SINGAPORE - The Maritime Port Authority has been named as the most business-friendly government agency for the third year running in an annual Pro-Enterprise Ranking (PER) survey.

Singapore Customs and the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) came in second and third, while the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore and the National Environment Agency (NEA) rounded up the top five.

The survey, conducted by the Pro-Enterprise Panel, polled business customers of government agencies to monitor how well these agencies have been performing in delivering their regulatory functions.

The survey, which involved 4,232 respondents this year, assessed 26 agencies on five specific areas: customer responsiveness, transparency, review of rules regulations, pro-enterprise orientation and compliance cost.

Overall, the survey found that government agencies have improved their responsiveness to customers and transparency in the administering of rules, with the Pro-Enterprise Index of the 26 agencies rising to 74.2, from 71.2 in 2012.

Agencies that have done particularly well were recognised at an award ceremony organised by the Pro-Enterprise Panel and Singapore Business Federation on Friday.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM), NEA and SLA received accolades for being the most improved agencies.

MOM jumped from 23rd to 12th place, while NEA moved up from 11th to 5th and SLA edged up a spot to 3rd.

"Many agencies have put in extra effort to listen to the business communities they serve, to re-examine their rules and procedures and to make changes for the better," noted Senior Minister for Finance and Transport, Mrs Josephine Teo, in a speech at the award ceremony.