VACANT HUDC FLATS

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for National Development how many HUDC flats were vacant as at 31st January, 1987 and what he proposes to do with them.

The Minister for National Development (Mr S.Dhanabalan): Mr Speaker, Sir, as at 31st January 1987, there were 1,099 unsold HUDC flats. These vacant flats have arisen because the HDB built them in response to demands by HUDC applicants. When large numbers of applicants subsequently withdrew their applications, the Board had already committed itself to building the flats. The completion of these flats has resulted in the present vacancy rate.

The HDB has stopped building new HUDC flats. The present plan is to sell the existing stock to new applicants as well as to those on the waiting list for HUDC flats until the stock has exhausted. I have asked HDB to also study other ways of accelerating sales without disrupting the market.

Mr Ng Kah Ting (Punggol): Mr Speaker, Sir, would the Hon. Minister consider lifting the income ceiling as one of the ways to accelerate sales?

Mr Dhanabalan: Mr Speaker, Sir, this is of course one of the ways to encourage sale of HUDC flats. I am not sure at the present moment how disruptive it would be on the private sector market. But I have already asked HDB to be a little more flexible in the application of the income ceiling.