Generally, when Parliament sits, there is the expectation that important questions concerning national and social issues are discussed.

Indeed, that is mostly the case.

But once in awhile, some interesting topics do come up.

Here are some questions we picked up from parliament sittings since the beginning of this year, up to the latest sitting this month:

1. RuPaul's Drag Race in Singapore

Asked by: MP Lee Bee Wah in January 2019.

"To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) whether the Ministry has received objections to the performance of the RuPaul's Drag Race show in Singapore; (b) what are the criteria for approving such performances; (c) how does the Ministry deal with approval and censorship of performances dealing with LGBT issues; and (d) how is the age restriction for the audience determined for such shows."

Answered by: Minister for Communications and Information S Iswaran.

In a written response, Iswaran said that under the category of Arts Entertainment (AE), which includes plays, variety shows and art exhibitions, events with LGBT content are given higher classification ratings by IMDA.

Additionally, IMDA takes into consideration the overall theme, the content elements, message and impact of the work and suitability for different age groups, highlighting further that content which goes beyond the R18 rating will not be allowed.

With regard to RuPaul's Drag Race itself, Iswaran noted that past shows have generally been classified R18 in view of their mature content — that rating did not attract much feedback.

2. The average lifespan of volunteers actively involved in charity work

Asked by: MP Gan Thiam Poh in January 2019.

"(a) Currently, what is the average lifespan of volunteers who were actively involved in charity work when they were alive; and (b) whether there is a co-relation between a person's lifespan and the age he starts volunteering or the years of volunteer service performed."

Answered by: Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu.

"We do not track the statistic that Mr Gan has asked for. A study by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) in 2013 found that a person’s perception of well-being is positively correlated with giving, which includes volunteering or donating. Specifically, 66 per cent of givers, as compared to 45 per cent of non-givers, were more likely to report they experience high levels of well-being. Giving may increase well-being as volunteers derive deep meaning from helping others, are more grateful for their own life situation, and grow a bigger network of positive social relationships, along with a stronger sense of community.

A research in Scotland in 2018 found that volunteering benefitted the mental and physical well-being of volunteers, with benefits found to be more significant for older volunteers (60 years and above) who are more subject to loneliness, role-identity loss such as loss of employment or loss of partner/departure of children, and ill health."

3. The offence of offering cigarettes to people below 21 years of age

Asked by: MP Lee Bee Wah in January 2019.

"(a) Whether someone who offers a cigarette to a person below the age of 21 is committing an offence; (b) whether the receiver of the cigarette is also an offender; (c) how many of such offenders have been booked in the past three years; and (d) what has been the fine imposed on these offenders."

Answered by: Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong.

Here, Gan pointed out that the current minimum legal age (MLA) for the purchase, use, possession, sale and supply of tobacco products is 19 years, and added that it will be raised progressively to 21 years by January 1, 2021.

With regard to deterrence, Gan added that retailers who sold tobacco to underage individuals were liable to a maximum fine of S$5,000 for the first offence and S$10,000 for subsequent offences.

Additionally, their tobacco retail licence will be suspended if it's their first offence and revoked for subsequent offences.

Gan also said 90 retailers had been caught between January 2015 and October 2018 selling tobacco to underaged people.

As for people caught buying or acquiring tobacco for a person below the MLA, Gan said they are also offenders and face a maximum fine of S$2,500 for the first offence and S$5,000 for subsequent offences.

Gan also highlighted that individuals caught giving tobacco to a person below the MLA also face a maximum fine of S$500 for the first offence and S$1,000 for subsequent offences.

In total, 18 people were caught within the same period for these offences.

4. Banning the serving of shark's fin at public events 

Asked by: MP Louis Ng Kok Kwang in January 2019.

"(a) Whether sharks' fin is still being served at events organised by or for the public service; and (b) whether sharks' fin will be served at future events organised by or for the public service."

Answered by: Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing.

"Public agencies abide by the procurement principles of fairness, transparency and value-for-money. Agencies decide on their respective menus based on what is prudent and appropriate for the occasion. We do not have policies specific to the serving of sharks' fin."

5. Feedback on cats being a nuisance

Asked by: MP Louis Ng Kok Kwang in February 2019.

"(a) For each year in the past ten years, what is the number of cat-related nuisance feedback for common property areas that HDB has received involving (i) stray cats and (ii) owned cats living in someone else's residence respectively; and (b) whether such feedback has decreased in the Chong Pang constituency over the past 10 years."

Answered by: Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong

"Cat-related nuisance feedback in HDB estates is tracked by individual Town Councils. AVA, in its role as First Responder for animal-related feedback, receives cat-related nuisance feedback from across Singapore. AVA started tracking such cat-related feedback from 2016. Stray cat-related nuisance feedback across

Singapore increased from around 2,300 cases in 2016 to 3,600 cases in 2018. Pet cat-related nuisance feedback increased from around 500 cases in 2016 to 900 cases in 2018.

Cat nuisance feedback in Chong Pang constituency has remained relatively constant over the same period."

6. The offence of feeding pigeons

Asked by: MP Lim Biow Chuan in May 2019.

"(a) In the past three years, how many summons have been issued to offenders who feed pigeons; and (b) what other measures can the Ministry introduce to deter the feeding of pigeons."

Answered by: Parliamentary Secretary for National Development Sun Xueling.

On this matter, Sun said 682 enforcement notices had been issued for pigeon feeding offences in the past three years.

Moreover, current measures implemented by the National Parks Board (NParks) include the installation of CCTV cameras to catch perpetrators, as well as conducting surveillance at identified pigeon feeding hotspots.

Sun further said town councils were working together with the National Environment Agency (NEA) to carry out more public education.

She also highlighted that the NEA ensures food waste is properly managed at food centres and coffee shops, and carries out enforcement against littering to reduce the availability of food sources for pigeons.

As for culling, Sun said:

"Culling is just but one part of it, I think people would much rather not like to do if they don’t have to… There are various other measures that we are looking into and trying out and indeed where effective, we will try to roll it out to different communities and see how we can develop a holistic solution towards this issue we face."

And finally, and most recently...

7. Tattoos for minors

Asked by: MP Lee Bee Wah in July 2019.

" (a) In the past three years, whether there has been any study on the number of minors tattooing their body; (b) how does the Ministry ensure that a minor has the consent of his/her parent/guardian before getting a tattoo; (c) what is the redress for parents if a minor has been tattooed without parental consent; (d) whether any person has been prosecuted for such an offence; and (e) whether the Ministry will consider imposing a minimum age on getting tattoos in Singapore."

Answered by: Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam.

On this issue, Shanmugam replied in a written response that MHA does not track the number of minors who get tattoos by themselves.

He added that it is not an offence for minors to get tattoos, and there is also no requirement for minors to seek parental consent.

He said the MHA also does not see a need to regulate the tattoo industry for now because there has been no evidence to suggest that body tattoos lead individuals towards a life of crime.

Fascinating.

Top image collage from RuPaul Drag Race Facebook and Flickr