Family & gender — Topics

2 Sep 2019

Appeals in Past 10 Years for HDB Rental Flats on Grounds of Dispute with Children

HDB received about 2,600 rental flat appeals from parents citing conflicts with their children between 2016 and May 2019, with about 560 approved based on specific circumstances.
HDB does not track whether the children involved live in HDB flats or private property, and only began collecting such data in 2016.
Applicants are first encouraged to seek mediation from Family Service Centers; if conflict persists and children cannot provide housing, HDB may grant a rental flat, but children’s ability to support parents may lead them to apply for maintenance at the Tribunal for the Maintenance of Parents.

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2 Sep 2019

Upcoming Increase in Subsidies for Pre-school Education

Desmond Choo and Liang Eng Hwa questioned how the Ministry will prevent pre-school operators from raising fees in response to increased subsidies, thus negating the benefit to parents.
Desmond Lee explained that Anchor and Partner Operators are subject to fee caps maintained since 2014 and 2016, with moderate adjustments allowed for sustainability, while private and not-for-profit operators set fees flexibly but must announce increases in advance.
The Ministry is expanding affordable pre-school options, aiming for 8 in 10 places to be in government-supported schools by 2025, with plans to lower fee caps further so parents pay near primary school fees before subsidies.

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2 Sep 2019

Providing Housing for Single Unwed Parents and their Children

Mr. Louis Ng argued that single unwed parents under 35 face severe housing challenges, proposing clear eligibility criteria for rental flats, removal of "compassionate grounds" language, updated HDB communications, and a scheme for them to buy 2-room flexi flats to ensure equality and reduce stigma.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary Sun Xueling acknowledged the government's evolving stance and commitment to ensuring no child lacks housing, noting that HDB already assesses applications holistically and has approved many cases, including appeals by Mr. Ng.
The government will review communication touchpoints and the HDB website to explicitly state that single unwed parents can apply for flats, aiming to alleviate anxiety and improve their experience without discriminating based on marital status.

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6 Aug 2019

Usage of Government-paid Paternity Leave and Shared Parental Leave by Fathers in Past Five Years

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked for the percentage of fathers who did not take Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL) or Shared Parental Leave (SPL) over the past five years.
The Ministry of Social and Family Development reported that GPPL and SPL, introduced in 2013, have seen increased eligibility since 2017, with fathers eligible for two weeks of GPPL and up to four weeks of SPL.
Take-up of GPPL rose over time, with over half of eligible fathers in the 2017 cohort using it, while SPL uptake was lower, though it offers flexible caregiving options.
Data on non-uptake is based on employer claims and Baby Bonus applications, with GPPL take-up expected to grow further due to longer claim periods.

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6 Aug 2019

Childcare Centres' Utilisation of Annual Closure Days for Each of Past Five Years

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Social and Family Development for each of the past five years, the percentage of childcare centres that used the full six days of annual closure, five days, or fewer than five days of closure.
Childcare centres are permitted up to six annual closure days for organisational activities such as staff training and curriculum planning, with ECDA balancing childcare needs and operational requirements while mandating advance notice to parents.
In 2018, 77% of centres that reported to ECDA used all six closure days, and 94% used at least five days, indicating a majority maximise their allowed closure days.

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6 Aug 2019

Statistics on Divorcees Who Failed to Comply with Court Orders to Sell Their Matrimonial Flats Within Stipulated Time

Mr. Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked for statistics on divorcees who failed to sell their matrimonial flats within court-ordered timeframes over the past five years.
Minister K. Shanmugam stated that no agency tracks compliance with court-ordered sale timelines or the time taken to complete such sales.
He explained that extensions of time require court applications and that HDB processes sales only if parties agree, depending on court order terms.

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6 Aug 2019

Grants for Fees for Faith-based Pre-schools Run by Non-profit Organisations

Intan Azura Mokhtar asked if the Ministry will provide grants for fees at faith-based pre-schools run by non-profit organisations.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary explained that various subsidies and funding schemes already support both parents and operators, including faith-affiliated and non-profit pre-schools, through cash gifts, account grants, basic and additional subsidies, and specific development funds.
Mokhtar later suggested expanding the Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme to all pre-schools and asked if the Pre-school Opportunity Fund is available to students in faith-based kindergartens.
Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim confirmed that the Opportunity Fund is accessible to non-AOP pre-schools, including faith-affiliated ones, and noted that the Ministry is reviewing pre-school subsidies while considering the suggestion to expand fee assistance.

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5 Aug 2019

Public Buildings without Family-friendly Facilities and Plans to Encourage Owners to Retrofit Such Facilities

The Minister reported that new buildings frequented by families, such as transport hubs and large shopping malls, have been required to provide family-friendly facilities since 2014 under the BCA Code on Accessibility, with about 90 buildings meeting these requirements to date.
BCA does not track buildings that retrofitted such facilities without major retrofitting works, so the actual number with family-friendly facilities is likely higher than the 90 cited.
To encourage retrofitting, BCA offers funding support through the Accessibility Fund for pre-1990 buildings, covering up to 60% of costs (capped at $300,000 per development), and has introduced a voluntary certification scheme to recognize businesses with family-friendly facilities.

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5 Aug 2019

Statistics on BTO Flats Purchased under Single Singapore Citizen Scheme

Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked how many Singaporeans have bought BTO flats under the Single Singapore Citizen Scheme since its inception and how many later married, with breakdowns by gender.
Lawrence Wong stated that about 20,100 Singaporeans have booked a 2-room or 2-room Flexi flat under the scheme since July 2013, with roughly equal proportions of male and female buyers.
Among these flat buyers, about 440 subsequently registered a marriage in Singapore, with approximately 80% being male.

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5 Aug 2019

Availability and Plans to Raise Awareness of Egg Donor Scheme

The egg donor scheme in Singapore currently allows altruistic egg donation, but there is limited awareness and a scarcity of donors due to the invasive nature of the procedure, with most donations coming from relatives, friends, or women already undergoing assisted reproduction treatment.
The Ministry of Health has no specific plans to raise public awareness of the scheme, as assisted reproduction practitioners are required to counsel couples on donation options during treatment, which may indirectly inform potential donors.
To enhance the scheme and encourage more donors, the government focuses on maintaining the current altruistic framework, providing counselling, and facilitating donations from women with spare frozen eggs or embryos after their own treatment.

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5 Aug 2019

Extension of Co-funding for Assisted Reproductive Technologies Treatments

Miss Cheng Li Hui asked about the number of couples seeking assisted reproductive technologies (ART) treatment overseas, the extension of co-funding to private hospitals, reasons for decreasing co-funding per attempt, and the appeal process for women aged 45 and above for IVF.
Minister Gan Kim Yong stated that three public hospitals offer ART treatments with co-funding of up to $7,700 per fresh cycle and $2,200 per frozen cycle for three cycles each, and that the co-funding does not decrease with successive attempts, with sufficient capacity at public centres.
He noted that private hospitals use MediSave for cost offsets, the Ministry lacks data on overseas ART seekers, and women aged 45 and above can appeal for ART treatment, with an average processing time of about a week.
The Ministry is reviewing the maximum age limit for ART treatment due to advancements in safety.

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5 Aug 2019

Number of Children and Foster Parents in Foster Care Scheme

Mr Chong Kee Hiong asked about the number of children in foster care, the number of registered foster parents over the last three years, whether the target of 500 foster families for 2019 was on track, and what measures are planned to boost successful fostering cases.
As of June 2019, there were 510 foster families, exceeding the 500 target, up from around 390 in June 2016, and 542 children in foster care, up from around 390 in June 2016, with about 47% of children in care placed with foster families.
MSF is aiming to place two-thirds of children in family-based care and is using a multi-pronged approach including raising awareness through partnerships and foster parent testimonials, providing close support and preparatory training for foster parents, and inviting interested individuals to register with MSF.

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5 Aug 2019

Children and Young Persons (Amendment) Bill

The Minister for Social and Family Development, Mr Desmond Lee, presented the Bill to amend the Children and Young Persons Act and related statutes.
The Bill was read for the first time and scheduled for a second reading at the next parliamentary sitting.
The amendment aims to make consequential and related changes to other existing Acts.

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5 Aug 2019

Selectively Allowing Single Parent and Child to Rent HDB Flats

The Ministry clarified that single parents aged 21 and above with their child can apply directly for an HDB rental flat without needing an appeal, and their eligibility is assessed holistically based on affordability, available family space, and other circumstances.
An applicant’s ability to afford alternative housing is evaluated by considering their income, age, CPF and cash savings, past home ownership, and housing budget, rather than relying on a fixed income threshold.
HDB does not expect siblings to house single parents and focuses on the immediate family’s living situation, such as whether the parent and child have a spare room in their own home.
The Ministry stated that while a household income of $1,500 is a rough guideline for rental flat applications, exemptions are granted based on individual circumstances, and there is no rigid rule for single parents.

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8 Jul 2019

Breakdown of Median Monthly Income of Employed Residents in Last Five Years

Assoc Prof Walter Theseira requested a breakdown of median monthly income for employed residents over the past five years by marital status, gender, age group, and by number of children, gender, and age group.
Mrs Josephine Teo provided tables showing that married males earned more than single males across all age groups, while single females aged 30 and above earned more than married females of the same age group, with women generally earning more than men among singles but men earning more among those married.
For women with children, those aged 30 and above with two children tended to earn more than those with one or three or more children, though data for males on children was not collected and comparisons to those with no children are complicated by marital status.
The Minister noted that data alone cannot establish causal impacts of marital status or children on income, as these factors are influenced by income, education, generational differences, and occupational or work-hour preferences.
The debate highlighted the complexity of interpreting income data due to unmeasured variables like occupation and caregiving responsibilities, emphasizing that trends do not imply direct causation.

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8 Jul 2019

Factors for Improvement in Gender Pay Gap in Past Decade

The employment rate of women in prime-working ages has increased, with better education leading to higher wages compared to older women.
Women have exited lower-skilled industries more rapidly than men, contributing to improved pay equality.
Greater availability of flexible work arrangements has allowed more women to remain employed and advance their careers.

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8 Jul 2019

Applications from Single Unwed Parents for HDB Flat under Public Rental Scheme in Past Five Years

Mr. Louis Ng asked the Minister for National Development for data over the past five years on the number of single unwed parents applying for HDB rental flats, those approved without an appeal, and those approved after an appeal.
Minister Lawrence Wong replied that since 2014, 1,014 requests from single unwed parents to rent public rental flats were received, with 380 approved, while the rest were assessed as having alternative housing options.
The Minister stated that each application is reviewed holistically, considering individual circumstances and family support, with input from social workers when needed.

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8 Jul 2019

Number of Single Unwed Parents under 35 Years Old Applying to Buy a Flat from HDB in Past Five Years

Mr. Louis Ng asked for annual data over the past five years on applications, successful ballots without appeals, and successful ballots after appeals from single unwed parents under 35 for HDB flats.
Minister Lawrence Wong reported that 121 requests were received from single unwed parents under 35 to apply for a 2-room Flexi flat since 2014, with 28 granted flexibility to apply after individual reviews.
The Minister stated that among those who applied, HDB uses a computer ballot for queue order, and annual figures from 2014 to May 2019 were provided in a table.
The government reviews each request holistically, using social worker input, to provide housing assistance to single unwed parents and their children.

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8 Jul 2019

Capacity and Waitlists at Infant Care Centres in Yishun

Dr. Lee Bee Wah asked about the capacity, waitlist numbers, wait times, and plans for infant care centres in Yishun.
The government confirmed there are 30 centres with 430 infant care places and about 100 parents on the waitlist, representing 2% of Yishun parents with infants.
Some centres have immediate vacancies or openings within six months, but wait times may be longer for specific centres.
The government plans to add six new centres and 130 more infant care places in Yishun by 2022, aligned with future housing developments.

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8 May 2019

Gender Breakdown of under-18 Party in Successful Applications for Special Marriage Licence in Last Five Years

Ms Anthea Ong asked for the gender breakdown of the under-18 party, average age gap, and number and percentage of civil marriages among successful Special Marriage Licence applications over the last five years.
Desmond Lee explained that a Special Marriage Licence is required for civil marriages where one party is under 18, involving assessments, parental consent, and marriage preparation for those under 21.
For Muslim marriages with a girl under 18, no Special Marriage Licence is needed, but a Kadi must assess the marriage's suitability before solemnisation.
The minister provided data on gender breakdown and average age gap for successful Special Marriage Licence applications from 2013 to 2017, but the exact figures were cut off in the provided transcript.
The response included the number of civil and Muslim marriages involving at least one party below 18, though specific percentages and full details were not fully presented in the excerpt.

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