieves the same effect. Presently, there are about 17 such specialist tobacconists – in fact, five of the outlets are from the same company.

Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked about duty-free retailers. Unlike general tobacco retailers, duty-free retailers at Changi Airport serve mostly tourists and overseas passengers who are departing Singapore. Given this, the point-of-sale display ban will not be implemented at duty-free retailers at Changi Airport for now, although we will continue to review the position.

Duty-free retailers at seaports will be required to comply with the point-of-sale display ban. Like specialist tobacconists, the requirements will be slightly different from those for general tobacco retailers. Duty-free retailers at seaports may place their tobacco products within a specified "tobacco area" of the premises, but the tobacco products should not be visible from outside this area. Alternatively, they may follow the requirements for general tobacco retailers. DFS Galleria at Scotts is classified as a general tobacco retailer and will be required to comply with the requirements for general tobacco retailers.

Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked what the price list will look like. The appearance of the price list will be prescribed by MOH. It should be in text, printed on white A4 paper and contain only the necessary information on the product, such as brand and variant, price barcode and stock number. There should be no pictures or logos. We will also control the font size.

As not all customers are literate in English, we will permit the price list to be published in each of the four official languages. But this is limited to one price list per official language. Mdm Speaker, this is a sample of what the price list is going to look like and there will be four official languages – one in each.

Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef recommends that we shorten the grace period of one year. I am pleased to see her enthusiastic support for the ban. Much as it would be ideal to implement the ban as soon as possible, the reality is that tobacco retailers, especially the smaller shops, will need time to make the necessary adjustments to their existing store set-up. The grace period also gives them time to diversify their business models away from the sale of tobacco products. As such, we think a grace period of one year is reasonable. However, MOH certainly encourages retailers to comply early with the requirements of the ban.

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah expressed concern that tobacco retailers, especially the smaller businesses, would be affected financially by this ban. We have conducted engagement sessions with small retailers since 2014 to help them prepare for the ban. The ban applies to all general tobacco retailers. As such, no tobacco retailer will lose out to another.

Like all our tobacco control measures, the intended effect is to decrease the overall demand for cigarettes. But as this will likely not be an immediate development, small retailers can use this grace period and beyond to start shifting their business models away from dependence on selling tobacco products. They may also consider changing their business practices to increase their productivity.

Members have suggested additional ways to enhance tobacco control, especially measures to prevent youths from picking up smoking and to help smokers quit. I am heartened by their enthusiasm. Let me assure Members that MOH is open to ideas and best practices from around the world and we closely monitor such developments.

Dr Chia Shi-Lu had suggested that we follow in Australia's footsteps and quickly move to introduce standardised packaging. Emerging data from Australia shows that standardised packaging reduces the attractiveness of the tobacco products and makes the health warnings more prominent and effective. There are early indications that it reduces smoking prevalence.

We have been studying and are closely monitoring international developments on standardised packaging. In May this year, France, the UK and the Republic of Ireland will start to implement standardised packaging as well.

The decision on whether or not to proceed with standardised packaging will be based on public health considerations and we will also ensure that any measure, if introduced, will be designed in a manner consistent with our international obligations, including those relating to intellectual property rights.

I fully agree with Dr Tan Wu Meng, Er Dr Lee Bee Wah and Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef that tobacco control is best managed upstream – that is, we win the hearts and minds of our children and youths to prevent them from getting addicted in the first place.

That is why Health Promotion Board (HPB) works with MOE and Institutes of Higher Learning to incorporate anti-tobacco messages into the curriculum, so as to raise awareness about the benefits of a tobacco-free lifestyle, dispel the misconceptions about smoking and equip youths with life skills to refuse cigarette offers. I also applaud efforts by passionate volunteers to get our youths to pledge to be a tobacco-free generation.

Going beyond promotional measures, both Dr Tan Wu Meng and Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef had proposed that we could also introduce a cohort ban on smoking, by banning sales of tobacco to Singaporeans born from the year 2000 or another specified year onwards.

MOH is familiar with this proposal and has given it a lot of thought. Our concerns are the significant practical difficulties and risks in implementing and enforcing such a ban and it may not result in the desired reduction in smoking rates.

Such a cohort ban would be easy to circumvent and enforcement is going to be challenging and likely to be resource-intensive. An effective ban would also require laws to penalise persons not subject to the ban who supply tobacco products to the affected cohort. For example, a person affected by the ban could buy cigarettes overseas, or get an older relative or friend unaffected by the ban to buy cigarettes for them. In such a situation, we would have to penalise the person providing the cigarettes. Furthermore, enforcing such a cohort ban can be very challenging as age differences between close cohorts become less apparent physically as they grow into adults.

Hence, MOH will not pursue such a cohort ban for now. But we are aware that this idea is being pursued in Tasmania, Australia, through a Private Member's Bill and we will monitor its development.

Mr Louis Ng has asked why MOH had not included raising the minimum legal age for buying tobacco and smoking in this current set of amendments. Dr Chia Shi-Lu and Er Dr Lee Bee Wah made a similar call for MOH to raise the minimum legal age. We are still studying raising the minimum legal age as part of the on-going public consultation on further amendments of our tobacco control measures, which include standardised packaging and larger graphic health warnings. This public consultation is due to end on 29 March 2016.

Raising the minimum legal age to 21 years is a relatively new measure in jurisdictions that have implemented it, such as Hawaii and New York City. Hence, we would need to carefully study their experiences and see if this would be appropriate in our local context.

MOH agrees with Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef, Mr Louis Ng and Er Dr Lee Bee Wah that public education efforts and support for smokers to quit smoking complement legislative measures. They are key elements of our multi-pronged approach towards tobacco control.

Mr Louis Ng made a call to intensify efforts to encourage more smokers to quit. Quitting can be perceived as a rather challenging journey by smokers. Hence, HPB introduced the "I Quit 28 Day Countdown" in 2013, to get smokers to quit by breaking down the quit journey into daily, small actionable steps. So, as Er Dr Lee Bee Wah said, by the end of 28 days, the body will be back to normal as before they started smoking. It is based on findings that smokers who stay smoke-free for 28 days are five times more likely to quit smoking for good.

Like the "Tips from Former Smokers" campaign mentioned by Mr Louis Ng, "I Quit" adopts a community-based, but personalised, approach to build a network of support to help smokers quit. The campaign has seen about 10,000 sign-ups each year since 2014. Its Facebook page has more than 40,000 members, with daily exchanges by ex-smokers sharing their personal stories, smokers seeking advice on quitting and non-smokers penning words of encouragement.

We agree with Er Dr Lee Bee Wah on the need to build a conducive environment that encourages smokers to quit the habit. HPB has been expanding its outreach and support network for smoking cessation. Over the past year, HPB has added over 130 new smoking cessation touch-points, including healthcare institutions and retail pharmacies, bringing the total to over 280. By 2020, the aim is to double the number to 600 nationwide. These "I Quit" touch-points offer free smoking cessation counselling to smokers on the "I Quit 28-Day Countdown" programme. Smokers can also call in to Quitline or access online resources for additional support to quit smoking. In addition, we have been educating the public on the harms of environmental tobacco smoke and its impact on loved ones, to nudge smokers to contemplate quitting.

Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef had expressed concern that the number of Malay smokers remained high, though there was a slight decrease in prevalence in 2013. Please be assured that we are monitoring these trends closely.

Like Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef has pointed out, we can use culturally significant moments to nudge our fellow Singaporeans to live a healthier life. HPB has held the "I Quit" Ramadan roadshows since 2012. They will host another edition for the upcoming Ramadan in June 2016 and hope to encourage 2,000 Malay smokers to sign up to quit and I hope that the community will support HPB in their efforts.

Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef has also asked how the amendment would be applicable to online advertising. And Er Dr Lee Bee Wah commented that there could be limitations to the effectiveness of banning Internet advertising. I recognise that limiting access to online advertisements is not easy. In order to effectively ban cross-border Internet advertising, there should be control at its origin in every country. Regardless of developments elsewhere, we will play our part as a responsible member of the global public health community by making it clear that our prohibition on advertising will cover online advertising and promotion that originate from Singapore or from Singapore-connected persons.

Mr Louis Ng raised concerns regarding HSA's enforcement powers under the amended Act. These powers are essential to enable HSA to effectively conduct enforcement activities and investigations under the Act. The amendments seek to update and, where appropriate, clarify the scope of these powers.

Mr Louis Ng asked about the powers to search premises and vehicles without a warrant. I would like to clarify that the power to enter and search premises is not new. It is in the existing Act.

The amendments simply clarify that no warrant is required to exercise such powers because authorised officers need to be able to act on reasonable suspicion and in a timely manner to search premises and vehicles for evidence in connection with a possible offence, before the suspect can dispose of the evidence. The same approach has been used for the Health Products Act.

The existing search powers are being extended to cover vehicles because there have been several cases of illegal peddling of tobacco through the use of vehicles. Let me assure Members that a vehicle will be searched only if authorised officers have reasonable cause to suspect that the vehicle in question is associated with a potential offence under the Act.

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah also proposed that we expand the number of designated smoking points (DSPs), like the ones in her Nee Soon South constituency. I thank her for her active efforts to promote a smoke-free environment for her constituents. MEWR and NEA are currently studying the progress of Project DSP: Cool to be Considerate, to gauge the public's response to these DSPs. We also need to better understand the impact of having such DSPs in our HDB heartlands, including their effectiveness, prior to committing to any expansion of such a programme.

Mdm Speaker, the Members who are physicians have pointed out how harmful tobacco can be to the human body. With the recent increase in the popularity of Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) worldwide and their targeted marketing to youths, we need to strengthen our regulatory measures. It is also imperative that we decrease exposure of non-smokers, especially youths, to the advertising effect of point-of-sale tobacco product displays. The aim is to ultimately de-normalise tobacco use.

We also need to update and streamline our regulatory framework to ensure that our enforcement efforts remain effective and robust, yet fair. These changes are needed as part of a bigger community-wide effort towards creating a tobacco-free Singapore and we are, indeed, heartened by the support of the public received during our consultations as well as the support of Members of this House. Mdm Speaker, I beg to move.

[(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)]

[(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)]

[(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan]. (proc text)]

[(proc text) Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]

Order. I propose to take a break now. I suspend the Sitting and will take the Chair at 4.45 pm.

Sitting accordingly suspended

at 4.30 pm until 4.45 pm.

Sitting resumed at 4.45 pm

[Mdm Speaker in the Chair]

[(proc text) Order for Second Reading read. (proc text)]

Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time".

With your permission, Mdm Speaker, may I ask the Clerks to distribute the documents that illustrate the points I am covering in my speech.

Yes, please. [Copies of handouts were distributed to hon Members.]

As a country, we have done well to provide the conditions for Singaporeans to enjoy increased longevity. Our average life expectancy is now about 83 years and increasing. However, one of the issues that may arise in old age is the loss of cognitive ability. A recent study by the Institute of Mental Health shows that the prevalence of dementia was 10% among persons 60 years and above. This means that out of 100 elderly persons, 10 might have dementia at some point. I understand that Minister Vivian, when he introduced the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) a number of years ago, asked the same question – imagine all of us in this House here, quite a number of us will have dementia. The question is, will we be ready when it happens to us?

The loss of cognitive ability is, of course, not an issue that only affects older Singaporeans. Life, as we all know, is uncertain. Accidents and illnesses may rob us of our ability to make decisions at any time.

The MCA is a key statute that empowers Singaporeans to plan ahead and make their wishes known. It is writing into law what we feel is in our bones – that is, to enable us to live meaningful and dignified lives, even if we lose our mental capacity.

Passed in 2008, the MCA introduced the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). This is a legal instrument that allows each of us to choose someone we trust to make decisions for us, if and when we are no longer able to do so. We are called the "donor". The entrusted proxy decision-maker, who is usually a family member, is called the "donee". It also enables us to act in the best interests of our incapacitated loved ones. We can apply to Court to be appointed as "deputies" to act for our loved one who has lost capacity but has no LPA.

The MCA is undergirded by three fundamental principles. First, we respect the choices of a person who has mental capacity. We cannot assume a donor lacks capacity just because we think he or she could have made a better decision. This is so, even in respect of the choice of donee.

Secondly, family should be the first line of support and the community should also play a part in supporting those who do not have familial support when they lose capacity.

Third, the state must build a system with sufficient checks and balances to protect individuals who lack mental capacity from abuse or having their interest compromised. This has to be done without making access to LPAs too restrictive, which will defeat the purpose of the LPA in the first place.

The MCA has been in operation for about six years now. During this time, the number of LPAs registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) has grown significantly from 480 in 2010, to 8,400 in 2015. But, honestly, this is still not enough. More of us need to make our LPAs.

Over these past six years, we have also implemented the MCA framework. We have learnt useful lessons and it is timely to amend the MCA to meet emerging needs and strengthen its protection capability.

Let me now draw the attention of the House to the key amendments which we are proposing to the MCA. In summary, the amendments aim to:

better prepare us for a future where there will be a need for professional donees and deputies to help those who do not have family or close friends to be their proxy decision-makers;

better protect individuals who lack mental capacity from being abused or exploited by their donees or deputies;

improve commercial certainty in the use of LPAs in transactions with third parties for the benefit of the donor; and

improve the operations of the OPG to serve the public better, by equipping the OPG to handle higher volumes of LPAs and more complex investigative work.

In preparing this Bill, we have sought feedback from organisations in the legal, banking, insurance, medical and social service sectors, as well as members of the public. They have all provided very valuable insights and supported the proposed enhancements. We also studied the experience in some countries with a longer history of similar legislation, such as the UK and the US, particularly in Florida. These jurisdictions also have a more developed private sector to serve as professional donees and deputies.

Besides these legislative amendments, we are also undertaking some policy initiatives that complement these amendments. I will elaborate more on these initiatives later.

Families are a key source of support for our elderly. A large majority of donees and deputies today are family members. They have stepped up out of love and concern for the person whom they have been appointed for, and this is as it should be. However, there will be a small and increasing number of elderly singles or childless elderly couples who may not have family members or close friends to rely on to be their proxy decision-makers.

One MSF officer recently recounted to me her visit to a Dementia Day Care Centre. Some of the elderly there were in the early stages of dementia and were still lucid. Among them were a few single elderly with no relatives or close friends. They had worked hard and saved carefully for their old age. But they were deeply anxious, as they had no suitable person to nominate as their donee. They were actually quite afraid about what would happen to their dignity and quality of life when they lose capacity. They did not want to become wards of the state. The officer told me that she cannot forget the worry and anxiety she saw in their eyes.

The community has stepped forward to work with MSF on supporting a small number of such elderly who had no family support. About one-and-a-half years ago, we started work with public-spirited volunteers from the medical, legal, accounting and social work professions to form a panel of deputies. Once appointed by the Court as deputies, they helped to manage the affairs of the elderly persons and ensure that their finances are used for their care by setting up a trust with the MSF-funded Special Needs Trust Company (SNTC).

This arrangement – which is in the pilot stage with five test cases – has worked well so far. In one case, the elderly lady who was helped could use her finances to upgrade to a better room in a nursing home. She was happy with this. She was even more joyous that she could resume attending her weekly church service, as she could now pay for her transport fees and other incidental costs.

The number of elderly without next-of-kin will increase. In light of this, we intend to enable paid doneeship and deputyship services. The Bill thus introduces the concept of "professional donees" and "professional deputies". It empowers such elderly, especially those with assets, to have a choice and to give more complex instructions as to their care should they lose capacity.

Professional deputies are those who can provide deputyship services for a fee. They are appointed by the Court to act on behalf of individuals with assets who lack mental capacity and do not have family members or friends who can play the role of a deputy. We envisage that professional deputies would include licensed trust companies, as well as professionals, such as lawyers and accountants. They must not be related to the person they have been appointed for. A professional deputy must be registered with the Public Guardian (PG). We have not finalised the details of the registration framework and will be consulting stakeholders extensively before we do so. However, let me share some of our initial thoughts on how we think it will work.

To be considered for registration, the professional deputy should not be a bankrupt. He should also have sufficient knowledge of the MCA and what a deputy's role and responsibilities are. The PG will be empowered to cancel the registration of a professional deputy, if certain events occur. One such event could be that the professional deputy becomes bankrupt or is convicted of an offence involving fraud or dishonesty. Upon cancelling registration, the PG can apply to Court for the professional deputy's appointment to be revoked.

Unlike deputies, who are appointed by the Court after the individual has lost mental capacity, professional donees are chosen by the individual when he still has capacity. The Bill will limit professional donees to two groups, namely, (a) professional deputies who are registered with the PG; and (b) certain prescribed classes of persons, such as licensed trust companies, which can already act as donees and deputies under the MCA today. Licensed trust companies are regulated by MAS under the Trust Companies Act.

The passing of these amendments will just be the first step towards regulating the professional deputy and donee sector. We will consult the various stakeholders extensively before finalising the details. But the key principle behind the framework is this – mentally incapacitated persons are extremely vulnerable. Hence, the regulatory framework must ensure that a professional donee or deputy is competent, of suitable character and accountable to the relevant authorities for what he does.

Members may have concerns about the fees that professional deputies and donees will charge and what will be done for those who need these services but are without means. I assure members that for these individuals, MSF will work with partners to ensure that pro bono or low-cost services are available, just like what we did in the pilot.

Some may also ask why the Government does not provide doneeship and deputyship services. I do not think it is possible nor wise for the Government to be everyone's donee or deputy. It is certainly not appropriate for the Government to manage the assets and personal welfare matters of private individuals. Our role is to put in place an effective regulatory framework that enables these services to be provided, while protecting the interests of those without mental capacity.

Let me now turn to enhancing the protection of those who lack mental capacity from abuse or exploitation and share what we have learnt after operating the MCA for six years.

Members of the House will know of some of the cases we have encountered, where there were concerns about exploitative behaviour by donees. Some Members have also offered suggestions on how to improve the LPA framework to prevent such abuses from recurring.

I am relieved to say that these cases actually only form a small minority and the law has taken its course in protecting the donors. Nonetheless, we have reviewed the matter and propose two key amendments to the MCA. The aim is to enable pre-emptive action, so that individuals who lack mental capacity can be better protected against abuse by their donees or deputies.

First, the amendments will allow the Court to revoke a donee's or deputy's powers if there is significant risk of the donee or deputy abusing the person whom they have been appointed for. For instance, the risk of abuse would be significant, if the donee or deputy is convicted of an offence involving dishonesty or fraud. This offence could have been committed against some other person and not simply just the donor. However, the donor has no capacity. He is vulnerable. With the proposed amendments, the Court can pre-emptively revoke the donee's or deputy's appointment and eliminate chances of exploitation from happening.

Second, the amendments will allow the Court to suspend the powers of a donee or deputy, even if no prior application was made to it. Let me explain how this works. Say, for example, a deputy has been charged with an offence involving fraud or dishonesty and there is a real risk that he will dissipate the assets of the person who lacks mental capacity. We want to be able to suspend the deputy's powers while investigations are on-going. We cannot do it today.

We must have a prior or concurrent Court application to revoke the deputyship order. However, it is not appropriate to apply for a revocation as the deputy has only been charged, but not yet found guilty and convicted by the Courts.

With the amendment, we can now apply to Court to suspend the powers of the deputy without having to apply to revoke the deputyship order. We can, thus act pre-emptively and, hopefully, in a timely manner.

Let me illustrate how these two amendments will work together to better protect donors who have lost capacity. I will use the facts that are already known to the public about the case involving Mdm Chung and former China tour guide, Yang Yin. But I will just be using the case as an illustration. I will not comment on any aspect of the case which is still on-going in the Courts and I will also not comment further than what I will say below.

As is public knowledge, Yang Yin was charged with offences of falsifying receipts at his company and criminal breach of trust of monies belonging to Mdm Chung. In these kinds of cases, there is a cause for concern because the donee has been charged with an offence involving fraud or dishonesty and there is a risk of the donor's property being dissipated if nothing is done.

In order to preserve the donor's assets, the proposed amendment will now allow an application to be made to the Court to suspend the LPA immediately, without having to apply for a revocation of the LPA. Once investigations are complete and if the donee is eventually convicted of the offences, the Court may then revoke the LPA.

Some may suggest that we should be even more pre-emptive. Nip the problem in the bud at the LPA-making stage. For instance, make it mandatory for donors to inform their family members about their LPA, or give the PG the power to refuse the registration of an LPA if he suspects that the proposed donee is not a suitable candidate, or is not a family member.

But I think it is important that we must remember that one of the fundamental principles of the MCA is that the decisions of a person who has mental capacity must be respected. Where do we draw the line if we do not respect that person's autonomy?

The officers at OPG have encountered cases where both sides of the same donor's family have competing claims. In one case, the donor's daughter alleged that her brother had unduly influenced their mother to make an LPA appointing him as donee and restricted her access to their mother. According to her, he was eyeing their mother's property. On the other hand, the brother claimed that the relationship between mother and daughter was so estranged that their mother did not want to see her and never wanted to appoint his sister as a donee. So, who is right and who is wrong?

In another case, a donor appointed a friend to be his donee, even though he had three children as well as extended family. His children complained to OPG, but it turned out that there was no evidence of undue influence. In fact, the children did not appear to play a big part in the donor's life at all. And the donee turned out to be his close childhood friend whom he trusts.

So, these cases illustrate that each case has its unique circumstances. It is not for the PG to decide against a donor's wish. Neither is the PG the arbiter of another's choices, such as in appointing one child as donee and not the other. Doing so will compromise PG's ability to render objective reports to the Courts when called upon to do so.

The PG only steps in and, rightly so, when there is no family or friend to intervene for a donor who has lost capacity and the donee or deputy is not acting in his best interests.

Having said that, we do want to encourage donors to not only choose their donees carefully but to discuss their wishes ahead with their loved ones. Hence, we have amended the LPA Information Sheet to encourage donors to inform their family members about their LPA. We believe that this would enhance family support if the LPA needs to be activated.

Let me now move on to a different matter altogether. Besides making amendments to better protect individuals who lack capacity, we also want to improve commercial certainty for donees and third parties who transact using the LPA.

Currently, section 16 of the MCA protects a donee or any third party who transacted with the donee, if they genuinely did not know that the LPA has not been validly created. An LPA could be invalidly created, for example, if the donee handling property and affairs is an undischarged bankrupt at the point when the LPA was made. The third party transacting with the donee may not know of the donee's bankruptcy, which renders the LPA invalidly created. So, section 16 protects a third party in this scenario.

This Bill extends the current section 16 to situations where the donee or third party did not know that the LPA had been revoked or suspended. This amendment will also provide commercial certainty for subsequent transactions involving the donor's assets in such scenarios.

With this amendment, businesses will have confidence to transact with donees using the LPAs as there would be sufficient commercial certainty. And this is important because this will, in turn, help the persons who have lost mental capacity to access needed services.

Let me go on to the final part of the amendments. We do want to improve the operations of the OPG to serve the public better. We are grateful to all those who made suggestions on how to do this. We have already made some changes based on feedback received, involving the simplifying of the LPA form. However, there are other improvements that require changes to the MCA.

First, we have seen a sharp rise in the volume of LPAs registered with us. We expect this trend to continue as the population ages and as awareness increases. In fact, we do want this to happen. So, we will introduce an Assistant Public Guardian to assist the PG in carrying out his functions. The Assistant Public Guardian will exercise all the powers of the PG, except the power of delegation. The Assistant Public Guardian will be an MSF officer.

Second, we also anticipate that the cases which the OPG has to investigate will become more complex, especially when fraud and financial exploitation have allegedly been committed against a donor with significant and different types of assets. The amendments will allow the PG to appoint an auditor to assist the PG in examining donees' and deputies' reports or any information obtained by the PG in the exercise of PG's investigative functions. The auditor appointed by the PG must be a public accountant registered under the Accountants Act.

Third, we will repeal section 33 of the MCA which established the PG Board. When the MCA was first enacted, the PG Board was created to review the way in which the PG's functions were discharged and to report to the Minister. This was something new to us and, to my knowledge, no board was ever set up in Singapore previously to specifically supervise the work of a public officer. But given that the MCA was an important and a new piece of legislation modelled after the English Mental Capacity Act, we thought it would be prudent to also follow England's practice of having a Board as well.

The Chairman of the PG Board has now recommended to me that the existing Board be replaced with an administrative Advisory Panel. As OPG has reached a level of maturity in its operations, he noted that in 2012, even England's PG Board too, was dissolved after being in existence for about five years. Even as we replace the PG Board with an Advisory Panel, I think it is important to ensure that there are adequate checks and balances.

First, the PG, like any other public officer in the Ministry, will continue to be accountable to the Minister. Appeals against decisions made by the PG can be made to the Minister. Ultimately, a judicial review and appeal through the Courts remain an option. Given these reasons and the checks and balances in place, I have agreed with the Chairman to replace the PG Board with an Advisory Panel.

At this juncture, I wish to place on record our thanks to the PG Board for its contributions during these six years. They have guided the OPG in the implementation of the MCA and were instrumental in establishing OPG's links with the medical, legal and financial sectors.

I mentioned earlier that the amendments introduced by this Bill will be complemented by policy initiatives that do not require legislative amendments. One such initiative involves helping families caring for adult children with intellectual disabilities.

It is not easy to bring up a child with intellectual disabilities, especially if the caregivers themselves are getting older. An MSF officer told me about an elderly couple in their 70s. They have two children with intellectual disabilities, who are in their 30s and 40s. Their father is a lorry driver, their mother a full-time caregiver.

They worry about their children's welfare when both of them are no longer around. They could will their assets to their children, but who will manage it for their benefit? Their case is urgent because they are no longer young. And these concerns are not uncommon. In fact, I think for many parents who have children with intellectual disabilities, this is one of their main areas of concern.

We have been working hard to address the concerns of these parents. First, we have worked with the special needs community to set up the SNTC, which I mentioned earlier. This non-profit trust company enables parents to set aside money for their child in a trust account, so that the trust money will be used for the child's care needs when they, as parents, are no longer around. Money placed in the trust will be administered according to a care plan drawn up by the parents with the help of SNTC.

This elderly couple signed up straightaway after hearing about the SNTC. They shared with us that their minds are definitely more at ease now, as SNTC will use their savings to implement their children's care plan after they pass on. We want to encourage more parents to make use of this service.

The second thing we are doing is to help parents who have children with special needs to obtain deputyship orders more easily. We have piloted a project with MINDS for parents of MINDS students to obtain deputyship orders. Three cases have obtained Court orders so far. The parents are grateful for the help extended. They initially hesitated due to concerns about cost and complexity of the process. But they realised that their fears were unfounded. Immediately after the Court hearing was over, one set of parents came out of the courtroom and thanked everyone involved. In another case, the whole family got involved. While the parents became deputies, the MINDS student's two older brothers who were in their 20s, became successor deputies. As successor deputies, they could take over from their parents should the need arise. This is a good thing.

We are very heartened by the experience, but we know that there is much work that needs to be done in this area. We are now working with MINDS to put in place a systematic process for every year's graduating cohort of students with intellectual disabilities. We also hope to start work to look at those who have already graduated, as well as cover other forms of relevant disabilities, including certain types of autism. We are also working with the Family Justice Courts on a user-friendly IT system to enable parents and laypersons to apply for deputyship orders without incurring high cost or hassle.

Mdm Speaker, the MCA is not a law for older Singaporeans only. It is a mirror for all of us. It reflects the way we want to live, across the different phases of our lives and across the generations. How we treat our parents and family members; how we ourselves want to be treated with respect, with dignity; and when we are no longer the man or woman we once were, how we want the younger generation to step in to hold our hands and help us along. Not in the direction that they want, but to respect the decisions that we, in our better days, had decided for ourselves. To this end, I urge more Singaporeans to think about their future, make plans and do up an LPA. This will help make the care-giving journey easier for your family members.

This mirror also reflects on the professional communities. As our population ages, we need more professionals willing to step up to serve as professional donees and deputies. The role of the Government is to create regulatory frameworks, such as the MCA, to allow us to live the best life possible, whatever our circumstances – in sickness and in health, in wealth or poverty, compos mentis or not.

But the MCA can only contain so much. Mdm Speaker, I said earlier that the MCA is merely writing into law what we feel in our bones. What is our collective understanding about the duty owed to the elderly and to respect the wishes of the mentally incapacitated among us? What is our joint action on the policy initiatives and family and community effort?

The most vulnerable members in our society – the individuals who lack mental capacity − are often the most invisible. Our duty is to protect them, to respect their wishes and to enable them to live with dignity. Mdm Speaker, I beg to move.

[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]

Madam, I support this Bill that seeks to amend and improve the current MCA. The MCA was a significant one. Persons can appoint donees in advance to make decisions on their behalf should they lose capacity. The Act provided for the Court to appoint deputies for those who have lost capacity. It further enables parents of children with intellectual disabilities to appoint deputies to oversee welfare and other matters relating to the child.

Since the introduction of the Act, more than 17,000 LPAs have been issued. This is but only a small percentage of a larger group of Singaporeans who ought to make use of the provisions of the MCA. The urgency is especially high for three groups of people.

One, families, especially those with sole breadwinners who, due to injury or sudden deaths, leave their families helpless;

Two, persons at risk of losing mental capacity due to age. There is an estimated 450,000 Singaporeans above the age of 65 in Singapore. According to a nationwide study – and this is quoted by the Minister as well – of 5,500 elderly residents and their family members, one in 10 people aged 60 and above in Singapore has dementia.

In my Kampong Glam constituency, I have witnessed the challenges of households where elderly residents lose their mental capacity and no prior arrangements were made for proxy decision-makers. As a result, much time and money are expended to ensure the affected elderly receive the needed care and support. Where property and finance are involved, the administrative hassle led to unnecessary anxiety and resentment, sometimes, resentment of those left behind.

The third group who ought to make use of the MCA provisions are families with special needs children. Now, they should not be limited to only those with intellectual disabilities. These families with children who are deemed to lack the capacity to make significant life decisions are in need of deputies to act on their behalf.

Madam, while I support the Bill, I wish to highlight five areas for the Minister's response. The five areas are:

more protection of vulnerable donors;

cost of MCA applications and services;

families of children with special needs;

more resources for administration, education and outreach for the OPG; and

the amendment to dissolve the Public Guardian Board

First, on the protection of vulnerable donors. Madam, one of the objectives of this Bill is to further protect those who are vulnerable and who do not have immediate family members to rely on to be their proxy decision makers. I am concerned with the clause in the current MCA which specifies the qualifications of a donee to simply be at least 21 years old and a non-bankrupt when the LPA is signed.

We can learn more from the highly publicised case of Mdm Chung Khin Chun versus her former tour guide, Yang Yin. It is alarming and I quote this just for discussion, as what the Minister had also quoted. It is alarming that a foreign citizen, who is not related to the donor, can be granted an LPA that effectively gave him control of more than $35 million worth of her assets. It is also appalling that Yang could do as he pleased in his apparently calculated dissipation of Madam Chung's assets in the years before he was arrested.

The proposed amendments to allow the Courts to revoke the donees' or deputies' powers in the event of risk of abuse or exploitation, in my opinion, do not offer sufficient pre-emptive or upstream protection to the donor.

I, therefore, urge that there be stronger safeguards in the form of audits, whistle-blowing procedures and stricter due diligence in the granting of LPAs when the stakes are higher, such as:

where the assets involved are of a sizable value;

where the donee is an unrelated party and/or a foreign citizen;

where the elderly donor is above a specific age, hence, more susceptible to conditions like dementia; and

where donor does not have any immediate family member.

Next, on the cost of MCA applications and services. In addition to the application fees to the OPG which are currently kindly waived by the Ministry, there are three costs for which I am asking for better cost management:

the remuneration payable for the deputyship and doneeship services for the professional services introduced in the amendments of this Bill;

the cost incurred for getting an updated medical report in the course of an MCA application; and

the fees payable to the lawyers for work done in explaining to the applicant, drafting the necessary papers and other disbursements.

I urge the Ministry to look into the means by which these costs can be kept reasonable and subsidised in the case of persons with average or lower income. I recommend that the Ministry: (a) provide a set of fee guidelines for the types of legal services relevant to the MCA and the Bill; (b) work with the polyclinics, Government hospitals or an appointed panel of healthcare providers to issue the necessary medical report in a template that is acceptable to OPG; and (c) allow the use of CPF and/or Medisave to pay for the required costs incurred in the application and appointment of one's donee or deputy.

Next, on families with children with special needs. I wish to speak on behalf of the many concerned families with children, young and old, with special needs, being a parent myself and an activist in this community.

There is a full continuum of special needs, with different persons manifesting varying degrees of mental capacity. Families with more severe needs find challenges as they navigate through the sea of uncertainty when their children become adults and many continue to need their families' supervision.

Last year, a group of parents with special needs children wrote to me to share their fears and anxieties about their children who are past the age of 21 with no appointed deputies. A mother mentioned that her global-developmentally-delayed daughter needed a treatment that requires general anaesthesia (GA). The young lady could not sign the papers as she was deemed to be without full mental capacity. Neither could her parents sign on her behalf because they had not been appointed as her deputy.

Closer to home, an adult with special needs whom I personally know was in need of a wisdom tooth surgery which requires GA as well. This was at a Government dental centre. Similarly, the parent was informed by the staff that for an operation that required a GA procedure, she must produce an LP before the young adult could go for the surgery. The young adult is technically not intellectually disabled – his IQ is above 70 but he has moderate autism. I confirmed yesterday that the young man has still not gone for his surgery. He probably has gotten used to the pain.

Another father shared of his challenges to be appointed as the deputy of his autistic daughter, who is moderate to severely disabled. He was quoted a hefty sum of a few thousand dollars, which I think is very high, by a law firm in a public housing estate. This father could not comprehend why it would be so cumbersome and costly to have himself, as a father, continue to make decisions for his daughter. Many, like him, are lost and helpless.

One more story. A family residing in my constituency came to ask for my help several times. The elder sister of a man with severe mental disability wanted me to help appeal for a rental flat from HDB for both of them. The HDB had considered the man to lack mental capacity to sign a tenancy agreement and, since he is without a deputy, the elder sister has to navigate through several agencies to solve their lodging issue. They are non-English-educated.

Now, I am grateful to the Ministry for proactively piloting a project with MINDS to help parents of MINDS students obtain deputyship orders. However, the pace is a tad too slow, in my opinion, and does not include adults above the age of 21 for whom their parents could no longer act on their behalf. There are many of such families who continue to live in worry and anxiety.

In cases where medical treatment is involved and deputies' consent needed, time is also not on their side and the person with special needs sometimes suffer their physical pain in silence. Although the law permits healthcare professionals to act in a patient's "best interest" and not requiring consent from a deputy if there is none, there appears to be a lack of awareness and fear of liability on the part of the medical fraternity to perform major procedures on this group.

In this regard, I would strongly recommend that the Ministry take three actions.

One, further simplify the process of application of deputyship for persons with special needs to cut down both costs and administration. Go beyond the MINDS pilot. It is not true that only persons with intellectual disabilities need proxy decision-makers. One way is to engage and resource the special schools or the major disability organisations to be part of this application process and validate the need for deputyship.

Two, appoint co-ordinating agencies, such as SG-Enable, the National Council of Social Services and/or the Agency for Integrated Care, to promote awareness, educate and provide the required legal and financial assistance for an application under the MCA.

Finally, identify and train a pool of community-minded medical professionals and lawyers who can be the "go-to" list for MCA applicants for, especially, families with special needs children.

Next, Madam, on more resources for administration, education and outreach work done by the OPG. The savings resulting from a proper management of affairs when one loses capacity far outweigh the initial cost. The current 17,000 LPAs registered are only the tip of the iceberg. Many more Singaporeans need to come on board this bus and, hence, the OPG has its work cut out for it. Related parties, such as property agents, HDB frontline officers and healthcare personnel, must be educated, too.

The OPG needs to be future-ready and work on new digital services so that users can more easily access their services. The UK, for instance, already has its digital LPA services, which allow users to apply for LPAs online, anytime and anywhere. We need to cater to that group, too, and provide better, faster and cheaper services. For all these, additional resources are needed.

Madam, I know this is not yet the Budget debate, but I wish to ask for additional resources for the OPG.

On dissolving the Public Guardian Board. Lastly, on the proposed amendments that repeal the provision for the Public Guardian Board and remove the need to make an annual report on the discharge of the PG's functions, Madam, the OPG under Mr Richard Magnus had performed a commendable job. He and his team have built a strong network with the Law Society, College of Family Physicians, CPF Board, grassroots and social service agencies. The LPA form and processes were simplified. Free postage was negotiated with SingPost and the Ministry had waived the application fees for a period to encourage more sign-ups.

The Board has also done an excellent job, no doubt due to its broad network and wisdom. I feel that it is still early days to dissolve the Board and retire the members. There is merit to have a Board that provides the external inputs and supervision. Our Asian culture is such that conversations regarding end-of-life matters are not common. There are mounting challenges in translating the policies of the OPG to the ground. The numbers will soar if we get it right, and we want it to be so and many lives will be positively helped as a result.

I, therefore, urge that the Ministry reconsider this repeal and delay the decision to dissolve the Public Guardian Board. With that, in conclusion, I want to thank the Board and the OPG for running a good race in the last five years, and I look forward to more good years. I support the Bill, Madam.

Mdm Speaker, the Bill enhances the regime of the Mental Capacity Act passed in 2008. The Bill will allow professionals to become donees and the Court-appointed deputies under the Act. It also gives the Court additional powers to manage cases where a donee's or a deputy's powers may need to be revoked, restricted or suspended. While I support the rationale for the Bill, I wish to raise three concerns: first, regarding early intervention in problematic LPAs; secondly, about the process for parents of disabled children to be Court-appointed deputies; and, thirdly, to seek a clarification on the changes regarding the accountability of the PG.

First, early intervention in problematic LPAs. While the benefits of LPAs are clear, the risks have also been painfully clear in recent years. Vulnerable persons may sign away their rights to property to persons who have unduly influenced them. Besides the well-publicised case involving a wealthy widow, which Minister mentioned earlier, I have received feedback from residents concerned that a family member may have appointed someone outside the family as his attorney.

In these cases, it is foreseeable that some time down the road, when the LPA is activated due to mental incapacity, the attorney and the family may have disagreements and disputes over how the person should be cared for or his properties dealt with. I am not saying that a person is not entitled to appoint someone outside the family as an attorney. Indeed, I totally agree that there may be very good reasons why a person may not want a family member to be his attorney and may not want the family to know of such an appointment.

However, currently, all that is needed is for a standard form to be filled up by the person and issued by a doctor or lawyer who may not have any prior knowledge of the person or his circumstances. To illustrate, I am told that under a well-intentioned ground initiative, large groups of heartland residents were organised to make LPAs at the Ministry issued by persons who had not met them before.

Earlier, the Minister mentioned that the LPA Information Sheet is being amended to encourage donors to inform loved ones of the making of the LPA. I would like to ask if the default LPA form could retain a question asking the donor if he wishes to notify another person about the making of the LPA. Under the original MCA framework, if the donor named another person to be notified for the making of the LPA, the named person would have an opportunity to object to the registration of the LPA. The objection would then need to be assessed by the PG or the Court before the LPA can be registered.

Such a regime would enable LPAs granted in controversial circumstances to be flagged out early before the LPAs take effect. This potentially prevents the registration of unsound LPAs before the donee takes charge of the properties of the donor. Moreover, the objection to the registration of the LPA will likely be made when the donor is still mentally lucid and can give invaluable assistance to the PG or the Court to determine if the LPA should be registered or not.

Madam, this option to notify a named person was removed from the default LPA form in 2014. From what I gather, the Government did not see the need to retain this feature as it was always open to the donor to notify someone if he wished to. Nevertheless, my view is that it is good to ensure that the donor is always asked whether he wants someone to be notified so that he will direct his mind to that question specifically. If this is adopted, we will still be respecting the donor's wishes – he can decide whether he wants to notify someone else or not.

Madam, next, Court-appointed deputies. I next move on to deputies who may need to be appointed by the Court after a person has become mentally incapacitated. Their concern is about the legal cost associated with such applications. The estimated legal cost for such applications is about $6,000 to $7,000 even in the clearest of cases. For instance, parents of mentally-incapacitated children need a Court Order to act for their children once they attain adulthood. It is clear that these parents will continue to care for their children with or without a Court Order.

At last year's Committee of Supply debate, we were told that the Ministry would work with the Court to simplify the process and improve the accessibility of the Court processes and also to reduce the cost to make it easier for the families. It was reported in March last year that there was a pilot project involving law students which enabled costs of such applications to be brought down to about $250. In January this year, the Ministry said it was still working with the Family Justice Courts and MINDS on how to simplify the paperwork and process in such cases. This review has been going on for many months already. Is the Ministry able to confirm or estimate when this review will be completed?

Lastly, Madam, accountability of the PG. Earlier, the Minister explained the rationale for clause 11, on why the Public Guardian Board was being abolished. I have a question about clause 12. Currently, section 34 of the Act provides for the PG to make annual reports to the Minister about the discharge of his duties, and I believe these reports are uploaded on the website of the OPG.

Clause 12 repeals this provision totally, which suggests that the PG need not produce annual reports anymore. Could the Ministry explain why this section is being repealed? How would this affect the public accountability of the PG?

Mdm Speaker, I rise in support of the Bill. Last month, the Minister for Social and Family Development informed this House that 8,360 people had signed up for the LPAs in 2015. This was a big increase of 160% over 2014.

However, if we consider that only about 20,000 LPAs have been accepted since the MCA came into operation five years ago, the number of Singaporeans who have done their LPAs is still very low.

I recognise that this is not for lack of trying. The Ministry had made concerted efforts to raise public awareness. There were regular media coverage and public education efforts to get more Singaporeans to appoint donees to make decisions on their behalf in the event that they lose mental capacity in the future. I have seen colourful, full-page advertisements on the LPA in both the English and Chinese newspapers.

The Government had even simplified the forms and offered waiver of the $50 fees for the simpler and more widely chosen Form 1 applications between 1 September 2014 and 1 September 2016. Despite all these efforts, the general awareness is still not high, especially among the elderly.

Even those who are aware of the scheme are not pro-active in signing up. Some do not think it is necessary. Others assume erroneously that, by default, their spouses and children will be able to make decisions on their behalf. Yet others are superstitious and prefer to avoid this topic altogether. And, probably, the rest are procrastinating.

Considering our rapidly ageing population, it is important to get more Singaporeans to do their LPAs. With longer lifespans, the probability of loss of mental capacity in the final years is higher and will affect a greater number of people.

Without appointed donees, our Courts will have to hear more applications by affected families to appoint deputies when their loved ones lose their mental capacities. Not only will this be a strain on the resources of the families during a difficult period, it will also tax our public resources. Much more importantly, without appointed donees, the welfare of the elderly will be compromised as care and financial arrangements will inevitably be delayed.

Allow me to share a real-life example to highlight the hardships a family went through due to the absence of an LPA. And this is a case from my constituency.

An elderly gentleman fell ill and, after a prolonged stay in hospital, he was discharged as the doctors were unable to do more for him. His children took him home. His condition was bad but he hung in there and his children arranged for various medical equipment to be installed at home, which were quite costly.