SINGAPORE — Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat had to deliver his ministerial statement on the fifth set of Covid-19 Budget measures via broadcast rather than in Parliament as several government schemes to help workers and businesses are expiring soon, newly appointed Leader of the House Indranee Rajah said on Sunday (Aug 23).

Nevertheless, the measures will still be subject to parliamentary scrutiny, she added.

Ms Indranee, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Finance and National Development, gave this explanation as she said that she had received queries from members of the public as well as her colleagues.

"First, it was to give businesses and workers clarity on the Government’s plans to support them before the opening of Parliament," she said.

"Some of the measures are expiring soon. The Jobs Support Scheme’s coverage will end in August and many jobs are at stake if there is no clarity on the Government’s plan."

Secondly, Members of Parliament (MPs) and the public should be given enough time to consider the measures ahead of the opening of Parliament, similar to other Budget statements, she added.

Mr Heng, who is also Finance Minister, announced S$8 billion worth of support measures in his ministerial statement on Aug 17, in which he outlined how the Government will continue to support workers and businesses.

Among the measures are an extension to the Jobs Support Scheme for up to seven months until March 2021, as well as a S$1 billion programme to subsidise the salaries of new Singaporean hires for a year, subject to a cap. 

When there are significant Budget measures, the usual practice is to announce them ahead of time, Ms Indranee pointed out.

"This gives the MPs time to form their views on the plans. It also gives the public time to provide feedback to their MPs and the ministries. This is then debated in parliament," she said.

"That’s why the annual Budget Statement is delivered first and the Budget debate comes about a week later."

The 14th Parliament will open on Monday with several items on the agenda: The election of Mr Tan Chuan-Jin as Speaker of Parliament, the swearing in of MPs and the delivery of the President’s Address.

Thus, there is no opportunity for any ministerial statement at this sitting, Ms Indranee said.

The following Monday, MPs will debate on the President’s Address.

"If we deliver the Ministerial Statement on Aug 31 itself, MPs won’t have enough time to reflect on the measures before the debate," Ms Indranee said.

She added that the fifth set of measures will be funded by reallocating monies out the previously approved budgets. Some of the Government's plans in the earlier budgets have had to be deferred or re-prioritised due to Covid-19, Ms Indranee explained.

The Ministry of Finance had said earlier that the S$8 billion support measures are fully funded by lower government spending in other areas, such as civil servants not receiving a mid-year bonus this year.