Number of Cases at Tribunal for Maintenance of Parents

Mr Seah Kian Peng asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what is the number of cases that the Tribunal for the Maintenance of Parents has dealt with in 2014 and how this compares with the previous three years of 2011 to 2013; and (b) what is the number of cases being mediated by the Commissioner for the Maintenance of Parents during the same period of 2011 to 2014.

The Maintenance of Parents Act takes a "conciliation first" approach, with legal action as a last resort. It provides for the Commissioner for the Maintenance of Parents to first help parents and children resolve their maintenance disputes through conciliation. This arrangement started in 2011.

Between 2011 and 2014, the Commissioner conciliated an average of 264 cases per year. The specific numbers are 286 in 2011, 303 in 2012, 257 in 2013 and 213 in 2014. The resolution rate has been encouraging, at above 80%.

With better upfront conciliation, fewer maintenance applications are being filed at the Tribunal for the Maintenance of Parents. In 2011, the number of new applications to the Tribunal fell to 110, from 183 in 2010. The numbers remained low in subsequent years – 84 in 2012, 63 in 2013 and 55 in 2014.