Second Reading Speech by Minister Lim Hng Kiang on the Statistics (Amendment) Bill

Second Reading Speech by Mr. Lim Hng Kiang Minister for Trade & Industry on the Statistics (Amendment) Bill 

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a second time."

2.Sir, the Bill proposes amendments to the Statistics Act. There are two key amendments. The first set of amendments allows the Department of Statistics (DOS) and Research and Statistical Units (RSUs) which are gazette under the Statistics Act to provide researchers access to anonymised icro data. The second set of amendments clarifies DOS’ legislative powers to obtain information from public sector agencies.

Providing Anonymised Micro data Access

3.Today, DOS and the gazette RSUs, collect, analyze and disseminate a wide range of socio-economic and demographic statistics. Under the existing Statistics Act, such statistics can only be provided in aggregated form.

4.However, to undertake more sophisticated analysis of behavior across different types of firms or households, researchers need access to micro data. Micro data refers to data on a person, household or establishment at an individual level. Many advanced National Statistical Offices (NSOs) like the US, the UK, Netherlands, Finland and Australia provide micro data in anonymised form, often masking the identity of the individual party by applying appropriate statistical techniques.

5.Microdata analysis will help us better understand the impact of public policies or external factors on firms and households with different characteristics. In countries where micro data are available, researchers have used it for a variety of valuable and useful research. For example, researchers used anonymised micro data from the Canadian Labor Force Survey of Statistics to investigate whether the government’s mandated maternity leave had any impact on the labor force behavior of mothers. In Singapore’s case, income and expenditure micro data from the Household Expenditure Surveys could be used to study the consumption behavior of different household types. Such studies will complement analyses based on aggregated data, and provide greater insights to aid policy formulation.

6.The proposed amendments will allow the Department of Statistics and gazette RSUs to provide access to anonymised micro data for research purposes. We will, however, adopt a calibrated approach in opening up access to such data. To start off, only public agencies that require anonymised micro data for policy research will be allowed access to such data. These agencies can, on their own, engage consultants to undertake research using the anonymised micro data. To protect the confidentiality of individual data, all researchers, including consultants, will be subject to stringent security protocols. We will monitor this carefully. Access to a wider group, such as other research institutions, will be considered at a later stage.

Protection of Confidentiality

7.Mr Speaker, Sir, I will now elaborate on the various safeguards to protect the confidentiality of individual data. DOS will anonymise the micro data before access is provided. In instances where it may not be possible to completely mask the identity of the individual party, such as in the case of industries with only a small number of firms, then DOS will not provide access to the micro data.

8.To guard against any leaks, users will have to come to an on-site Data Lab at DOS or the gazette RSUs to use the anonymised micro data. All data will be examined prior to removal from the Data Lab to ensure that only statistical tables and output without any anonymised micro data are taken out.

9.DOS will set up two committees to implement these changes. A Micro data Review Panel will look at the technical issues on anonymisation and subject matter sensitivities and will scrutinize each request for icro data. An additional Micro data Advisory Committee will advise the Micro data Review Panel on policy issues and processes relating to anonymised micro data access.

10.The proposed amendment will increase the maximum fine for breaches of confidentiality, from $5,000 to $10,000, besides the existing provision for imprisonment for a term of up to 12 months. This serves as an additional deterrent to prevent abuse or misuse of anonymised micro data.

Obtaining Information from Public Agencies

11.Mr Speaker Sir, I will now explain the rationale to explicitly allow DOS to obtain information from public agencies. DOS was established to collect, compile, analyze and disseminate key official statistics. To minimize the burden on respondents, DOS has been using administrative data already collected by other agencies, instead of requesting the same information anew directly from members of the public or private establishments. This is a common practice among many National Statistical Offices.

12.The proposed amendment makes it explicit that the Chief Statistician is allowed to obtain data from public agencies for statistical purposes. The data obtained will be protected under the provisions of the Statistics Act. This amendment will further strengthen DOS’ role as Singapore’s National Statistical Authority and will enhance DOS’ ability to provide more timely and relevant statistics to the government and to members of the public.

13.As a safeguard, the Ministers responsible for the agencies that collect or are in possession of the data will have the power to exempt sensitive information from being provided to the Chief Statistician.

Conclusion

14.Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move.