Oral Questions for Thursday 3 August 2023

Questions to Ministers TERISA NGOBI to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What updates has she seen on the progress of the Apprenticeship Boost scheme? NICOLA WILLIS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? INGRID LEARY to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he seen on the views of Moody's rating agency about the New Zealand economy? NICOLA WILLIS to the Minister of Finance: What update on the fiscal outlook, if any, have Public Service chief executives been informed of at recent meetings reported to have been held with him, and what updated requests for spending restraint, if any, have been directed to those chief executives? Dr LIZ CRAIG to the Minister for Children: What recent announcements has he made regarding the anniversary of the Oranga Tamariki Action Plan? BROOKE van VELDEN to the Minister of Finance: How much money, if any, as a percentage of their departmental budgets, were Public Service chief executives asked to save in meetings this week and last week, and how big is the gap between the forecast OBEGAL for 2023/24 in the Budget Economic and Fiscal Update 2023 and Treasury's current estimates for OBEGAL, if any? CHRIS BISHOP to the Minister of Housing: What is the current nationwide median rent according to the MBIE rental bond database, and what has been the increase in the nationwide median rent according to the MBIE rental bond database since October 2017? RACHEL BOYACK to the Minister of Health: What recent announcements has she made about the redevelopment of Nelson Hospital? Dr SHANE RETI to the Minister of Health: Does she stand by all her statements and actions? RICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH to the Minister of Health: Does she agree with the Minister for Social Development and Employment, who said yesterday, "I'm not saying that there isn't more to do with regards to dental treatment and access in New Zealand. That can't all come down to the welfare system, though. I think the health system and perhaps even ACC need to take a little responsibility there"? Hon PHIL TWYFORD to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: What has the Government done to make pricing clearer at supermarkets? SIMEON BROWN to the Minister of Transport: Is he committed to delivering light rail in Auckland and Wellington?