Parliament Sitting on 9 January 2023
QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
58. Mr Seah Kian Peng: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information with regard to SingPost’s announcement that rates for postage and delivery services will be increased from 1 January 2023, how does the Ministry ensure that such increases are reasonable and moderated given that they are an essential service.
Answer:
1. SingPost’s rates for basic letter services have remained unchanged since 2014. In approving the increase in postage rates, IMDA took into consideration the higher operating costs, particularly for manpower and energy, that SingPost faced in recent years. Domestic postage services that are consumed in Singapore also remain subject to GST, which increased by one percentage point from 1 Jan 2023.
2. Prices will only rise for letters weighing up to 20g and 40g, by 1 cent per year in 2023 and 2024, from the current rates of 30 cents and 37 cents respectively.
3. If consumers already hold existing “1st Local” and “2nd Local” stamps for such letters, they can continue using them after the rate adjustments take effect, without needing to top up the difference.