STATISTICS ON EX-OFFENDERS BENEFITING FROM UPLIFTING EMPLOYMENT CREDIT

During the Covid-19 pandemic, I convinced the Government to extend the Jobs Growth Incentive to ex-offenders. As at May 2022, 2,300 ex-offenders were supported. In January this year, I suggested that this form of support for ex-offenders be made permanent. Later, during Budget 2023, the Government announced the Uplifting Employment Credit (UEC) scheme under which ex-offenders will continue to be supported after the JGI ended. In my PQ, I sought an update of the UEC. The Minister, in his response, informed that the data will only be available in May 2024. I look forward to receiving the data on this.

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Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how many employers have employed ex-offenders to benefit from the Uplifting Employment Credit (UEC) since it was implemented in April 2023; and (b) how many ex-offenders are employed to date as a result of the UEC.

Dr Tan See Leng: The data requested is not available, as the Uplifting Employment Credit (UEC) has just been introduced in April 2023, and the first payout for the UEC will only be made in May 2024. The number of ex-offenders supported can only be computed closer to the payout date, as the scheme is still open for applications.

Since the UEC was introduced, Yellow Ribbon Singapore has been raising awareness of the UEC amongst employers.