Application Rates for Scheme that Exempts Persons with Disabilities from Paying COE Premiums and Additional Registration Fees for Vehicles

14 Mr Ong Hua Han asked the Minister for Social and Family Development regarding the Disabled Persons Scheme (DPS) which exempts eligible Singapore citizens with permanent disabilities from paying COE premiums and Additional Registration Fees when purchasing a vehicle (a) how many of such applications were received in 2023; (b) which three years had the highest number of applications since the launch of the scheme; (c) what is the number of applications received in each of those years; and (d) whether the DPS is still serving its purpose.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social and Family Development (Mr Eric Chua) (for the Minister for Social and Family Development): Mr Speaker, the Disabled Persons Scheme (DPS) is a means-tested scheme which exempts eligible Singapore Citizens with permanent disabilities who are unable to use public transport and require a vehicle to earn a living from paying premiums for the Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) and Additional Registration Fees (ARF) when they purchase a vehicle.

The number of applications for DPS has steadily declined from 93 in 2015 to 20 in 2023.

As we continue to push ahead with our efforts to make public transport accessible to all persons with disabilities, we will monitor the take-up of the scheme and review the need for DPS.

Mr Speaker: Mr Ong Hua Han.

Mr Ong Hua Han (Nominated Member): I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for his answer. I have a supplementary question. What is the Government's view on the tiered means-testing approach for DPS with proportionate COE and ARF reimbursements to support more in-need individuals?

Mr Eric Chua: I thank the Member for his supplementary question. The last review of DPS was actually conducted in 2017 and, in that exercise, we updated the income ceiling for the scheme so that we can keep up with the changes in per capita incomes of Singaporeans. And as I have mentioned in my main reply, what we commit to do is to make sure that we review DPS. I think it is timely as part of the larger transport ecosystem, so that it can make public transport more accessible to more and, if we can, all persons with disability.

Mr Speaker: Dr Tan Wu Meng.

Dr Tan Wu Meng (Jurong): I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for his answer. I had previously raised a Parliamentary Question on DPS and a supplementary question as well on the pace of reviews. Would the Ministry have an updated sense on whether the change in per capita household incomes (PCHIs), compared to the 2017, has resulted in a smaller proportion of potential applicants qualifying for DPS? Can there also be some additional closer looks at situations where a person with disabilities may themselves be a caregiver to young children because, in Clementi, we do have residents who have started families, are raising children and are, therefore, shouldering additional caregiver duties and responsibilities at home?

Mr Eric Chua: I thank the Member Dr Tan for his supplementary question. In my private exchanges with Member Mr Ong Hua Han, as well as other persons with disabilities and caregivers, I understand that DPS is a matter of concern to the community. But as I mentioned in my main reply, we do need the means-tested tiering to keep up with the PCHI of today's levels. And as I mentioned earlier in my supplementary reply to Mr Ong Hua Han, we are reviewing DPS. We understand that we need to keep the scheme relevant, but in the context of our more holistic review of the entire transport ecosystem for persons with disabilities and the caregivers. So, this is our commitment.