Questions for Oral Answer
As At Wednesday, 9 March 2005

Questions to Ministers

1. CLAYTON COSGROVE to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises: What reports has he received on the recent performance of Solid Energy?

2. Dr DON BRASH to the Prime Minister: When she stated in relation to the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union call for an across the board five percent pay rise, "Of course 300,000 families are getting very substantial targeted tax relief starting on April 1, so one would hope that would be taken into account in any negotiations," had she been advised of what the impact of a five percent pay increase would be on the take-home pay of a worker on $50,000 with two children receiving the Working for Families package and an accommodation supplement; if so, what was that advice?

3. LYNNE PILLAY to the Minister of Education: What advice has he received regarding tuition fees charged by New Zealand universities compared to those charged in other countries?

4. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Minister of Education: Was he the Minister in charge of Vote Education during the period 2000 to 2003 in which spending on bottom end, sub-degree courses doubled; if so, did he obtain Cabinet approval for funding these courses?

5. DAVE HEREORA to the Minister with responsibility for Urban Affairs: What steps has the Government taken to improve the quality of urban planning and urban design?

6. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Minister of Immigration: What are the requirements for a person to qualify for residency under the Employees of Relocating Businesses Category, and is he satisfied that this policy is working in the interests of New Zealanders?

7. JOHN KEY to the Minister of Transport: Does he agree with calculations made by the Automobile Association that the introduction of the petrol tax and higher oil prices will see the price of petrol rise to over $1.30 per litre; if so, what impact does he think this will have on the economy?

8. SUE KEDGLEY to the Associate Minister of Agriculture: What action is he taking in response to the stockman's report of a recent shipment of cows to China in which it was stated that the cows were "sleeping in shit up to a foot deep", were fed hay that included dead animals, various bits of wire and thistles and in which the stockman wrote "I hate to see them in this state"?

9. Hon TONY RYALL to the Minister of Police: When does he expect to receive a copy of any report by the Commissioner's external panel reviewing Police Communications Centres, and when will it be made public?

10. MARC ALEXANDER to the Associate Minister of Health: Have aged residential care facilities received their three percent increase, as announced in December last year?

11. RON MARK to the Minister of Corrections: What assurance can he give that criminals placed on home detention are not a serious risk to the community?

12. KENNETH WANG to the Minister of Police: Does he agree with the reported comments of Auckland's Chinese community that New Zealand's stance on crime is too soft and those of the Secretary of the United Chinese Association that the perception of New Zealand being a safe place is changing; if so, what is he going to do about this?

ENDS

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