Questions to Ministers

1. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Prime Minister: Does she have confidence in the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Racing; if so, why?

2. CHARLES CHAUVEL to the Minister responsible for Climate Change Issues: What reports has he received on support for an emissions trading scheme?

3. Hon Dr NICK SMITH to the Minister responsible for Climate Change Issues: How does he reconcile his statement yesterday that the $1 billion home insulation and household compensation for the Emissions Trading Scheme is coming from the extra revenue that flows from the Crown through electricity prices, when he confirmed in the House on 20 May 2008 that the State-owned enterprises that are anticipating increased profits have already planned to use those increased profits as part of their investment programme in renewal energy production, and that without that increased investment there is not the slightest prospect of meeting our targets?

4. Hon TONY RYALL to the Minister of Health: Does he agree with the statement of Rt Hon Helen Clark that “The deficit funding of the public health sector has to stop”; and why?

5. RON MARK to the Minister of Police: How long will police have to wait to be equipped with Tasers following today’s decision by the Commissioner of Police to introduce them as a tactical weapon option?

6. SIMON POWER to the Minister of Corrections: Does he have confidence in his department; if so, why?

7. Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Minister for the Environment: Did the Ministry for the Environment prevent the Tasman District Council from testing for dioxin in the air coming out of the stack at the Mapua toxic clean-up site; if so, why?

8. RODNEY HIDE to the Minister of Broadcasting: Is Television New Zealand involved in any legal action before the courts?

9. Hon MARK BURTON to the Minister of Education: What reports has he received about support for early childhood education?

10. ANNE TOLLEY to the Minister of Education: Can he confirm that according to the report on Ministry of Education staffing that he received in June of this year the number of Full Time Equivalents excluding Special Education Services was 578 in 1999 and 1223 as at 31 March 2008; if not, why not?

11. LYNNE PILLAY to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What reports has she received on trends in social outcomes in New Zealand?

12. JUDITH COLLINS to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she stand by her statements on 12 August 2008, regarding the quality of speeches she receives from her department, “I don’t want to be too critical of people who draft my speeches, but I get a lot of speeches, in draft, that I never use.” and “The quality of speechwriting in some places isn’t great.”?

Questions to Members

1. RODNEY HIDE to the Chairperson of the Privileges Committee: When is the Privileges Committee next meeting on the question of privilege relating to compliance with a member’s obligations under the Standing Orders dealing with pecuniary interests?

ENDS

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