AMOUNT OF TAX COLLECTED FROM TELEPHONE BILLS

Mr Ling How Doong asked the Minister for Communications what was the amount of the 5% tax collected by the Telecommunication Authority of Singapore on telephone bills for the years 1988, 1989 and 1990 and for the periods January to November 1991 and December 1991 to October 1992.

Mr Mah Bow Tan: The government tax on telephone bills was suspended from April 1985. It was reintroduced from 1st April 1989.

The amounts of tax collected over the periods of April to December 1989, January to December 1990, January to November 1991, and December 1991 to November 1992, are $6.2 million, $9.2 million, $8.5 million and $8.3 million respectively.