HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD (Allocation of flats for rental or purchase)

Mr Ch'ng Jit Koon asked the Minister for Law and National Development if he will ascertain from the Housing and Development Board (a) how many applicants, who have registered to rent (i) 2-room flats; and (ii) 3-room fiats, have been on the waiting list for (1) 2 years or more; and (ii) less than 2 years, but had not given any undertaking of their willingness to wait indefinitely for allocation; and (b) whether priority in the allocation of flats will be given to such applicants if they have registered to purchase the flats.

Mr Barker: Mr Speaker, Sir, as at the 31st August, 1971, 7,032 applicants had registered for 2-room flats. Of these applicants, 1,976 have registered for more than two years and 5,056 for less, out of which 3,287 have not indicated their willingness to wait indefinitely.

As at 31st August, 1971, 3,312 applicants had registered for 3-room flats. Of these, 1,295 have registered for more than two years and 2,017 for less, out of which 1,751 have not indicated their willingness to wait indefinitely.

The Housing and Development Board maintains two sets of registers, one for rental and one for the purchase of flats. No priority is given to applicants on the rental register who desire to switch over to the purchase register.