DEPARTMENTAL STATISTICS BASED ON CONSTITUENCIES (Compilation)

Encik Mansor Haji Sukaimi asked the Minister for Finance whether he will consider requesting Government departments and agencies to look into the feasibility of compiling departmental statistics on the basis of constituency boundaries so that such statistics could reflect the problems prevailing in each constituency.

Mr Goh Chok Tong (for the Minister for Finance): Mr Speaker, Sir, at present, some statistics are already compiled on a constituency basis, such as the annual statistics on births and deaths and the Census of Population which provides information on age, sex structure and socio-economic characteristics of the population. Apart from crime statistics compiled by the Police Department, there may be few other departmental statistics which, if compiled according to constituency boundaries, would reflect the problems prevailing in each constituency.

It would not be feasible to compile all statistics according to constituency boundaries either for statistical reasons or for the benefits that may be derived because they may not be commensurate with the additional costs involved. However, I shall ask the National Statistical Commission to look into the feasibility of compiling selected useful statistics on a constituency basis.