Family & gender — Topics

7 Oct 2014

Restrictions for Enhanced Co-Funding for Assisted Reproduction Technology Treatment

Ms Lee Li Lian queried the rationale for capping the enhanced co-funding for Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) treatment at age 40 for women and asked for a review to include couples above 40.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong explained the cap is based on clinical evidence showing declining success rates after age 40 and the policy aims to encourage early treatment, with co-funding enhanced to 75% up to $6,300 per cycle under the 2013 Marriage and Parenthood Package.
The Minister stated the government will monitor clinical evidence and update eligibility criteria where appropriate, noting prior co-funding was only 50% capped at $3,000 per cycle for three fresh cycles.

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7 Oct 2014

Families Affected by Debts Owed to Licensed and Unlicensed Moneylenders

The Parliamentary Secretary noted that no specific statistics link divorces or suicides directly to debt problems from moneylenders, as these issues are complex and multifaceted, but acknowledged the impact of debt and highlighted support through Family Service Centres and a new toolkit for asset protection and legal guidance.
The Member raised concerns about the silent victims—family members of debtors—who often decline to seek help, emphasizing the need for better outreach to those suffering in silence.
The Parliamentary Secretary responded that while services are available, successful intervention requires both family members and debtors to step forward, and the government will continue a family-centric approach to minimize issues like divorces and suicides.

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7 Oct 2014

Age Requirement of Couples in Enhanced Lease Buyback Scheme

David Ong questioned why the Enhanced Lease Buyback Scheme requires both spouses to be at least 63 years old, arguing it penalizes couples with large age differences and asked for a review.
The Minister for National Development explained that the age requirement aligns with the CPF draw-down age to ensure participants can immediately receive monthly payouts under CPF LIFE after using the scheme's proceeds.
For households not meeting the age criterion, the Minister suggested alternative options such as subletting the flat, moving to a smaller flat, or buying a Studio Apartment with the Silver Housing Bonus.

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9 Sep 2014

Take-up Rates for Childcare and Paternity Leave Schemes in Civil Service

Seah Kian Peng questioned the Prime Minister about the relatively low take-up rates for childcare and paternity leave schemes among civil servants, citing specific percentages and asking for underlying causes.
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean responded that the public service supports work-life balance through various pro-family leave benefits and that officers use them on a needs basis, with a focus on availability rather than utilisation rates.
Seah followed up, emphasising the importance of fathers taking paternity leave and asking for underlying reasons for the low uptake, suggesting top-down encouragement for public officers to take leave.
Teo acknowledged Seah's points without providing additional details, and the debate was adjourned as Question Time ended.

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9 Sep 2014

Window Grilles for HDB Rental Flats

HDB does not provide window grilles as a standard feature in rental flats, but tenants may install their own, and HDB assists on a case-by-case basis for those unable to afford it or with safety concerns, especially for families with young children or medical conditions.
Approximately 74% of existing rental flats already have window grilles due to past upgrading, and about 15% of tenants are families with children under 12, with HDB offering grilles for deserving households since April 2014.
HDB reviewed the policy in 2007 and 2014, balancing safety needs with tenant feedback that grilles can feel restrictive, resulting in a targeted approach rather than universal provision.

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9 Sep 2014

Housing Grants for Married Children to Buy HDB Flats Near Parents

The Minister outlined six current schemes supporting families living near each other, including priority ballot schemes, multi-generation flats, and higher housing grants for resale flat buyers near parents or children.
A Member highlighted challenges in mature estates with limited space for new flats and asked if redevelopment could be done locally to avoid relocating elderly residents; the Minister acknowledged the difficulty but cited ongoing BTO launches and resale options.
Another Member suggested financial incentives for parents to move from mature estates to new towns; the Minister noted the high cost of such incentives and encouraged openness to new environments, while emphasizing continued efforts to meet family living aspirations.

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9 Sep 2014

Availability of Qualified Infant Care Personnel

The Ministry and ECDA are expanding infant care places and addressing manpower shortages through career fairs, traineeships, and flexible training schemes for mid-career entrants and stay-at-home mothers.
A new registration management system aims to clarify true demand by identifying duplicate queues, while targeted subsidies and better site planning are used to match supply with high-need areas like Yishun and Punggol.
The core challenge is recruiting qualified infant educarers, not a lack of physical places; the government is simplifying training, offering incentives, and creating flexible work arrangements to attract and retain talent.

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8 Sep 2014

Number and Profile of Stay-at-home Mothers

Irene Ng asked for statistics on stay-at-home mothers, their HDB flat types, average CPF savings at age 65, and poverty rates among elderly women and men.
Tan Chuan-Jin reported that about 312,000 women were economically inactive due to family responsibilities, with no data on their HDB flat types.
The average CPF balance for women who turned 65 in 2013 was $56,000, influenced by historical factors like lower wages and fewer women working.
Around half of women aged 65 and older were widows, and 35% of beneficiaries under the ComCare Long Term Assistance scheme were female.
The government emphasized that CPF balances alone do not reflect vulnerability, citing other resources and support schemes for the elderly.

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4 Aug 2014

Public Housing Options for Singapore Unmarried Parents below Age 35

David Ong inquired about public housing options for unmarried parents below age 35 with children and whether exemptions for HDB BTO or resale flats could be granted.
Khaw Boon Wan stated that these parents can apply to buy BTO flats together with their parents, and for independent living, HDB will consider appeals case by case in exceptional circumstances.
The debate highlighted limited housing options for young unmarried parents, with potential flexibility through appeals rather than fixed exemptions.
The government’s response emphasizes family involvement in housing applications and case-specific reviews rather than a blanket policy change.

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4 Aug 2014

Enhancement of CPF LIFE Payout to Help Widows

Foo Mee Har asked how CPF LIFE can be improved to provide retirement income for widows relying on their husbands' CPF LIFE annuities.
Tan Chuan-Jin explained that upon a member's death, unused CPF LIFE savings are refunded to beneficiaries and can be transferred to their accounts for retirement payouts.
The government encourages family support through CPF top-ups, tax reliefs, and schemes like the Silver Housing Bonus and Lease Buyback Scheme.
Widows without family support or resources can seek help through social safety nets such as ComCare.

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4 Aug 2014

Sale of HDB Flats to Unwed Mothers

Lim Biow Chuan questioned the Government’s stance on allowing unwed mothers with children to purchase HDB flats.
Khaw Boon Wan stated that unmarried parents with children can already apply to buy a BTO flat together with their parents.
Unwed mothers aged 35 or older can buy a resale flat from the open market and receive a housing grant.
They may also apply to purchase a 2-room BTO flat in a non-mature estate directly from HDB.

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4 Aug 2014

Take-up Rates in Civil Service for Family-friendly Benefits and Schemes

Seah Kian Peng requested specific take-up rates for part-time employment, childcare leave, and paternity leave across ministries and statutory boards, along with the top and bottom five performers for each indicator.
Teo Chee Hean, representing the Prime Minister, provided national figures: 1.7% of Division 1 officers and 0.6% of non-Division 1 officers were on part-time employment in 2013, with 72% and 48% using the six-day and extended childcare leave, respectively, and 78% using paternity leave.
He stated that comparing take-up rates across ministries and statutory boards is not meaningful due to differences in work nature and employee profiles.

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4 Aug 2014

Family Justice Bill

The Family Justice Bill establishes a new Family Justice Court system to centralise and specialistise the handling of family and juvenile cases, aiming to reduce acrimony and trauma in divorce proceedings while emphasising the best interests of the child.
The Bill introduces a judge-led approach, streamlined court processes, and new powers for courts to order mediation or counselling, but maintains existing divorce grounds and does not make divorces easier.
During the debate, concerns were raised about in-camera hearings potentially reducing public transparency, the cost implications of court-appointed assessors, and the need for better support for families, with the Minister clarifying that privacy aims to protect families and costs are managed to reduce overall expenses.

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8 Jul 2014

Preventing Abuse of HDB's Proximity Priority Schemes

The Ministry of National Development is holding Housing Conversations to gather public feedback on helping extended families live closer together, including the idea of giving absolute priority for proximity to parents.
Participants had mixed views, with some supporting absolute priority and others concerned it could create an "alumni effect" that disadvantages those without parents already in the estate.
A balanced approach being studied is to set a quota for proximity priority rather than absolute priority, similar to the Parenthood Priority Scheme, to encourage family closeness while keeping opportunities open for others.

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8 Jul 2014

Family Justice Bill

The Family Justice Bill was introduced to establish the constitutional framework, jurisdiction, and powers of the Family Justice Courts and to improve the administration of justice in family-related matters.
The bill also aims to make consequential and related amendments to other written laws to ensure consistency across the legal system.
It was presented by Senior Minister of State for Law Ms Indranee Rajah, read for the first time, and scheduled for a second reading in a future parliamentary sitting.

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7 Jul 2014

Singaporean Children Eligible for Child Development Account (CDA)

Ms Lee Li Lian asked for statistics on Singaporean children with Child Development Accounts (CDA) as of end-2013, including percentages of unopened accounts, under-maximum savings for first and second-borns, and fully utilised savings, as well as total funds spent on education, healthcare, and other uses.
Minister Chan Chun Sing responded that for the 2001-2005 birth cohorts, 3% of children lacked CDAs, while for 2006-2013 cohorts, 5% lacked them, with expectations of lower percentages over time due to the extended 12-year saving period.
He added that detailed figures on savings and usage are in tables, noting that as the saving period lengthens, the percentage of children with maximum savings and fully used accounts is expected to rise.
Chan Chun Sing stated that 85% of CDA funds were used for educational expenses like childcare and kindergarten fees, with the remainder for healthcare-related costs.
The response included references to specific tables (Table 1, Table 2, Table 3) for detailed breakdowns, but the core data on percentages and fund usage were provided in the speech.

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7 Jul 2014

Take-up Rate and Profile of Beneficiaries of Child Development Co-savings Scheme

Mr Yee Jenn Jong asked for data on the take-up rate and full co-matching of the Child Development Co-savings Scheme by housing type since 2001, and the reasons for differences, but the Ministry does not track this by housing or income level and instead focuses on supporting low-income families through community touchpoints and initiatives like the OCBC Starter Scheme.
The Minister highlighted challenges such as awareness and ability for lower-income families to participate, explaining that the scheme’s co-matching aims to encourage parental savings, with community efforts supplementing support but not replacing the core philosophy of shared responsibility.
Mr Yee proposed removing the co-matching requirement or using alternative incentives like higher interest rates to better assist low-income families, but the Minister maintained that the co-matching principle remains relevant to encourage family savings and that different policy tools are needed for different objectives.

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16 May 2014

Prime Minister's Office (National Population and Talent Division)

The National Population and Talent Division aims for a sustainable population with Singaporeans at its core, focusing on supporting seniors, marriages, parenthood, and integrating new citizens while managing foreign workforce growth.
The government will provide more opportunities and quality care for seniors to keep them active, support families through marriage and parenthood initiatives, and engage overseas Singaporeans to maintain their connection to Singapore.
New citizens and foreign spouses are welcomed to prevent population shrinking and improve age balance, with efforts to help them integrate into society while maintaining a balanced approach to foreign workforce growth.
Companies will receive help to raise productivity and restructure during the transition to slower foreign workforce growth, while ensuring Singaporeans are fairly considered for jobs and skills upgrading is supported.
The government will plan the city ahead of demand, promote mutual understanding between Singaporeans and foreigners, and review policies regularly to adapt to changing needs and environments for a distinctive home for future generations.

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16 May 2014

Ministry of Social and Family Development

The Ministry of Social and Family Development will build an integrated social service system by strengthening partnerships with community groups, VWOs, and government agencies to improve coordination and last-mile delivery.
MSF will complete the island-wide network of Social Service Offices and roll out the Social Service Net to enable seamless information sharing and case management for timely assistance.
The Ministry will enhance protections for vulnerable groups, including the elderly, persons with disabilities, and children, through early intervention, improved facilities, and a whole-of-government approach.
MSF will support families through the Family Matters! initiative by improving preschool accessibility and affordability, strengthening marriages, and providing support for couples considering divorce.
The Ministry will invest in expanding capacity and raising capabilities in the social service sector, including manpower development, professional training, and greater use of technology.

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14 Apr 2014

Availability of Student Care Places

Yee Jenn Jong asked how the Ministry tracks student care place availability and whether it will publish this as a key performance indicator in the Government's Budget Book.
Chan Chun Sing stated that MSF registers Student Care Centres and tracks availability to gauge demand and take-up rate.
MSF will consider making the information on available student care places more widely accessible for parents.

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