Questions for Oral Answer - As At Thursday, 28 July 2005

Questions to Ministers

1. LIANNE DALZIEL to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What reports, if any, has he received on the implementation of the Working for Families initiatives?

2. RODNEY HIDE to the Minister of Finance: What percentage of the workforce are paying the 39 percent tax rate, and how does this compare with his statement on 22 December 1999 that the 39 percent tax rate will "affect only about 5 percent of the workforce"?

3. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Minister of Education: Does the estimated cost of "a maximum of around $300 million" for the policy proposal to abolish all interest charges on student loans for all students and New Zealand-based graduates from 1 April 2006 include the cost of an increased number of students taking up student loans; if so, what is the expected increase in student loan uptake?

4. PETER BROWN to the Minister of Energy: What has been the percentage increase for fixed and variable electricity prices since 1999, and what solutions does he have, if any, to reduce the price of electricity to consumers?

5. MOANA MACKEY to the Minister of Education: What reports, if any, has he received on proposed changes to education expenditure?

6. JOHN KEY to the Minister of Finance: Does he agree with the statement of the Minister of Education that there is "room for $1.9 billion additional spending" in the Budget; if not, why not?

7. JUDY TURNER to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What assistance is there for families who do not qualify under the Working for Families package, but wish to have one parent stay at home to care for children, such as the Garside family featured on TV One's Sunday programme recently?

8. Hon BRIAN DONNELLY to the Minister of Education: How much did student debt increase in the three years after the policy to remove interest on loans while studying commenced, and how much is it estimated that student debt will increase as a result of the policy announced on Tuesday to remove interest on student loans for graduates living in New Zealand, in the three years after its implementation?

9. Hon Dr NICK SMITH to the Minister for Building Issues: Does he stand by his statement on Tuesday about the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service having Sound of Music, Cowboys and Indians and Pacific Island theme parties "I have approached this matter with a certain degree of jest, because it sounds so absurd."; if so, why did the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service say yesterday that allegations it had wasted taxpayers' money are untrue?

10. DARREN HUGHES to the Minister of Health: What reports, if any, has she received on future changes to Primary Health Organisations?

11. Hon TONY RYALL to the Minister of Police: How many hours will the police dedicate to speed control this financial year compared to last financial year, and how many traffic offence notices and infringement offence notices are expected to be issued this financial year compared to the past financial year?

12. IAN EWEN-STREET to the Minister of Agriculture: When did the Government obtain a copy of the positive GM contamination test announced yesterday and what does it say?

ENDS

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