Proposal to Make Public 2018 Review of 2013 Population White Paper

Mr Pritam Singh asked the Prime Minister whether the Government will make public and publish in full its 2018 review of the 2013 Population White Paper.

During the debate on the 2013 Population White Paper, the Government said that we would review the population projections and our policies again nearer to 2020. Since then, the Government has regularly explained population developments and reviewed its approach to population policies, including at the annual Committee of Supply (COS) debates as well as the annual Population in Brief publications.

An update on our population outlook was provided during the COS debate in 2018. At that update, the Government said that given recent trends, Singapore’s total population is likely to be significantly below 6.9 million by 2030. The details can be found in the public COS 2018 speech delivered on 1 March 2018.

The outlook provided in 2018 that our total population is likely to be significantly below 6.9 million by 2030 remains valid today. Moreover, the ongoing COVID-19 situation has had an impact on our population numbers for 2020. We saw a slight decline in our total population last year but it is too early to assess the full impact at this point.

The Government closely monitors population trends and regularly reviews our population policies. We will continue to monitor the longer-term impact of COVID-19 and how it affects our population trends. This will ensure that our population strategies remain relevant to support a vibrant economy, and foster a cohesive society with a strong sense of national identity.