Questions for Oral Answer - Wednesday, 2 March 2005

Questions to Ministers

1. MOANA MACKEY to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Has he received any reports on child poverty?

2. Hon KEN SHIRLEY to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does Te Wananga o Aotearoa's Mahi Ora course have a large number of referrals from Work and Income, as claimed by former Associate Maori Affairs Minister John Tamihere, and what is the total number of referrals Work and Income has made to courses run by Te Wananga o Aotearoa in each of the last three years?

3. IAN EWEN-STREET to the Minister for the Environment: Did the New Zealand Government support or oppose the reported Canadian Government initiative to allow the commercial use of genetic seed sterilisation technology (so-called "terminator" technology) at the Convention on Biological Diversity meeting in Bangkok from 7 to 11 February 2005?

4. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Associate Minister of Education: Why has he widened the State Services Commission Inquiry into Scholarship exams to include NCEA levels two and three when he told the House on 15 February that "the results for NCEA are within expected parameters."?

5. JUDY TURNER to the Associate Minister of Health: Is he satisfied with the current legal status of cannabis; if so, why?

6. JUDITH COLLINS to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Why was the plan to introduce a single benefit in 2002, which was announced by him in 2000, not carried out?

7. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Minister of Police: What dedicated personnel and resources has he employed for the specific purpose of confronting the illegal "P" drug problem in the western Bay of Plenty?

8. Dr WAYNE MAPP to the Minister of Labour: Has he been briefed by Andrew Little, Secretary of the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union, on the Union's push for five percent across-the-board wage rises; if so, does he agree with the statement by Mr Mike Williams, President of the New Zealand Labour Party, that the five percent claim against all companies was "pretty modest" given the economy?

9. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Minister of Immigration: What has happened to the 400 non-genuine refugees I referred to in question for oral answer number 10 yesterday, who were not approved for residency, and what explanation has he got for any of them still being in New Zealand?

10. GEORGINA BEYER to the Minister of Police: What measures have been adopted by the police to reduce the incidence of crime?

11. Hon TONY RYALL to the Minister of Internal Affairs: Does the Department of Internal Affairs inform the New Zealand Police of pending prosecutions of any individual facing child pornography offences; if so, do they do so in every case?

12. LUAMANUVAO WINNIE LABAN to the Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control: What role is New Zealand playing internationally to advance the Government's policy for nuclear disarmament?

Questions to Members

1. Dr MURIEL NEWMAN to the Chairperson of the Social Services Committee: Was the committee granted a three month extension of the report back date for the Disabled Persons Employment Promotion (Repeal and Related Matters) Bill, following calls for wider consultation with families and workers associated with sheltered workshops?

ENDS

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