HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD FLAT (Number of applicants on waiting list)

Mr Ong Kian Min asked the Minister for National Development (a) how many applicants (first-timers and upgraders) are on the waiting list to purchase a new Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat; (b) whether the waiting list has lengthened or shortened when compared to June 1997; (c) what is the average waiting time between submission of application and taking possession of a HDB flat; (d) whether the Government will maintain the pace of its public housing building programme in view of the current state of the property market; and (e) what impact, if any, this will have on the HDB resale market.

Mr Lim Hng Kiang: Sir, as at 30th June 1998, HDB has a waiting list of about 110,000 applications on its registration system. 43% are first-timers and 57% are upgraders. Compared with 145,700 applicants in June 1997, the waiting list has dropped by 25%.

With the current waiting list, the average waiting time for first-timers is 2� years from the submission of an application to the invitation to select a flat. It will take another 2 to 2� years for the selected flat to be completed.

The Government will build 30,000 units this year to cater to the people on the waiting list. About 22,000 units will be allocated to the first-timers and 8,000 units to upgraders. Upgraders who take delivery of their new flats would release their existing flats to the resale market. In the first six months of 1998, the resale volume was 28,200, of which 10,600 were sellers who are moving into new HDB flats. Resale HDB flats will remain an alternative option for HDB flat buyers who prefer not to wait for their flats. 1.30 pm

Mr Speaker: Order. End of Question time.

[Pursuant to Standing Order No. 21(3), Written Answers to Question Nos.17 and 18 on the Order Paper are produced in the section, "Oral Answers to Questions Not reached" Col. 891 - 892 ).] Question Nos.19 and 20 have been postponed to the next sitting of Parliament.]