HOUSING BOARD FLATS FOR POLICE AND MILITARY PERSONNEL

Mr Teo Hock Guan asked the Minister for National Development (a) how many Housing Board flats have been allocated for the use of, and are being occupied, by (i) Police personnel and their families, (ii) Singapore Military Forces personnel and their families, and (iii) Federation troops and reserve units; (b) where these flats are situated; and (c) what rental is charged in each case and since when.

Mr Tan Kia Gan: Mr Speaker, Sir,

(a) Housing and Development Board flats allocated for the use of the three categories are as follows:- (i) Police personnel 348 (ii) Singapore Military Force personnel 1,124 (iii) Federation troops and reserve units 1,380

(b) The Police personnel are in flats at Queenstown and Tanjong Rhu. The Singapore Military Force and Federation troops and reserve units have been allocated flats at Queenstown and Alexandra Hill.

(c) Economic rentals of $65 and $75 are being charged the Singapore Military Force by the Board for 2-room and 3-room flats respectively at Queenstown and Alexandra Hill, and $90 for 3-room flats at Tanjong Rhu and $60 and S70 respectively for 2- and 3-room flats at Queenstown for flats occupied by the Singapore Police Force.

660 flats have been allocated at Alexandra Hill for Federation troops for which the Board will charge $70 and $80 respectively for 2- and 3-room units with effect from 1st April, 1963.

720 flats have been allocated to the Federal Reserve Units for which the Board has charged $65 and $75 per month fur 2-room and 3-room flats respectively. Economic rentals vary according to constructional costs.

The Singapore Police Force have been paying rentals for 228 units from 10th June, 1962 and an additional 120 units from 1st April, 1963. The Singapore Military Force have been paying rentals for 740 units from 16th April, 1962 and 384 units from 16th November, 1962 Rentals are payable when -the flats are allocated to the respective categories.

Mr A. P. Rajah (Farrer Park): Could the Minister tell us how long these categories of flats will be occupied?

Mr Tan Kia Gan: They will be occupied until such time as permanent barracks are built, Sir.

Mr Rajah: The Minister agrees then that to that extent the public are being denied housing?

Mr Tan Kia Gan: Sir, we have an adequate number of fiats to allocate to Singapore citizens who require housing. We have made this arrangement because, as we all know, after 31st August, 1963, the police and the military forces will come under Central Government control. This is a temporary arrangement and, as I have said, when permanent barracks are fully built, they will evacuate from the fiats.