MATERNITY LEAVE FOR THIRD CHILD DELIVERY

Dr Koh Lam Son asked the Minister for Finance whether he will consider granting maternity leave to female employees in the civil service and statutory boards who are expecting their third child.

The Minister for Finance (Dr Hu Tsu Tau): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Government is weighing the implications of granting leave to female officers in the civil service for their third child. An Inter-Ministerial Committee on Population considers it urgent that we review the very low reproduction rates of women with three 'O' levels and above. Because of the high singles rate and the late age of marriage of such women, they have an average reproduction rate of only 1.3 children per woman. This is well below the replacement rate of 2.05 children per woman.

Dr Koh Lam Son: Sir, would the Minister consider granting maternity leave to a woman employee who is expecting a third child but in her second pregnancy? In other words, she had twins in her first pregnancy. Will she be entitled to maternity leave for her second pregnancy?

Dr Hu Tsu Tau: Mr Speaker, Sir, I am afraid the question is a little complex for me to answer. I will ask my officials to study it.

Dr Koh Lam Son: Sir, the point I am trying to make is that the duration of maternity leave should be related to the number of pregnancies and not to the number of living children. For example, a woman can have triplets in her first pregnancy.

Mr Speaker: There is no need to explain. What is your supplementary question, Dr Koh?

Dr Koh Lam Son: Would the Minister agree that the duration of maternity leave given to a woman employee should be related to the number of pregnancies? If you give two periods of maternity leave per employee during her term of employment, then it should be related to the number of pregnancies.

Dr Hu Tsu Tau: Mr Speaker, Sir, as I said earlier, we will study this problem.