Question time for 16 December 2009

Questions to Ministers 1. Hon PHIL GOFF to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his answers yesterday in the House about protecting families from the recession? 2. CRAIG FOSS to the Minister of Finance: What steps has the Government taken to manage the economy in 2009? 3. Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE to the Minister of Finance: Did he say at the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update lockup yesterday that while the Government does not plan privatisation in this term of Parliament, it recognises various assets as not well managed or struggling to keep up with the pace; and did he single out four entities in this context? 4. JO GOODHEW to the Minister of Education: What reports has she received about the teaching of reading and writing in years 1 and 2 at primary school? 5. Hon ANNETTE KING to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his comment "this Government is not prepared to turn its back on our most vulnerable citizens"? 6. Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Prime Minister: Does he agree with his Associate Minister for Climate Change Issues that it is "extremist" for small developing countries like Tuvalu to push for a legally binding agreement from the Copenhagen climate conference? 7. MOANA MACKEY to the Minister of Housing: What new affordable housing initiatives has he implemented since becoming Minister? 8. PAUL QUINN to the Minister of Transport: What reports has he received on yesterday's announcement of a strategic plan for the State Highway 1 Wellington to Levin corridor? 9. DARIEN FENTON to the Minister for ACC: What is the basis for the changes in the treatment of using holiday pay towards the costs of being injured at work in the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Amendment Bill? 10. JONATHAN YOUNG to the Minister of Commerce: What priority will the Government give to responding to the recommendations of the Capital Markets Development Taskforce? 11. Hon DAVID PARKER to the Minister of Energy and Resources: Has he received my invitation dated 14 December to accompany me, after Parliament rises, on the Gillespie Pass tramping circuit in the north-eastern parts of the Mount Aspiring National Park, so that he can inspect first-hand areas in the conservation estate included in his stock-take of mineral resources, and will he accept it? 12. COLIN KING to the Minister of Agriculture: What steps has the Government recently made to progress agricultural greenhouse gas research?