NUK KORAKO to the Minister of Finance: What progress is the Government making in its programme to get better results from public services?

JAMES SHAW to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Did he ask for, or receive, any advice or assessment from officials about the stated legal threat of up to $30 million from the Al-Khalaf group; if so, what was the nature of that advice?

GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Finance: Is he concerned that the New Zealand economy is unbalanced towards speculation in housing given that the value of New Zealand’s housing stock is now $998 billion, eight times the total value of the New Zealand stock market, and is that valuation of the housing market a risk to financial stability?

BRETT HUDSON to the Minister for Communications: What recent announcements has she made regarding improving rural broadband and mobile black spot coverage?

DARROCH BALL to the Minister for Social Development: Does she stand by all her statements?

PHIL TWYFORD to the Minister of Transport: Does he agree with the Auckland Transport Alignment Project that bus improvements can only address capacity constraints in central Auckland for up to 10 years and a higher capacity mode like light rail will be required?

BARRY COATES to the Minister of Trade: Why is he advancing the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, when it is widely reported that the agreement will not get through the US Congress this year and countries like Canada, Australia, and Vietnam have delayed their ratification processes?

DAVID SHEARER to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Was the Auditor-General mistaken when she said in her report on the Saudi Arabia Food Security Partnership that “We were told that Ministry legal advisers were not asked for input or made aware of this Cabinet paper or earlier related Cabinet papers”; if not, why did he claim on 27 June 2015 that Ministry legal advisers did provide legal advice for the Cabinet paper?

BARBARA KURIGER to the Minister for Primary Industries: What reports has he received on Government initiatives to help attract more young people into careers in the primary industries?

JENNY SALESA to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment: What is the total number of 15 to 24-year-olds not in employment, education, or training according to the Household Labour Force Survey released yesterday, and is this an increase or a decrease on the last quarter?

ALFRED NGARO to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: What announcements has he made to support the ongoing regulation of the business environment in New Zealand?

BARBARA STEWART to the Minister for ACC: Is he satisfied that clients are receiving a good standard of care from ACC providers?

Questions to Members

Hon DAVID PARKER to the Chairperson of the Local Government and Environment Committee: How many submitters were heard on the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill, referred to the Local Government and Environment Committee on 3 December 2015, and when were those submissions heard?

Hon DAVID PARKER to the Chairperson of the Local Government and Environment Committee: Has he, as Chair, put on the agenda the giving of complete drafting instructions to the Parliamentary Counsel Office on the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill; if not, why not?