CIVIL SERVICE SALARIES COMMISSION (Medical benefits to Government-aided school teachers)

Mr Ho Kah Leong asked the Minister for Finance whether and when directives have been issued for the implementation of the recommendation of the Civil Service Salaries Commission that medical benefits be extended to teaching personnel in Government-aided schools.

Mr Tang See Chim (for the Minister for Finance): The recommendation of the Salaries Commission was "that consideration should be given to the possibility of extending to Government-Aided Teaching Personnel the Medical Benefits applicable to Government School Teachers". The Ministries of Education, Health and Finance have been considering this question since the beginning of the year.

In the course of study of this question, it was noted that if medical benefits applicable to Government teachers were extended to aided school teachers, it would not be possible to exclude non-teaching staff of aided schools. If all staff of aided schools are to be included, the estimated cost would be about $1.22 million per annum.

Apart from the question of cost, it will be necessary to increase the staff and facilities of Government hospitals and clinics in order to cope with the increased work-load.

There is also the question whether aided school staff should be required to undergo the same medical examinations, including X-ray of the chest, that civil servants have to undergo before appointment before they are allowed the proposed medical benefits.

These and other related problems are being studied, and it is not possible to come to a decision until these problems are resolved.

Mr Ho Kah Leong (Jurong): (In Mandarin): From the reply given by the Parliamentary Secretary, we can see that the Ministers concerned started considering this problem from the beginning of this year. But what is the date today? Has not half a year gone by with no decision? I believe our Government is still an efficient government. Can the Parliamentary Secretary assure the House that the Ministries concerned will take speedy action?

Mr Tang See Chim: I can assure the Member for Jurong that speedy consideration will be given to this matter. But I hope he is aware that the problem involves three Ministries - the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance. The problem was first studied at the beginning of the year and it involves not only money but also the questions of additional hospital facilities, recruiting professional staff, etc. I can assure the Member that a decision will be made as soon as is practicable.