HAWKER STALLS FOR RESETTLEMENT CASES (Filling of vacancies)

Dr Koh Lam Son asked the Minister for National Development how many existing vacant stalls in Housing and Development Board hawker centres are reserved for resettlement cases; and what is the average time taken before a vacant stall is occupied.

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Sir, under the current Hawkers Policy formulated by the Hawkers Co-ordinating and Licensing Committee of the Ministry of the Environment, all vacant cooked food stalls are reserved for the resiting of licensed street hawkers and resettlement cases affected by public development schemes. There are at present 420 vacant cooked food stalls in HDB hawker centres.

The time taken for vacant stalls to be occupied varies considerably, depending on the pace of specific clearance programmes. On average, a vacant stall is occupied within six months.

Dr Koh Lam Son (Telok Blangah): Sir, for those stalls which have been repeatedly rejected by licensed street hawkers or resettlement cases, would the Hon. Minister consider releasing these stalls to other qualified applicants on the waiting list?

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Sir, the allocation of hawker stalls is under the Hawkers Co-ordinating and Licensing Committee of the Ministry of the Environment. So the hon. Member's request should be submitted to the Ministry of the Environment.