Third Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for the Financial Year 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021

Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [Allotted Day].

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

7.46 pm

The Chairman: Third Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021, contained in Paper Cmd 3 of 2020.

I shall deal first with the Head of Expenditure in respect of which an amendment stands on the Order Paper Supplement. Head T, Ministry of National Development.

Head T – Ministry of National Development

The Chairman: Mr Leong Mun Wai.

Expenditure on COVID-19 Related Facilities

Mr Leong Mun Wai (Non-Constituency Member): Mr Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head T of the Estimates be reduced by $100".

With the number of COVID-19 infection cases declining, why is there a need to build more COVID-19-related quarantine and Stay Home Notice facilities? Following from that, what is the total expenditure on these facilities since the start of the COVID-19? And how much of that is attributable to the foreign workers?

Question proposed.

The Chairman: Minister of State Tan Kiat How.

The Minister of State for National Development (Mr Tan Kiat How): Mr Chairman, facilities, such as Community Care Facilities, Government Quarantine Facilities, Stay Home Notice Dedicated Facilities and temporary accommodation for migrant workers were set up at very short notice at the start of the COVID-19 crisis. These facilities played a critical role in breaking the infection cycle. At its peak, these facilities could house about 100,000 people. It was a tremendous undertaking by all parties involved.

While the number of cases in Singapore has since declined steadily, we are now taking careful steps to allow more social and economic activities to resume, and to re-open our borders. Therefore, in tandem, we have returned various facilities to their pre-COVID uses.

However, as shown by experiences elsewhere in the world, we cannot afford to let our guard down.

We must assess the risk of each step carefully and ensure that we have sufficient options and buffer capacity to meet various contingency scenarios, including a resurgence of cases. This has always been our approach – looking ahead and putting in place robust plans to deal with contingencies.

We have spent about $804 million to-date. The facilities that account for the largest share are hotels for use as GQFs and SDFs, state properties as temporary accommodation for migrant workers, and Singapore Expo for use as CCF. While we do not have the detailed breakdown of the expenditure attributable to migrant workers, we expect that they are likely to form a sizeable proportion, as migrant workers constitute the bulk of the infection cases in Singapore.

To conclude, to Mr Leong's questions, COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented public health crisis that has affected Singapore and the world.

We would like to express our gratitude to the many public officers and private sector partners that had worked tirelessly to set up various COVID-19 facilities at short notice. However, we cannot for a moment believe or assume that we are out of the woods. Therefore, we will continue to remain vigilant to guard against COVID-19 resurgence and ensure that we have the necessary COVID-related facilities in place while regularly adjusting the capacity based on the situation.

The Chairman: Mr Leong.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: Mr Chairman, I thank Minister of State Tan for the clarification. May I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The sum of $600,430,000 for Head T ordered to stand part of the Third Supplementary Main Estimates.

The Chairman: I shall now deal with the remaining heads of expenditure in respect of which no amendment stands on the Order Paper Supplement. In respect of the Third Supplementary Main Estimates, they are Heads V, W, X and Z. I propose to take those Heads of Expenditure en bloc.

Question, "That the sums stated for the Heads V, W, X and Z as shown on page 5 of Paper Cmd 3 of 2020 stand part of the Third Supplementary Main Estimates", put and agreed to.

Question, "That the sum of $4,377,469,000 shall be supplied to the Government under the Heads of Expenditure for the public services shown in the Third Supplementary Main Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021 contained in Paper Cmd 3 of 2020", put and agreed to.

The Chairman: Resolutions to be reported.

Thereupon Mr Speaker left the Chair of the Committee and took the Chair of the House.

Mr Speaker: Second Minister for Finance.

The Second Minister for Finance (Ms Indranee Rajah): Mr Speaker, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has come to certain resolutions.

Resolution reported –

"That the sum of $4,377,469,000 shall be supplied to the Government under the Heads of Expenditure for the public services shown in the Third Supplementary Main Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021 contained in Paper Cmd 3 of 2020."

Ms Indranee Rajah: Mr Speaker, I beg to move, "That Parliament doth agree with the Committee on the said resolution."

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolution accordingly agreed to.