BACK TO WORK PROGRAMME (Response)

Mr Charles Chong asked the Minister for Labour what has been the initial response to the `Back to Work Programme' launched recently by his Ministry and what is the estimated number of people expected to eventually rejoin the work force.

Dr Lee Boon Yang: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Back to Work Programme' was launched by my Ministry on 13th September at the Choice Employers 96 Exhibition', in conjunction with the Singapore Productivity and Standards Board, the National Trades Union Congress and the Singapore National Employers' Federation. The objective of this tripartite initiative is to raise the local labour force participation rates so as to better utilise our indigenous manpower resources. The programme is directed at potential employees outside the workforce. These are mainly the housewives and older persons. Under this programme, employment assistance will also be extended to retrenched workers.

Sir, since the launching of the programme at the exhibition, the Employment Service Department of my Ministry has received many job applications and telephone enquiries. Between 13th September and 21st September 1996, a total of 1,053 job applications were received. Of these, 643 or 61% were married women in the 30 to 54 age group while 309 or 29% were persons aged 55 and above. Some 68% of the applicants have also indicated their preference for part-time and flexible work. Over the same period, a total of 968 telephone enquiries were also received.

Sir, there are a large number of women in the 30 to 54 age group and persons aged 55 and above who are economically inactive. The labour force participation rates of these two groups are much lower than that in the developed countries. For example, the labour force participation rate of women in the 40 to 49 age group is only 52% compared to 71% in Japan. Likewise, only 41% of persons aged 55 to 64 are working compared to 66% in Japan. If we could achieve Japan's labour force participation rates for these two groups, we could increase our workforce by 150,000. The `Back to Work Programme'is the first step in this direction but it is not intended that this programme alone will be able to raise our workforce by 150,000. It will take time and changes in the mindsets of both employers and prospective employees before we can fully tap this pool of potential employees and make better use of our available manpower resources.