INCONVENIENCE AND HARDSHIP CAUSED TO SOCIAL WELFARE ALLOWANCE RECIPIENTS AND POSSIBLE PAYMENT THROUGH POST OFFICES

Mr William Tan asked the Minister for Labour and Welfare whether he is aware of the inconvenience to people in having to wait in a long queue, and of the hardship to them in having to incur transport expenses, when collecting allowances under the Public Assistance Scheme at the Social Welfare Department; and whether he will arrange for such allowances to be paid at the post offices nearest to their homes.

Mr Lim Yew Hock: Mr Speaker, Sir, I am aware of the inconvenience referred to by the Member for Tiong Bahru. For this reason additional staff have been recruited and are now being trained for the setting up of branch relief centres for the convenience of relief recipients. It is hoped to set up two such branches early next year, one in Bukit Panjang and the other in Geylang.

Sir, the use of post offices for this purpose has already been suggested as part of a general review of the social security system in Singapore. I would like to assure the Member for Tiong Bahru that if the arrangements for using post offices are practicable, they will be implemented.

Mr R. Jumabhoy (Telok Ayer): Cannot the travelling vans be used for that purpose?