FOOD PRICES AT HAWKER CENTRES

FOOD PRICES AT HAWKER CENTRES: 14.

Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) whether there are any measures in place to ensure that hawker centres and food courts do not overcharge or continue increasing their prices indiscriminately; and (b) what can be done to help residents when food prices in wet markets and supermarkets become more expensive because of an increase in demand.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, we share the public's concerns if stallholders

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are overcharging and we urge stallholders to charge fair prices. This is in their own longer term interest as consumers have no lack of choices and raising prices indiscriminately will make them less competitive.

Sir, there are several factors which have an impact on food prices such as the cost of raw materials and labour, stall rentals, as well as market competition. About 42% of the nearly 15,000 cooked food and market stalls that NEA manages are paying subsidised rentals. This has helped to keep food prices affordable.

Sir, we recognise that some segments of the population may be more impacted by the rise in food prices than others. The Government has schemes administered by MCYS to support families in hardship. Low-income families who need assistance with basic living can approach the Community Development Councils for help.

Mdm Ho Geok Choo: Thank you, Minister, for the comprehensive response. Sir, I have two supplementary questions. First, what can be done to help retirees and low-income households when the population in their district surges and food prices in hawker centres and wet markets go up? Secondly, would the Ministry consider having hawker centres in all housing estates?

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, as I mentioned in my reply, in terms of assistance to retirees and low-income families, there are many schemes administered both by MCYS, CDCs and even at the local constituency level. The best solution is really for us to find ways to assist them and point them to the various schemes which I am sure the Member is familiar with. I will not have to reiterate all the schemes administered by MCYS. Thus far, from our experience,

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most retirees and low-income families do avail themselves of the help which is available on the ground.

To the Member's second question as to whether we can assure that there is a hawker centre in every housing estate, the Member would know, we have stopped building hawker centres. The point is that if you look at the spread of hawker centres that we have in Singapore, there are sufficient numbers across all localities for people to avail themselves of food at affordable prices.