Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on NEA’s Incubation Stall Programme

Question:

To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what is the progress on the take-up rate of NEA’s Incubation Stall Programme; and (b) whether the programme will be reviewed and improved to achieve better outcomes.

Answer:

1 Under the National Environment Agency (NEA)’s Incubation Stall Programme, aspiring hawkers can run their businesses at pre-fitted stalls with reduced stall rental for 15 months. As of 30 Jun 2025, NEA has allocated 99 incubation stalls to aspiring hawkers. 37 of them have since converted to become full-fledged hawkers. Achieving business viability and sustainability in the hawker trade is dependent on aspiring hawkers’ ability to meet patrons’ expectations and manage their businesses effectively.

2 NEA conducts reviews of the programme and its parameters from time to time. In 2019, after taking in feedback from participants, NEA extended the 50% rental discounts from 6 to 9 months, and provided 25% rental discounts for a further 6 months, so that participants could have more time to build their clientele and stabilise business operations. NEA will continue to monitor and review the scheme from time to time to ensure that it remains relevant to the hawker trade and needs of aspiring hawkers.