Debated in Parliament on 6 Mar 2023.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether the Ministry will consider studying the estimated costs of providing the cash component of the Baby Bonus to single unwed parents.
Mr Deputy Speaker, my response will also cover the Parliamentary Question (PQ) for oral answer also filed by Mr Louis Ng1 which is scheduled for Sitting on or after 7 March. I would invite the Member to seek clarifications if need be. If the question has been addressed, it may not be necessary to proceed with the question for future Sittings.
Please proceed.
Mr Deputy Speaker, while single unwed parents do not qualify for the Baby Bonus Cash Gift, Parenthood Tax Rebate and Working Mother’s Child Relief, we extend Government benefits that support the growth and development of their children. These include subsidies for education, healthcare, childcare and infant care, the foreign domestic worker levy concession and the Child Development Account. HDB also assesses their requests for housing holistically, based on their individual circumstances.
It is not an issue of cost, let alone whether we will study it, but that each of these policies reflect prevailing societal norms and values, that of parenthood within marriage. In addition, those in need of assistance can approach their nearest Social Service Office.
Mr Louis Ng.
Thank you, Sir. And I thank the Minister for the reply. I have seen first-hand the suffering and pain that single unwed parents go through. So, could I ask for the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) look at it from two different perspectives.
One, for the cash component of the Baby Bonus, it really is not a luxury for them, but a lifeline. Our own data shows that single unwed parents under age 35 have a median salary of $700. So, when the child is born, the mother and child, with $700, what can they really do? I hope we can provide this cash component because it really is a lifeline for these parents.
Two, for the Working Mother's Child Relief and the Parenthood Tax Rebate, I hope MSF can look at this not from a fiscal cost standpoint, but one of stigma and discrimination. Minister Indranee, Minister of State Sun Xueling and myself saw first-hand how single unwed parents were in tears when they spoke about this stigma and discrimination. I think this policy of not providing this tax rebate and tax relief really reinforces the stigma and discrimination. So, I hope again, that we will relook this, not from a fiscal standpoint, but how giving them this relief and tax rebate can help to remove that discrimination.
I can understand how Mr Louis Ng feel for single unwed mothers. I think Members in this House feel the same. But policies are implemented, fit for purpose. And even when they are not used up for its intended purpose, policies cannot be reduced, reused or recycled. They must be implemented for public accountability, for the purpose it was intended.
Therefore, if they need support like the areas which the Member has mentioned, our Social Services Offices (SSOs) provide psychological support and social support. Please seek them. If they do not know where to go, I hope Members can point them to where these are.
Mr Louis Ng.
Thank you, Sir. I do agree with Minister – the policies are there for a purpose. But policies can change and that is why in this Budget, we changed the whole rationale of the Working Mother's Child Relief. We thought at first it was to help the higher-income mothers to have children, but now, we are changing it to help the lower- and middle-income mothers. So, why can we not change it to help the single unweds as well? It is not a big group. I do not think a lot of single unwed parents pay taxes because again, the median salary is about $700 for those under age 35. They cannot be paying taxes. But this is about really removing the stigma and discrimination.
I have raised this for many years now. Every year when I raise it, they said we will review it. I hope we sincerely review this and change our policies.
I note that the Member said the numbers are small. Does the Member want the number to be big? Because we must make a distinction between support and incentive. There is always this worry that that could happen, but more importantly, our policies must reflect the social norms and values of parenthood within marriage. If that shifts in future, certainly, we will move with it.
We have several PQs to get through, Mr Ng. I will allow the last short supplementary question, please.
The short supplementary question is this: we did equalise the maternity leave; we did provide the CDA component. I do believe that that did not result in a spike in the number of single unweds. I believe, in Japan as well, when they provided more support for single unwed parents, that also do not result in a spike in single unweds in the country. I do not think so as well. I do not think people have children just because —
Mr Ng, a short clarification, please.
Thank you.
Well, the Member did not put a question, but he put his opinion across again. I think he has reflected the needs of the unwed mothers – and all of us should feel the same. But we also have to reflect the needs and the reflections of what social norms are. As I mentioned just now, if social norms change, that too will change.
PAPERCUTS