NUMBER OF REGISTERED ILLEGITIMATE BIRTHS

Mr Yeoh Ghim Seng asked the Minister for Labour how many illegitimate births were registered in the Republic between 1st August, 1966, and 31st July, 1967.

Mr Jek Yeun Thong: Mr Speaker, Sir, there were 51,214 births registered between 1st August, 1966, and 31st July, 1967. It is not possible to say how many of these births are illegitimate, as informants are not required to produce proof of marriage of parents at the time of registering their births. However, it is provided in the Registration of Births and Deaths Ordinance that where the mother is the informant and volunteers the information that the child is illegitimate, the surname of the child shall be the surname of the mother. During the period, 120 cases of such births were registered.