1. MOANA MACKEY to the Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary Education): How is the Government working with business and unions to raise the skill levels of the New Zealand workforce?

2. Hon BILL ENGLISH to the Prime Minister: Was Hon John Tamihere correct when he said she would announce the Government’s plans for the seabed and foreshore next week, and will they include plans for her Government to introduce legislation for exclusive Crown ownership?

3. MITA RIRINUI to the Minister for Environment: What is the Government doing to stop the deterioration of the water quality in Lake Taupo?

4. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Minister of Immigration: Is she concerned that the ‘lie in unison’ issue, if left unchallenged, may undermine confidence in the integrity of her and her department?

5. LARRY BALDOCK to the Minister of Justice: What progress, if any, has been made in establishing the Prostitution Law Review Committee, and when does he expect it will carry out its responsibility to “assess the number of persons working as sex workers in New Zealand”?

6. Hon MURRAY McCULLY to the Minister of Immigration: Will she support a State Services Commission inquiry or a Commission of Inquiry into allegations that officials of the New Zealand Immigration Service agreed to “lie in unison” and that they withheld documents being sought by the Ombudsman under the Official Information Act 1982 in relation to the Zaoui case; if not, why not?

7. SUE KEDGLEY to the Minister of Broadcasting: Is the Government seeking a dividend from Television New Zealand Limited this year, and will it waive any requirement for a dividend to help Television New Zealand Limited fulfil its charter obligations for comprehensive, impartial and in-depth news and current affairs?

8. RODNEY HIDE to the Minister for Economic Development: On what date did Industry New Zealand learn which suppliers were to receive the $75,000 Business Growth Fund grant paid to The Warehouse last year, and what checks were done of these suppliers against the Business Growth Fund criteria?

9. GEORGINA BEYER to the Minister of Conservation: Have there been any significant developments in threatened species conservation?

10. Hon DAVID CARTER to the Minister of Agriculture: Given that key factors dampening confidence in the agricultural sector this year, including the exchange rate, drought and SARS, have all developed favourably over the last month, does he accept that the Government’s proposed livestock greenhouse gas emissions research levy is responsible for the deterioration in farmer confidence as reported in the latest National Bank Business Outlook Survey?

11. LYNNE PILLAY to the Minister for Courts: What progress has been made in reducing the level of overdue fines and reparations?

12. Dr LYNDA SCOTT to the Minister of Health: Why are New Zealand patients waiting up to three years for cochlear implant surgery, to correct profound deafness, even after medically approved; and how does this fit with the Government’s strategy that all patients should receive surgery within six months?

ENDS

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