Indranee Rajah
Singapore
“Mr Speaker, I would like to make a clarification in relation to two written answers on childcare leave issued by the Prime Minister's Office on 25 September 2025 and 3 February 2026 in response to Parliamentary Questions filed by Members of Parliament Ms Cassandra Lee and Ms Valerie Lee respectively.”
“Based on Year of Assessment (YA) 2025 data, about 9,500 working mothers claimed a lower amount of Working Mother's Child Relief (WCMR) under the fixed-dollar basis than they would have under the previous percentage-based basis, for children born or adopted on or after 1 January 2024.”
“We regularly receive feedback on enhancing child-related leave provisions, including the Member's suggestion. In recent years, parental leave provisions have been significantly enhanced, such that parents now have 30 weeks of paid leave, including 10 weeks of Shared Parental Leave.”
“The Government does not have data on the number of transactions involving multiple units on a single residential title that have not been subdivided. Such properties are treated as a single property for Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) purposes when it is bought, so no ABSD is foregone.”
“The Government publishes data on personal income tax, which is publicly available on www.data.gov.sg. This includes data on the number of course fees relief claimants and the amount of the relief granted. The Member may refer to the website to access the data for the first three questions.”
“In considering the duration of leave, we will look at the need. In this case, as I have explained, there is a difference between those who give birth physically to a child and those who adopt.”
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“We share Mr Don Wee's concern of a compliance burden on legitimate businesses. Mr Yip Hon Weng already raised the issue of how we will ensure that compliance costs are manageable. I would like to assure the Members that our requirements strike a balance between building a robust regime to uphold our reputation as an attractive and trusted financial centre, while minimising the regulatory burden imposed on the industry. For example, the degree of checks required varies based on the assessed risk profile of the purchaser or client. The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and CEA had also consulted the industry and took their feedback into account when developing the requirements. Our consultation included major estate agents, industry associations that represent many small and mid-sized estate agents and developers. Stakeholders understood the need for the changes and were supportive. Mr Neil Parekh asked if the existing regime covers digital property platforms and cross-border transactions. Let me clarify, estate agents and salespersons who facilitate cross-border transactions by doing estate agency work in Singapore, wherein their clients purchase foreign properties will fall under the same compliance regime. Regarding digital property platforms, if an entity only publishes advertisements or disseminates information and does not perform work that constitutes estate agency work, it will not be subject to the requirements of the Estate Agents Act. Concerning developers, the Housing Developers (Control and Licensing) Act and Sale of Commercial Properties Act cover all developers regulated by URA, including cross-border transactions and transactions on digital property platforms by these developers.”
“The amendments to include proliferation financing will make clear that estate agents, salespersons and developers would also have to screen the necessary parties for proliferation financing risks against relevant designated or sanction lists, which they have already been doing as part of countering terrorism financing. For estate agents and salespersons specifically, the relevant content on the required due diligence measures is covered in the courses for new salespersons and continuing professional development courses for existing salespersons. To further support our estate agents and salespersons in meeting these obligations, we will be stepping up on training. For the next continuing professional development cycle, anti-money laundering, countering terrorism financing and countering proliferation financing continuing professional development courses will be made mandatory. This is part of our earlier announced initiative to enhance the continuing professional development framework for the real estate agency industry, by increasing the annual continuing professional development training requirement to 16 hours from the end of this year. CEA has also set out clear guidelines on how customer due diligence measures should be done, including providing indicators of potential high-risk or suspicious transactions. CEA will update its resource webpage to put out more comprehensive information. This webpage will also be updated regularly to factor in new threats or vulnerabilities that arise over time. To support smaller players, one of the industry associations in the real estate agency industry, namely the Singapore Estate Agents Association (SEAA), also provides subsidised access to commercial screening services, which its members can subscribe to.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the Members for their comments and their support for this Bill. Let me address the issues raised. Mr Yip Hon Weng and Mr Vikram Nair asked how this Bill improves the detection of real estate transactions linked to illicit funds and whether the additional obligations are necessary. Today, licensed estate agents, registered salespersons and developers are mandated to perform a robust set of customer due diligence measures on the clients they represent or purchasers. However, a buyer or seller who is unrepresented by an estate agent or salesperson may not be covered by such due diligence measures. Through this Bill, we are requiring estate agents and salespersons to conduct due diligence measures on unrepresented counterparties, so that both parties in a property transaction are subject to robust checks. This will strengthen our regulatory and governance framework, and help to ensure more timely detection and prevention of illicit activities within the real estate sector. Mr Don Wee, Mr Neil Parekh and Mr Yip Hon Weng asked how we will support the real estate sector in meeting these requirements, especially salespersons and smaller estate agents. Mr Neil Parekh also asked how estate agents, salespersons and developers can better monitor transactions that may be related to proliferation financing. I would like to clarify that the required due diligence measures are not new. All estate agents, salespersons and developers are familiar with how these checks should be done, as they are already required to conduct such measures on their own clients or purchasers.”
“This is the highest volume and the longest duration compared to any previous term. Mr Speaker, you have had to spend long hours in the Chair, listening to many speeches. On behalf of this House, I would like to thank you for presiding over the proceedings with fairness, professionalism and patience. We are also very grateful to the Clerk of Parliament, Deputy Clerk and the other Assistant Clerks of Parliament, the Parliament Secretariat and staff, interpreters and translators, all of whom have been working tirelessly over the past fortnight to ensure that the proceedings went smoothly. Thank you very much. [Applause.] 6.34 pm”
“When we first set out on our journey as a nation in 1965, no one would have thought we would achieve such outcomes. We did not get to this point by accident or luck, but through careful long-term planning, building on the trust and cooperation between Singaporeans and the Government. These are also the result of Budgets past and present, which have resourced and funded the policies that have enabled us to achieve these outcomes. When we look back through the lens of each Budget, what we see is that this House has, by its approval of the successive Budgets in this term, steadfastly steered Singapore through uncharted and choppy waters with decisiveness, agility and forward planning. We spent about $80 billion on the pandemic response, of which about half, or $40 billion, was drawn from Past Reserves. We were able to decisively deploy these resources and come through without burdening future generations with debt, in contrast to many other countries that are still trying to find ways to lower their debt-to-GDP ratios, having accumulated significant debt in the COVID-19 years that exceeded the peaks after the Second World War. We are not in that position, thanks to the reserves, and to a prudent fiscal policy endorsed by the majority of this House. This has enabled us to meet our spending needs, which have been growing year by year. Minutes ago, we just passed a $143 billion Budget, the largest of this term. On this note, I would like to thank all Members for their active participation and contributions to our Budget debate and the COS. Over the past five years, the COS has worked extra hard. This term, we had an average of over 600 cuts filed for each COS, with an average of seven hours and 45 minutes of debates per sitting day across each Budget and COS season.”
“With the resources afforded under Budgets 2024 and 2025, we will be able to help Singaporeans with cost-of-living pressures; transform our economy and our enterprise ecosystem; push ahead with the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2.0; press on with our green transition and secure clean energy; make public housing more affordable, accessible and inclusive with more options for singles and seniors; deepen our human capital through all stages of life; help Singaporeans bounce back from setbacks and strengthen support for mental health; provide more support for seniors, lower-income groups and persons with disabilities; build a Singapore Made for Families; boost our sports and arts sectors; and rejuvenate our city. Budgets 2024 and 2025 are enabling us to make important changes that will reshape Singapore in profound ways, while simultaneously providing ballast and stability in the current turbulent times. This year is our 60th year of Independence, or SG60, and we are fortunate that we have surplus to share with all Singaporeans. As we commemorate this occasion, we can take quiet pride in how far we have come through the efforts of past and present generations of Singaporeans. We were recently named the world's most innovative country out of over 70 countries on the Global Innovation Scorecard. Our Gini co-efficient, after accounting for Government taxes and transfers, is at its lowest in two decades. We continue to retain top spots globally in home ownership, the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) scores, healthy life expectancies and other important metrics. The Singapore passport is consistently ranked among the most powerful, with our little red book having access to the highest number of other countries in the world.”
“And we committed to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and backed this up with policy measures, including raising carbon taxes. Support for these Budgets was not unanimous. The Workers’ Party and the Progress Singapore Party did not support Budget 2022 as it included the GST increase. In 2023, the Progress Singapore Party put forward an alternative Budget. The Opposition acknowledged the need for increased expenditure going forward but contended we could raise revenue in other ways. However, their alternative proposals were not agreed to as they would have involved a draw on Past Reserves or would not have raised sufficient revenues to close the gap. Budgets 2022 and 2023 enabled us to chart a steady course despite competing pressures in a challenging macroeconomic environment. However, it was also clear that we were on the cusp of a new era and faced a corresponding need to make major changes to suit changing times and a changing population – to redefine the new Singapore Dream and refresh our social compact. Hence, in June 2022, we embarked on the Forward Singapore exercise. We engaged over 200,000 Singaporeans and distilled the findings in a report published in October 2023. This brings us to Chapter Three, or "Onward Together". For this, there is no movie. It is a production directed and written by Singaporeans themselves, and much of the action took place in this Chamber. The Budgets of 2024 and 2025 are about breathing life into the ideas co-created with Singaporeans under Forward Singapore and putting into motion our plans for a better and brighter tomorrow.”
“We were confronted with the twin challenges of having to take care of Singaporeans’ immediate concerns in the new inflationary environment not seen since the Global Financial Crisis in 2008 while, at the same time, having to chart a new way forward for the longer term. So, Chapter Two is the story of Budgets 2022 to 2023, where we had to make tough choices and tread a path between two equally difficult challenges, much like Odysseus navigating the sea passage between Scylla and Charybdis in "The Odyssey". This is a movie too, but it is not out yet. It is coming out next year, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Matt Damon. These Budgets also saw intense debate in which the fundamental principles underpinning our fiscal policy were challenged, debated and ultimately upheld by the majority. Under the Budgets of 2022 and 2023, we made the difficult decision to raise the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to ensure sufficient revenue to meet projected rising healthcare costs in light of a rapidly ageing population over the long term. However, we also introduced the Assurance Package to cushion Singaporeans, especially the lower- and middle- income, against the GST increase and later enhanced it several times, from the initial $6 billion to over $10 billion eventually, to buffer against inflation. Support was given in the form of cash, Community Development Council Vouchers (CDC Vouchers), U-Save, and service and conservancy charges rebates, and more. We expanded the Progressive Wage Scheme and introduced the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme. We launched Healthier SG to empower people to take charge of their health early with a view to better health over their lifetimes. We introduced the Enterprise Innovation Scheme to encourage firms to innovate and transform.”
“The Budgets of this period also gave us the fiscal firepower to be agile and adaptive throughout that unpredictable and volatile period, including: quick responses when new and more virulent strains of the virus appeared; the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package for fresh graduates and mid-career workers; financing schemes to help firms, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with cash flow; sector-specific schemes to boost hard-hit sectors like aviation, tourism and our taxi and private hire car drivers; and pivoting from the Jobs Support Scheme to the Jobs Growth Incentive scheme when the worst of the pandemic was over, to encourage hiring in key growth sectors. The financial assurance provided by the Budgets of 2020 and 2021 gave us the confidence to think beyond the immediate problems at hand and plan ahead, leading to the setting up of the Emerging Stronger Taskforce to identify key shifts arising from COVID-19 and make recommendations for Singapore’s economic strategies. Through these Budgets, we were able to fulfil the promise to protect our lives, our jobs and our future. The next chapter begins in 2022. We had emerged from darkness, a bit bruised and battered, but generally safe and ready to embark on our plans for re-opening and recovery, when we ran straight into global troubles. Six days after this House passed Budget 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. The shock effects were immediate and widespread, rippling through the international order and the world economy. Global inflation spiked, energy and food prices went up, central banks ratcheted up interest rates – all leading to higher costs for businesses and investments.”
“Sir, the story can be told in three chapters. The title of Chapter One is “Into Darkness”, covering the years 2020 to 2021. It begins, as all good stories do, with the people involved being confronted with danger and overwhelming odds and where the outcome is, by no means, clear. And if the title sounds familiar, that is because it is. It is respectfully borrowed from one of the movies of the rebooted Star Trek series, as it was so apt. We started the 14th Parliament in August 2020, six months into the thick of the pandemic. Things were dark and bleak at that time. We were still not fully out of lockdown. We did not yet have vaccines. The economy shrank. The outlook was uncertain. We hit the ground running and deployed the necessary fiscal resources to combat this crisis. We passed four Budgets in this time, building on the four at the end of the previous term – the Unity, Resilience, Solidarity and Fortitude Budgets. The Budgets of 2020 to 2021 enabled us to mount a strong public health response, secure early access to vaccines and protect both lives and livelihoods. Because of interventions resourced by these Budgets, we achieved one of the lowest overall case fatality rates and one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, without overwhelming our healthcare system. We saved 165,000 jobs through the Jobs Support Scheme and supported self-employed persons through the Self-Employed Persons Income Relief Scheme. We provided household support measures to help families, with additional support for lower-income groups, through the Care and Support Package. We were able to keep our air and sea ports open, and ensure an uninterrupted flow of critical supplies.”
“Mr Speaker, it is customary, at the end of every Committee of Supply (COS), for the Leader of the House to deliver a speech in acknowledgement to the Chair. Sir, as everyone knows, a General Election must be called sometime this year by November. Budget 2025 is thus the last Budget of this term of government – at least, if all goes according to plan. Whilst every term of government has its fair share of ups and downs, this term was, in comparison, more like a roller coaster. We had to battle the crisis of a generation, then adjust to a changed post-pandemic world. We barely had time to catch our breath before we had to grapple with the impact of wars in Europe and the Middle East, and while all this was going on, we simultaneously had to work on sharpening our competitive edge, refreshing our social compact and positioning ourselves for the future. So much has happened that I thought it would be appropriate to do a look back and consider what this House has – by approving the unprecedented number of Budgets brought before it – enabled us to achieve in this 14th Parliament. To help Members remember as we travel back through time, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) has prepared a handout featuring the Budgets that we have passed over these past few years. With your permission, Mr Speaker, may I ask the Clerks to distribute the handout to Members? Members can also get it on the MP@SGPARL App.”
“Mr Speaker, I move, "That the Bill be now read a Third time." [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]”
“Mr Speaker, I move, "That the Bill be now read a Third time." [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]”
“Mr Speaker, I beg to move, "That Parliament doth agree with the Committee on the said resolutions." [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Resolutions accordingly agreed to. (proc text)]”
“Mr Speaker, I move, "That, notwithstanding Standing Order 91(2), the Ministerial Statement on Review into the Public Disclosure of Full NRIC Numbers on Bizfile People Search be taken before the resumption of proceedings on the Estimates of Expenditure for FY2025/2026 at this day's Sitting". Supply business ordinarily takes precedence over Ministerial Statements. However, the Ministerial Statement is on a matter of some importance and it would be more efficient for the disposal of Parliamentary Business for the Ministerial Statement to be taken before the resumption of the debate on the Committee of Supply. Members will have sufficient time to seek clarifications from Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, who will deliver the Ministerial Statement. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Resolved, (proc text)] [(proc text) That, notwithstanding Standing Order 91(2), the Ministerial Statement on "Review into the Public Disclosure of Full NRIC Numbers on Bizfile People Search" be taken before the resumption of proceedings on the Estimates of Expenditure for FY2025/2026 at this day's Sitting. – [Ms Indranee Rajah] (proc text)]”
“Second, it will support adoption of advanced technologies, including robotics and automation. Third, it supports the building of firms' manpower capabilities, such as in innovative sourcing methods, job redesign and specialised training. These examples are not exhaustive. We are open to considering other relevant initiatives that align with the ITM and which would contribute to the sector's overall transformation.”
“Mr Chairman, before I respond to those clarifications, I just need to make one small correction with regard to my speech, where I had earlier said that the date of when Mr Muhammad Khalil had started his career as a draughtsman in 2025. The correct date should actually be 2005. Coming to the clarifications as sought by Mr Henry Kwek. On the first one about the consultants being responsible for contractual liabilities, the task force acknowledges the industry's concerns about the balance of risk between service buyers and the BE consultants, and how being held responsible for excessive liabilities may impact the consultant's business sustainability. And consequently, the attractiveness of the BE careers. So, what we are doing in the task force, and what the review will do, is look at ways to better scope consultants' liabilities to be fairer. One area being studied is the use of limitation of liability clauses, which will enable consultants to procure professional indemnity insurance (PII) coverage to manage liabilities that may arise. For service buyers, having their consultants sufficiently insured by PII would give assurance on the consultant's ability to compensate them should there be a need to do so. And at the sectoral level, having sufficient PII coverage will also allow for more efficient risk sharing, thereby strengthening the sustainability of our BE professions. With respect to the other question on the details of the BETC grant, the BETC grant supports initiatives in three key areas: first, enterprise; second, technology; and third, manpower. So, it supports enhancement of enterprise capabilities, such as in adopting lean construction practices and collaborative contracting.”
“Mr Speaker, I report that the Committee of Supply has made progress on the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 2025/2026 and ask leave to sit again tomorrow.”
“And with respect to the last question, when she raised the issue of the deal being aborted and what the response was, this is a classic example of a question that should not be directed to me. That should instead go to Minister Edwin Tong. So, if the Member has any clarifications on that, that is something to be directed to Minister Edwin Tong. 12.02 pm [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $47,784,400 for Head F ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $13,746,000 for Head F ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, a very quick response. The first point that Ms Lim made was that because of the Standing Orders, which says that if a question has been answered fully, then you cannot bring it again. But that is the point, because if the MP felt that this was supposed to have been addressed to another Ministry, it must follow that it was not answered fully, so then they can direct it to the other Ministry. An hon Member: [Inaudible.]”
“In the situation that Ms Lim describes, where the question is redirected and the Member feels that it should not be because the underlying intent was to ask the other Ministry something, the Member is always free to reach out to the relevant Minister and explain that. Actually, usually what happens is, when we get a PQ that is not very clear, the Ministries or either the Senior Parliamentary Secretary or the Minister of State will reach out to the MP to ask, "What exactly are you asking here?" There have been cases where we have had to do that because the intent of the PQ is not clear. It does not happen all the time, but, sometimes, when the question is ambiguously worded, we do. In that instance, once we ascertain from the MP, what the real intent is, we can then decide whether to leave it with one Ministry or redirect it to another. 12.00 pm But on the face of it, questions ought to be clear if they are properly drafted. And if it is clear and it appears to us that this falls under the purview of a particular agency or Ministry, we will redirect it accordingly. Like I said, it is not as though the MP has no chance to come back and file a clearer PQ directed at the Ministry or agency that the Member wants. So, the MPs are not shut out.”
“On the PCMR, I am not sure that the PCMR is set up as a check on the legislature. It is set up as a check to ensure that minority rights are addressed or thought about. Whether you appoint members or whether they are permanent members, the point is that, they have something valuable to contribute. So, I do not see the objection to having permanent members. Then the second point on the legislative process and the Insurance (Amendment) Bill, I do take Miss Lim's point that, in the normal case, it would go to a Select Committee. But the Standing Orders also do provide that in an urgent case, that it need not go to a Select Committee. In other words, when the Standing Orders were designed, this was thought about. And you do anticipate that there may be such situations that are urgent. Because when we go to a Select Committee, it takes time. And in this particular instance, given that there were concerns with the market, as I have explained, there was urgency to do it. And that is why a Certificate of Urgency was brought. So, in other words, it is not that every day we have Certificates of Urgency. In this particular instance, there was a need to do it quickly. And that was already explained by Minister Edwin Tong, so it is unnecessary for me to go into that in detail. Then, on the last one about redirection, I think we would not want to put in place a process that for every single question that is filed, you have to go back to an MP and check what their underlying intent was. I mean, really, MPs, when they file their questions, should make their questions clear.”
“And it is important to remember, sometimes, that there are Bills which were passed, legislative provisions that were made because of a certain historical context. Therefore, having people who remember that context, who remember the original situation in which a certain legislative provision was provided or certain reasons why we did not put in legislative provisions, that is valuable and that is useful. So, I cannot see any objection to the composition of the PCMR in the terms suggested by Ms Lim.”
“The purpose of the Bill was to allow the Minister in-charge of MAS to impose conditions on an approval of an application to obtain effective control or become a substantial shareholder of a licensed insurer where a co-operative is concerned. This was necessary because the proposed deal by Allianz was under active consideration by NTUC Income shareholders at the time. A long duration between the First Reading and the Second Reading of the Bill, and thus, a delay in the amended law taking effect, would have given rise to even more uncertainty in the market and for the parties concerned. Minister Edwin Tong had explained this context in his Ministerial Statement when the Bill was introduced. Sir, we will always respect and uphold due process in this House to ensure fairness and maintain trust in our institutions. But from time to time, there may be exceptional circumstances, such as in the case of the Allianz Bill, that call for us to be an agile legislature so that we can best serve Singaporeans. Measures, such as Certificates of Urgency, have been and will continue to be used sparingly and only when necessary. I come now to the last point which Ms Lim raised, which I understand, really, to be an objection to the fact that the PCMR has certain permanent members. Sir, there is value in having members who have long experience. There is value in having members who are also members of Cabinet because they provide a certain perspective. There are other members, of course, who come in, and those members may change or provide other perspectives. But what we try to do, particularly with minority rights, is to have a wide spectrum and a wide range.”
“Then, the second thing on the reputation of Parliament, let me just say at the outset that actually just bringing a Bill quickly on a Certificate of Urgency is not the most important consideration when it comes to reputation of Parliament. The reputation of Parliament, what is most important is that MPs conduct themselves with the highest standards of conduct, with integrity, do not mislead people outside as to what happened in Parliament and also speak the truth to Parliament and its Committees. Let me deal with the specific instance that Ms Lim raised. The issue that Ms Lim raised was Bills which are presented on an urgent basis. Our system ensures that Members do have sufficient time to review the Bills and to debate them robustly in this House. Bills are introduced at prior Sittings and as a general rule, there must be 10 clear days between the First and the Second Readings of a Bill. Hence, MPs generally have about a month to go through each Bill, which forms the basis of the Minister's Second Reading speech. However, there may be situations where it is necessary for a Bill to be brought for Second Reading at short notice. Hence, our system also allows for a Bill to be presented under a Certificate of Urgency on the rare occasions when there is a need to do so. On the Bills that were presented under Certificates of Urgency during this term of Government, there was the COVID-19 Temporary Measures Bill and the three amendment Bills thereafter, as well as the other COVID-19-related Bills. Then we had the one that Ms Lim talked about, which was the Insurance (Amendment) Bill in October 2024.”
“It is not really for the MP to decide who has the relevant knowledge. It is for the Government, looking at the question, to determine who amongst us, who amongst the agencies and the Ministries is the one responsible or has the knowledge or is in the best position to respond. What is truly important, at the end of the day, is that the question is responded to. And that, effectively, is what is done. Because no matter who the question is redirected to, which agency or which Ministry, there will be an answer provided. And if, at the end of the day, the answer from the Minister or Ministry is not sufficient, the MPs do have the opportunity to come back and to ask further questions in another PQ or on another occasion. I think in the example that Ms Lim cited of the Leader of the Opposition's (LO's) PQ that was filed, addressed to the Ministry of Transport (MOT), asking for LTA's assessment. My understanding is that, the bus decision, in this particular case, was made by the People's Association (PA), not MOT or LTA. And it was, therefore, not for MOT to explain why the shuttle bus was launched, because that was a scheme done under PA. And PA is a statutory board that comes under MCCY. That is why the Minister for MCCY responded to that. That said, I believe the Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat did rise to clarify a point from LO as he had asked with respect to the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme, and that comes under MOT. So, because that one came under MOT, the Minister for Transport responded to that. So, that deals with the first issue, which is on redirection.”
“Mr Chairman, I thank the Member for her cut. She had three points. One, on the way Question Time was managed, but essentially, that cut was really focused on redirection of questions; the second, was on the reputation of Parliament, but essentially, that focused, I think, more on Bills brought on an urgent basis, and Certificate of Urgency in the specific context of the NTUC-Allianz Bill; and the third, was on the PCMR, which actually does not quite fall into the gist of the cut that was filed, because it says, "Question time and the legislative process need to be safeguarded and strengthened". And I am afraid there was not sufficient indication that PCMR was going to be part of that. But nevertheless, I will address the question as it has been presented and if there are any further details that are needed or if the Member thinks is not fully addressed, the Member can let me know. So, let me deal first with redirection. At the at the end of the day, what is the purpose of PQs? The purpose of PQs is so that Members can ask questions about things and the Ministers can reply. It is really for the Government to assess and determine who would be in the best position to respond to the questions. And in some cases, MPs actually do address the question to the wrong Ministry. For example, MOF frequently gets PQs on the MAS. MAS reports to the PMO, not to MOF. So, essentially, when the PQs come in, Parliament will look at that and they will send it to the Ministry that is named. And the Ministry that is named will have to look to see whether this is under the Ministry's purview or whether another Ministry is best-placed or is the policy owner or has the carriage of the operational aspects. So, that is something you should leave to the Government to determine.”
“If there are instances of specific hardship, they can write in and appeal. The Ministry of National Development and HDB will consider on the merits. But the broad general policy principle which I have outlined does remain the principle underpinning the policy.”
“That said, the suggestion of using CHAS is fair enough, because, as I think Mr Chua knows, when the CDC Vouchers were originally introduced, they were pegged to CHAS as a means of targeting those who had less. But because the pain on the ground at that time was quite a lot, we wanted to help everybody and hence, CDC Vouchers were made universal. But that does not take away from the fact that we have targeted schemes. And it also does not preclude the fact that perhaps for CHAS, we can also leverage that to see how we can triangulate better.”
“Mr Chairman, I thank Mr Chua for his clarification. There is perhaps not that much difference really in what we are looking at. Mr Chua's point is that different people have different incomes, so you should give more to those who have less. I think that is the point, and that has consistently been the Government's position. I do not understand Mr Chua to be saying, do not give the others anything, right? So, that too, is common ground, because Mr Chua is not saying, "do not give the middle-income" and "do not give the higher-income". At least, I understand that to be the case. So, if those are the two positions, then, when you look at it, that is what we are doing, because for the targeted assistance which we do have, you have the entire Assurance Package and you have GST Vouchers. So, the GST Vouchers, the lower-income households get more and the seniors get more; the middle-income will get, but not as much. Then, we give retirees Silver Support over and above right. And then, even for the U-Save utilities, the rental flats get more. So, you can see that we have a slew of programmes which are targeted. But at the same time, everybody is feeling the pain of cost of living. PAP Members have spoken about it. Mr Dennis Tan spoke about it in the Cost-of-living Motion. He highlighted the middle-income. Yesterday, Mr Faisal Manap talked about the middle-income. Today, in clarification, the Leader of the Opposition also highlighted middle-income. And even the higher-income is saying they feel that things are more expensive. So, it is necessary to also have something for everyone, because we empathise with how they feel. And therefore, you will have some things which are broad-based, like the CDC Vouchers. Essentially, we want to have both.”
“Mr Chairman, I think what I said was that the fair market value for land intended for public housing is typically lower than the fair market value of land for private housing, because by its nature, public housing has restrictions. So, I think, what Mr Singh is asking is "what is the methodology or the workings of the CV?" I am not privy to the workings of the CV. What I can say is the principles that she applies, which is the principles that I had elucidated earlier. I mean, it is just like when you have an MRT track. If you ask the engineer to design the rail track or you ask an architect to build something, you do not go and ask them for all of their internal drawings and so on. You look at the final outcome. The CV is a professional. The CV applies valuation principles. Valuation, as everybody knows, is part science, part art. You need some experience, you need to make relevant adjustments. And this is the same whether it is the CV or whether it is valuers in the private sector. So, in short, what I have explained is the principles that she would apply and from site to site, it may differ, depending on locational attributes and particular characteristics of the site.”
“If one looks at the system of government subsidies and transfers as a whole, you will see that the Government has put in place a progressive system that provides more for those with less. The Prime Minister just showed earlier a chart in his round-up speech a couple of hours ago where, in short, everyone benefits from government spending, but the lower-income and the vulnerable receive more. I will now turn to the Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh's cut. Mr Singh wanted to know why there is no information available to the public about land prices for HDB flats, similar to the 118-zone Land Betterment Charge (LBC) Table of Rates, and how the Chief Valuer (CV) assesses the value of land purchased by HDB to build flats.”
“It initially started out as a small scheme for the lower-income, but recognising these cost pressures on all households, something which has been echoed in this Chamber by many Workers' Party speakers, the Government extended it to all households. This is not to say, however, that we do not have other schemes which are targeted. I note Mr Chua called to redesign a scheme, although it is not clear whether this is in addition to CDC Vouchers or not, to provide more targeted support for daily necessities. He referenced the Blue and Orange CHAS cards as a way of triaging or indicating who would be eligible. I see that Mr Chua has drawn inspiration from the CHAS Blue and Orange cardholders' scheme that NTUC FairPrice has launched and which takes effect, I think, in the first quarter of 2025. The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) is doing that. But the fact of the matter is that the Government already has in place a comprehensive system of targeted support in which the lower-income receives much more. Under the enhanced Assurance Package and the permanent GST Voucher Scheme, households with less means can get more cash transfers as well as larger rebates for utilities, and service and conservancy charges. On top of these, the Prime Minister increased the rates for ComCare assistance schemes in this Budget to better support lower-income and vulnerable families with basic living expenses. We also recently enhanced Workfare and Silver Support to provide targeted structural support to vulnerable groups. These include lower-wage workers and seniors with low incomes in their working years who now have less savings in retirement.”
“The product has tested well and the team is planning to scale up its deployment. To support more such partnerships, Tote Board has committed a further $23 million to the ELI Grant until FY2028. Third, we are strengthening impact measurement capabilities across the non-profit ecosystem to maximise the social impact of our grants. Tote Board will onboard all new projects onto its Impact Measurement Framework by the end of FY2025. Tote Board is also collaborating with the National Council of Social Service to set up a data hub to help the social sector move towards evidence-based interventions. The data hub will gather impact evaluation data and provide common standards that more than 500 social service agencies, funders and the Government can use to measure outcomes. These efforts will allow Tote Board, as a grant-maker, to optimise resource allocation and spur the social sector towards greater effectiveness. I come now to Mr Louis Chua's cut. It still was not quite clear to me whether he was saying to do away with the CDC Vouchers or not. In the original gist of the cut, he suggested that it should only be limited to the lower-income, but when I sought clarification, it was not quite clear. I will just take it at face value. First, many Singaporeans remain anxious about cost-of-living pressures. Such concerns and anxieties are not limited to lower-income households. Recognising this, the Government intentionally designed the CDC Vouchers Scheme as a broad-based measure to provide support and assurance for all Singaporean households.”
“30 pm Through tax incentives, we encourage and support corporate philanthropy and allow businesses to contribute based on their own corporate values and business models. Requiring profitable companies to contribute a certain percentage of profits to corporate social responsibility would take the decision and initiative out of the hands of corporates and be contrary to the spirit of philanthropy. We also provide donation-matching grant schemes, such as Tote Board's Enhanced Fund-Raising Programme (EFR), to amplify the impact of donations. During the pandemic, we raised matching support under the EFR from 20% to 100% to galvanise community giving. As the Prime Minister announced at Budget 2025, the Government and Tote Board will provide an extension of dollar-for-dollar matching for FY2025 in support of SG60. This enhanced support will gradually taper, reverting to pre-COVID-19 levels in FY2027. Through the EFR, SG Gives and other initiatives, the Government and Tote Board will set aside more than $600 million in matching funds to strengthen our spirit of giving. As we celebrate SG60, I hope Singaporeans will reflect on how far we have come together and donate generously. Second, the Tote Board will allocate resources to support collaborations amongst Singaporeans who use their time and talent to uplift the vulnerable. The Tote Board's Enabling Lives Initiative (ELI) Grant supports community partnerships that benefit persons with disabilities. Recently, a team of researchers, engineers, physiotherapists and social workers used the ELI grant to develop a device that translates minute finger movements into software controls. It enables persons with muscular dystrophy to use smart devices even in advanced stages of their condition.”
“The Government will be introducing mandatory climate-related disclosures in a phased approach. To help companies ease into the new reporting requirements, they can tap the Sustainability Reporting Grant and the SME Sustainability Reporting Programme to kickstart their journey. ACRA is also taking steps to grow sustainability reporting and assurance capabilities in Singapore, and build a robust pipeline of professionals in this area. This will also create more good job opportunities for Singaporeans. Ms Foo Mee Har and Mr Louis Chua spoke about the need for a strong social compact. Indeed, Forward SG was an exercise in refreshing our social compact. The insights gained from the exercise have found their way into many of the measures in the Budget. In his Budget speech, Prime Minister spoke about how the Government is fostering a more caring and inclusive society, one where every Singaporean feels valued and supported. Inclusivity cannot be created through government policy interventions alone. It needs the collective effort of all of society. We will spur collective efforts in three ways. First, we will continue to encourage individuals and businesses to give back to society. We offer 250% tax deductions on qualifying donations made by individuals and corporates. Under the Corporate Volunteer Scheme, corporates can also receive 250% tax deductions on wages and qualifying expenses when employees volunteer, provide services, or are seconded to Institutions of Public Character. Ms Foo suggested going further to encourage corporate giving, taking inspiration from India's 2% mandatory corporate social responsibility spending law. We agree with the intent of Ms Foo's suggestion, which is to encourage corporates to contribute. However, we are doing so in a different way. 6.”
“Mr Chairman, I am not sure that exactly answered my question but that is alright. I will deal with it when I come to the reply. Mr Chairman, Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked what MOF agencies are doing to help prepare Singapore for climate change and environmental sustainability. Singapore is a low-lying island state. It is in our interest to support global efforts to deal with climate change. We have committed to a target of net zero emissions by 2050. This is not a light undertaking and requires a whole-of-nation effort. MOF is committed to doing our part. Last month, MOF published an occasional paper explaining how sustainability considerations are factored into various stages of the Government's budgeting cycle. This includes a commitment of over $10 billion in the decade leading up to FY2030 to support the Singapore Green Plan. We have developed new fiscal tools, like green bonds under the Significant Infrastructure Government Loan Act, to catalyse our green financing market and support our longer-term spending needs for environmental sustainability. MOF has also established the Singapore Green Bond Framework, the second edition of which was released last month. We are also incorporating sustainability considerations into government procurement. Environmental sustainability considerations are already incorporated into over 60% of government procurement by contract value. We aim to extend this to all government procurement by 2028, in a manner that keeps pace with industry readiness and international developments. Participating in green government procurement is an opportunity for our businesses to build the track record to meet demands of buyers, investors and consumers who are seeking greener goods and services.”
“Yes, Mr Chairman, that is what I am trying to ascertain. So, is Mr Chua saying, stop the CDC Vouchers and then move over completely to this new scheme? Or is Mr Chua saying, keep CDC Vouchers in its present form and then, in addition, have this new scheme.”
“Mdm Chairperson, I appreciate the sentiment and I genuinely wish that it was so easy. Because we could set the target. I could go and tell every newly-married woman, "I expect one child from you" or "Give me another child". Or if you work it out, it will end up like 2.5 children or something like that. But they also have their concerns and they have their needs, they have their worries and they have aspirations. So, what we have tried to do is to approach it from the viewpoint of, "What are your concerns?" Your concerns are cost, your concerns are time, your concerns are housing, your concerns are work-life balance. Let us see how we can address each of these concerns, whether it is through enhanced Baby Bonus; enhanced CDA; or with housing, apart from ramping up, also the new classification framework; the Tripartite Guidelines on FWAs. Each one of these things step-by-step. And then asking everybody to come on board – corporates, employers – to make Singapore more conducive. Then, I think, if we send out a general call and we say, "Please have more children", then at least they feel a lot more assured in having children rather than just assigning them. It is not like a homework assignment to have a baby.”
“Mdm Chairperson, in the course of work in the Prime Minister's Office as well as in Forward SG, there have been ongoing consultations. I think there is no doubt that if you ask parents, they would definitely like to have more childcare leave. It is when you speak to the employers that they have some concerns, not because they do not want to give childcare leave, but they are also grappling with the Tripartite Guidelines on FWA Requests, as well as the new Shared Parental Leave that we have also asked them to accommodate. 4.30 pm So, I think, let them have some time to work through the Shared Parental Leave and the FWAs and it is not that additional childcare leave is a never, but it is really more a question of letting the employers and the businesses adjust and arrive at some equilibrium, before we start adding on to the things that they need to do.”
“Ms Carrie Tan asked whether the Government could facilitate long-term visit passes, or LTVPs, for foreign parents of transnational couples, to help with the couple's parenting journey. Today, Singapore Citizens and PRs can apply to sponsor their own foreign parents for an LTVP, subject to the prevailing criteria. These LTVPs come with a validity of up to five years and can be renewed. This relatively long period provides some certainty to help transnational couples in planning their caregiving arrangements. We will continue to review our population strategies to ensure that they remain relevant in meeting our needs. As we look to the next 60 years and beyond, let us work together to build stronger families, a more united society and a brighter future for Singapore.”
“As we celebrate SG60, allow me to highlight two values which have served us well over the last 60 years: openness and multiculturalism. These are fundamental aspects of who we are and key strengths that help us to make our way in the world. Immigrants help to moderate the impact of low birth rates and ageing on the size and age profile of the citizen population. We will continue to carefully manage the pace of immigration, taking into account factors, such as the falling TFR. In 2024, we granted about 24,000 new citizenships, including 1,400 to children born overseas to Singaporean parents. We also granted around 35,000 new Permanent Residents, or PRs. The average number of new citizenships and new PRs granted annually over the past five years is slightly higher than that over the preceding period. We remain committed to ensuring that our new citizens and PRs are well-integrated into our communities. We can all play our part to embrace the newcomers in our midst and help them to better understand our local norms and culture. Over time, many of them become not just friends but also family. Over the last decade, more than one-third of citizen marriages every year were transnational, meaning marriages involving a Singaporean and a foreigner. One such transnational family is Kiren T and Angela Bueno's family. Kiren, a Singaporean Indian, and Angela, a PR originally from the Philippines, met while working in the same children's ward in the National University Hospital. They fell in love working and doing their in-house advanced diploma together and got married in 2016. Today, they have two children, a boy and girl, aged nine and seven. There are many such stories. Many transnational couples make Singapore their home and over time, these foreign spouses become one of us.”
“The gift comes with a specially designed trolley bag which can double up as a travel case for the baby and contains a specially curated set of 10 commemorative and useful items, sourced from local brands and companies. They include practical items like the straw cup set from local brand, Hegen, which comes with their patented adaptor cap to meet the babies' needs as they gain more independence feeding themselves. There are educational items like storybooks by local authors featuring Becky Bunny, our mascot for the Families for Life movement, as well as a plushie of Becky Bunny. We encourage parents to bond with their babies over these books and inspire a love for reading through them. Other items include play items that will help their babies in their growth and development, as well as items for parents to mark their precious moments with their little ones. Students from LASALLE College of the Arts designed the artwork that you can see on the SG60 Baby Gift items. Each gift set comes with a congratulatory letter from Prime Minister Wong. We hope parents will find the gift meaningful and useful – to inspire their child in discovering the world around them, and to support parents in nurturing and caring for their child. Parents whose babies are born in 2025 will be able to register online for the gift. We will launch the distribution of the gift at various community events in April and May 2025. We hope that families will be able to join the event in their neighbourhood and get to know other young parents. For those who are unable to collect the gift at these events, or who register for the SG60 Baby Gift after 15 March 2025, we will arrange for the gift to be delivered to your homes from mid-May 2025.”
“The Child and Maternal Health and Well-being Strategy and Action Plan also provides enhanced support for pregnant women and couples, such as the introduction of mental health screenings and support for pregnant women and new fathers at antenatal and postnatal stages at KK Women's and Children's Hospital and National University Hospital. More antenatal education programmes have also been rolled out at community touchpoints to help couples better prepare themselves for pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood. I have taken note of Ms Hany Soh's suggestions and we will look into them. We welcome further suggestions on how we can make the antenatal journey more positive for expecting couples. This year, we celebrate our 60th year of Independence. As the Prime Minister mentioned at the Budget debate, all Singapore-citizen babies born in 2025 will receive a special SG60 Baby Gift to celebrate their birth. Mr Yip Hon Weng will be happy to hear that the gift represents our commitment towards building a Singapore Made for Families. It is also a symbol of our hopes and aspirations for our future generations. Many people have been asking about the SG60 Baby Gift. Mdm Chairperson, with your permission, may I show an image on the LED screens to give Members a preview of the SG60 Baby Gift?”
“The wider community can play an important role in this. Ground-up efforts by groups like Fertility Support SG provide a safe space for couples facing infertility to share their experiences. It also recently organised a fertility fair to raise awareness of the fertility health resources and support available. To address the myths and misconceptions about fertility health, we collaborated with the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Society of Singapore to publish an article titled "Debunking 5 Myths of Fertility Health" on Health Hub. It contains information on commonly faced fertility issues and provides useful resources for couples seeking help. Let me assure Ms Hany Soh and Mr Louis Ng that we will continue to support those who are tapping on fertility treatments. Today, eligible couples can receive up to 75% in co-funding for ART treatments for up to three fresh and three frozen cycles at public healthcare institutions. They can also tap on their MediSave for the treatment costs, up to a lifetime withdrawal limit of $15,000 per patient. We have made some progress in supporting fertility issues in Singapore, but more can be done. With more Singaporeans marrying and having children later, as Ms Hany Soh and Mr Louis Ng pointed out, we may need to relook our support on this front. I thank Members for their suggestions and we will study these ideas with MOH. Ms Hany Soh spoke about providing more support for those who are expecting. The antenatal journey can be daunting, especially for first-time parents. Expecting couples today can access the Health Promotion Board's Parent Hub, a one-stop online portal with health-related resources and tips for their pregnancy and parenting journey.”
“We will study Members' suggestions on how to further support large families. Mr Yip Hon Weng highlighted the need for whole-of-society support to shift norms and encourage larger families. We agree. We hope the Large Families Scheme will kickstart a societal movement to celebrate and support these families. We have been engaging corporates to support the Large Families Scheme by offering privileges and deals for families with three or more children. I am happy to share that more than 30 corporate partners spanning different sectors have come on board, including food and beverage, retail and transport. For example, to help larger families travel around more easily, private-hire services like Grab and Gojek will be offering discounts on bookings with their larger vehicles. Car-sharing services like Tribecar and GetGo will be offering discounts on car rentals. HomeTeamNS will be offering bundle promotions for tickets to their clubhouse family events, adventure and children's facilities, as well as discounted membership fees. FairPrice Group will also be offering value bundles for large families to provide savings on essential groceries. These will be provided later this year. I would like to thank all corporate partners who have committed to providing deals to support families with more children. We encourage more corporates to join us in this movement. Together, let us make Singapore a conducive place for large families to thrive. Ms Hany Soh and Ms Ng Ling Ling highlighted the importance of raising awareness on fertility health issues. I agree. Fertility health can be a difficult topic to broach. We need to change mindsets and normalise conversations about fertility health and support couples who have fertility health concerns to seek help without fear of stigma.”
“Our Marriage and Parenthood Surveys show over a third of married couples aspire to have three or more children. However, fewer married couples are having more than two children. Some worry about having less time for each child. Others may be daunted by the prospect of higher expenses. Our existing support measures recognise this. For example, parents receive more under the Baby Bonus Scheme and Parenthood Tax Rebate for each subsequent child they have. But we want to give greater assurance to couples who wish to have larger families. The Large Families Scheme will provide more financial support for large families for a start. Families will receive an additional $16,000 for each third or subsequent child, born on or after 18 February this year. The CDA First Step Grant will be doubled from $5,000 to $10,000, and the families will receive a new Large Family MediSave Grant of $5,000, and $6,000 in Large Family LifeSG Credits. Existing large families will receive $1,000 in Large Family LifeSG Credits annually, for each third or subsequent child until the year the child turns six. The LifeSG credits will provide sustained support for large families. Parents can use these credits to buy groceries at major supermarkets, or to top up the family's SimplyGo cards for public transport. They can also be used to pay for rides from transport operators that accept NETS QR payment, like TADA and ComfortDelGro taxis. We will provide more information on how to access and use the credits later this year. We recognise large families also face other challenges, as highlighted by various Members during the Budget debate. For example, they may require larger housing, face difficulties getting around as a family, or worry about the costs of higher education that increase with more children.”
“For instance, FWAs are an important form of support for parents with young children and other workers with caregiving responsibilities. When implemented well, FWAs enable employees to balance their responsibilities both at work and at home. With the implementation of the Tripartite Guidelines on FWA Requests from December last year, I hope that more employers will embrace FWAs as part of their core HR strategy. 4.15 pm Employers are also encouraged to go beyond the legislated leave provisions to position themselves as employers of choice. For example, more than 4,000 employers have adopted the Tripartite Standard on Unpaid Leave for Unexpected Care Needs. Mr Louis Ng suggested incentivising businesses, to ensure their employees take parental leave. In reality, new workplace norms are emerging and the younger generation of workers value greater work-life balance. If employers want to continue to attract and retain talent in their companies, their workplace practices will have to evolve. For example, Adecco Group APAC Pte Ltd has an employee who will be eligible for the new Shared Parental Leave. They plan to hire temporary and contract staff as covering manpower so that the employee can take her parental leave with peace of mind. When the employee returns to work, Adecco will also make available suitable FWAs. This will allow the employee to balance her work and family commitments while still ensuring the company's work gets done. Mr Louis Ng can rest assured that we will continue to work with employers to foster more family-friendly workplaces and encourage those who can, to go beyond what is mandated. The wider community can also play a part in supporting working parents, as Dr Wan Rizal highlighted. Madam, the Large Families Scheme is a significant move.”
“Employees should discuss their leave plans and covering arrangements with their supervisors and coworkers as early as possible. At the same time, managers and coworkers ought to be supportive and facilitative so parents feel reassured about taking time away from work. As Mr Louis Ng highlighted, fathers should be encouraged to fully utilise their paternity leave. One key step we have taken is to introduce employment protection for fathers on paternity leave from April this year. We will study utilisation patterns and see how to better support fathers who encounter challenges in using their leave. Various Members asked for further support for working parents. Suggestions include providing more leave for parents of preschoolers, those with pre-term and multiple births, larger families, as well as those seeking fertility treatment. At present, each working parent with a youngest child aged below seven years old has six days of paid childcare leave a year. This means a working couple would have a total of 12 days to tap on – more than the number of preschool closure days that Mr Xie Yao Quan mentioned. We have also doubled Unpaid Infant Care Leave since 2024, where each working parent will have 12 days per parent per year, in the child's first two years. These parental leave provisions are provided on top of the parents' annual leave provisions. We will continue to review our parental leave provisions in consultation with parents and tripartite partners. While we understand the desire for more childcare leave, any further leave enhancement has to be carefully considered and must strike a balance between the needs of different caregivers and the operational impact on employers. More broadly, however, we do need employers to embrace more family-friendly workplace practices.”
“As shared during the Motion on families earlier this month, we have a comprehensive suite of measures to support Singaporeans in their marriage and parenthood journey – from housing, healthcare, preschool and education to financial and work-life support. We have made significant enhancements in recent years. In 2023, we enhanced the Baby Bonus Cash Gift and contributions to the Child Development Account (CDA). We have reviewed and will be expanding the uses of CDA to better support parents. The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) will share more at their COS. In 2024, we launched the Tripartite Guidelines on FWA Requests. The enhanced Government-Paid Paternity Leave and new Shared Parental Leave announced by the Prime Minister last year will start from 1 April this year. This month, in Budget 2025, the Prime Minister announced the new Large Families Scheme. But for these policies to work, we need mindsets and culture to shift in tandem. This requires support from everyone across society, as highlighted by Ms Ng Ling Ling. A key area is workplace support. Employers, supervisors and coworkers can all contribute to fostering a family-friendly workplace culture. After the new Shared Parental Leave is fully implemented next year, parents will have 30 weeks of paid parental leave to care for their infants in the first year after birth. This will foster the parent-child bond and it is good for the child's development, too. We know it is not easy for employers to manage when their employees are away for an extended period. This is why it is so important for employees and employers to build mutual trust and play their part in making the leave provisions work for both parties.”