Parliamentary Questions from Er Dr Lee Bee Wah on 20 Feb 2017
1. To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
(a) whether there will be assistance for households who cannot cope with the forthcoming increase in the price of water;
(b) what is the current percentage of households that are consuming more water than the national average; and
(c) whether the Ministry has conducted a study on the water usage of non-residential facilities.
Answer
In the Budget, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat annnounced additional permanent U-Save rebates to help with the cost of water.
Figures from PUB on the average bill size after price increases and U-save rebates.
Minister Heng also announced other measures to help with the cost of living, like S&CC rebates, cash payments of up to $500 and tax relief.
2. To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
(a) how has the community volunteer scheme helped in reducing cases of littering in public;
(b) how many litter bugs booked last year have arisen from public tip-offs; and
(c) whether the reporting of litter bugs will be made easier for the public to assist NEA.
Answer
3. To ask the Minister for Health
(a) what has been the impact of the Government’s anti-smoking campaign over the past three years;
(b) how many smokers have given up smoking during this period;
(c) how has the campaign prevented young people from taking up the habit; and
(d) whether the Ministry has plans to increase the minimum age for buying cigarettes
4. To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
(a) what is the reason for the rise in littering resulting in more than 31,000 summons issued by NEA last year;
(b) whether any analysis been done to understand the underlying cause; and
(c) what is the Ministry doing to address this problem.
Answer
5. To ask the Minister for National Development
(a) how many bird-related complaints have been received in the past three years;
(b) what is being done to solve the problem of birds invading hawker centres to feed on leftover food; and
(c) what is the Ministry doing to curb the bird population in the heartland estates
Answer