严燕松先生（阿裕尼集选区议员）询问国家发展部长：

建屋局（HDB）是否考虑过与移居海外工作或面临经济困难的组屋承租人合作，在其最低居住所限（MOP）结束前出租其组屋，条件是他们同意向租户提供建屋局规定的补贴租金，以增加补贴出租单位的供应。

李智陞先生（国家发展部长）：建屋局的组屋主要供业主自住。因此，所有业主都必须在最低居住年限（Minimum Occupation Period，简称MOP）实际占用其单位，然后才能在公开市场上出售或出租其整个单位。

尽管如此，我们认识到，一些业主在MOP期内可能会面临意想不到的生活环境变化，例如搬到海外工作。目前，建屋发展局已根据个别情况和时间限制，协助此类业主在MOP期间出租其单位。

建屋发展局还允许面临经济困难的业主向建屋发展局申请，在MOP期间出租其单位的房间，同时继续居住在这个单位。他们还可以向建屋局申请其他形式的援助，例如为拖欠租金的人提供经济援助，或让他们搬到较小的组屋。由于这些家庭已经面临经济困难，要求他们补贴租户的租金并不合适。

在等待预订组屋完工期间需要临时住房的家庭，可以考虑申请“育儿短期住屋计划（Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme，简称PPHS ）。建屋局计划到2025年将PPHS组屋的供应量增加一倍，从目前的2,000套增加到4,000套，以更好地支持这些家庭。在此期间，符合PPHS条件的家庭如果在公开市场租住组屋或其中一间卧室，可从2024年7月起使用 PPHS凭单（公开市场）来支付租金。 

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for National Development whether the Housing and Development Board (HDB) has considered partnering with HDB flat lessees who are moving overseas to work or are facing financial difficulties, to rent out their HDB flats before the end of their Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) on the condition that they agree to provide tenants with the subsidised rental rates set by HDB so as to increase the supply of subsidised rental flats.

Mr Desmond Lee: Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats are primarily for owner-occupation. Therefore, all flat owners are required to physically occupy their flat during the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP), before they may sell it or rent out their whole flat in the open market.

Nevertheless, we recognise that some flat owners may face unexpected changes in life circumstances during their MOP, such as moving overseas to work. Today, HDB already facilitates appeals by such flat owners to rent out their flat during their MOP on a case-by-case and time-limited basis, where there are extenuating circumstances. 

HDB also allows flat owners who face financial difficulties to apply to HDB to rent out bedrooms in their flat during the MOP, while continuing to occupy their flat. They may also approach HDB for other forms of assistance, such as financial assistance for those in arrears or to right-size to a smaller flat. As these families are already facing financial difficulties, it is inappropriate to require them to subsidise the rent of their tenants. 

Families who require temporary housing while awaiting the completion of their booked flats can consider applying for the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS). HDB is on track to double the supply of PPHS flats from 2,000 units today to 4,000 units by 2025, to better support such families. In the interim, PPHS-eligible families who are renting HDB flats or bedrooms in the open market may tap on the PPHS (Open Market) Voucher from July 2024 to defray their rental expenses.