娜蒂雅（宏茂桥集选区议员）女士询问国家发展部长：

(a) 当申请夫妇中的一方仍在学习而另一方已工作超过 12 个月时，建屋局在考虑根据延期收入评估计划申请建屋局购屋资格通知书 (HFE) 时是否可以更加灵活？

(b) 建屋局使用什么标准来决定是否批准此类案件？

李智陞（国家发展部长）先生：如果年轻夫妇双方在过去 12 个月内都是全日制学生或国民服役人员，则没有资格申请额外安居津贴（Enhanced CPF Housing Grant，简称EHG），该津贴要求家庭在申请建屋局 (HDB) 购屋资格 通知书(HFE) 之前必须连续工作12个月。因此，我们允许他们先申请组屋，并推迟他们的收入评估，让他们有时间进入连续就业状态，然后再评估他们是否有资格获得额外安居津贴（EHG）。如果夫妻中有一方在购屋资格通知书(HFE)申请前12个月已工作，则他们已经符合额外安居津贴（EHG）资格，因此无需推迟收入评估。

如果年轻夫妇在购房时需要财务建议，可向建屋局寻求帮助。

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether HDB can exercise more flexibility when considering applications for the HDB flat eligibility (HFE) letter under the deferred income assessment scheme, when one of the two parties of the applying couple is still studying while the other has been working for more than 12 months; and (b) what criteria does the HDB use in deciding whether to approve such cases.

Mr Desmond Lee: Young couples where both parties were full-time students or National Servicemen in the last 12 months are not eligible for the Enhanced Central Provident Fund Housing Grant (EHG), which requires 12 months of continuous employment prior to a household's Housing and Development Board (HDB) Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter application. We, therefore, allow them to apply for a flat first and defer their income assessment to give them time to enter into continuous employment, before their eligibility for EHG is assessed. Couples with one party already working for the last 12 months before their HFE letter application can already qualify for the EHG and, therefore, need not defer their income assessment. 

Young couples who need financial advice on their flat purchase may approach HDB for assistance.