Oral Answer by Minister for Law K Shanmugam to PQ on Compliance on Orders Issued by Small Claims Tribunal and Failure to Comply due to Lack of Resources

14 October 2024 Posted in Parliamentary speeches and responses

Question for Oral Answer

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye (Member of Parliament for Radin Mas SMC)

Question:
To ask the Minister for Law since 1 April 2022 (a) what is the number of orders issued by the Small Claims Tribunals; (b) whether the Ministry tracks the compliance of these orders; (c) whether the Ministry is aware of cases where either party fails to execute or enforce the order due to a lack of resources to hire a lawyer; and (d) if so, what is the percentage of such cases.

Oral Answer:

1. From 1 April 2022 to 31 July 2024, the Small Claims Tribunals (SCT) issued about 10,750 money orders and work orders.

2. The Ministry does not track compliance with SCT orders nor the reasons that a party fails to execute or enforce an order.

3. Parties who require legal advice on the enforcement of SCT orders may approach the State Courts’ Community Justice Centre for free on-site legal advice, or seek assistance from other legal clinics, such as those organised by the Law Society Pro Bono Services, or community centres.

Last updated on 14 October 2024