Publishing Unedited Submissions in Public Consultations on Proposed Legislation

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Communications and Information whether the Ministry, in compiling the submissions received from individuals and industry players during public consultations on proposed legislation, can publish all unedited submissions after seeking the necessary permission from the feedback providers, to provide the full range of perspectives on the issue at hand instead of only publishing a summary of responses.

Mr Leon Perera had asked a similar question which was comprehensively addressed in the Sitting of February 2021. As previously explained, Government agencies conduct many forms of public engagements, including consultations on proposed legislation, to obtain feedback on issues of concern to the public. We appreciate the importance of closing the loop with relevant stakeholders and will often also share findings with the public at large. Given the breadth and depth of feedback, they are usually summarised to capture the key themes. Where specific comments provide additional insight, they may also be reflected.

However, not every respondent would consent to having their feedback published in full, as many would prefer to provide feedback on a confidential basis. Only publishing feedback from respondents who have given consent might also give an incomplete picture of the feedback gathered. This may well result in a skewed picture and run counter to the objective of reflecting the broad range of views from the public.