Search written questions to Ministers and the replies they have received.
Showing 1451 to 1500 of 1569 written question sets.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What papers, if any, did the Minister take to Cabinet during the week beginning 9 February 2026, by title and date?
Answered by
Hon Matt Doocey
Member for Waimakariri · National Party · Associate Minister of Health
None.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What papers, if any, did the Minister take to Cabinet during the week beginning 9 February 2026, by title and date?
Answered by
Hon David Seymour
Member for Epsom · ACT Party · Associate Minister of Health
None.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What papers, if any, did the Minister take to Cabinet during the week beginning 9 February 2026, by title and date?
Answered by
Hon Casey Costello
List MP · NZ First Party · Associate Minister of Health
As Associate Minister of Health, none.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What papers, if any, did the Minister take to Cabinet during the week beginning 9 February 2026, by title and date?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
None.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What aides-mémoire, briefings, memos, notes, reports, or any other advice, if any, has the Minister or their Office received during the week beginning 2 February 2026, listed by agency, title and date received?
Answered by
Hon Matt Doocey
Member for Waimakariri · National Party · Associate Minister of Health
Titles of all advice that I have received have been, or will be, proactively released on the Ministry of Health and Health New Zealand websites: https://www.health.govt.nz/information-releases/lists-of-advice-provided-to-ministers…
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What aides-mémoire, briefings, memos, notes, reports, or any other advice, if any, has the Minister or their Office received during the week beginning 2 February 2026, listed by agency, title and date received?
Answered by
Hon David Seymour
Member for Epsom · ACT Party · Associate Minister of Health
Titles of all advice that I have received have been, or will be, proactively released on the Ministry of Health and Pharmac websites: https://www.health.govt.nz/information-releases/lists-of-advice-provided-to-ministers…
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What aides-mémoire, briefings, memos, notes, reports, or any other advice, if any, has the Minister or their Office received during the week beginning 2 February 2026, listed by agency, title and date received?
Answered by
Hon Casey Costello
List MP · NZ First Party · Associate Minister of Health
Titles of all advice that I have received have been, or will be, proactively released on the Ministry of Health and Health New Zealand websites: https://www.health.govt.nz/information-releases/lists-of-advice-provided-to-ministers…
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What aides-mémoire, briefings, memos, notes, reports, or any other advice, if any, has the Minister or their Office received during the week beginning 2 February 2026, listed by agency, title and date received?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
Titles of advice that I have received that support delivering access to timely, quality healthcare for all New Zealanders have been, or will be, proactively released on the Ministry of Health, Health New Zealand and Pharmac websites:…
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What papers, if any, did the Minister take to Cabinet during the week beginning 2 February 2026, by title and date?
Answered by
Hon Matt Doocey
Member for Waimakariri · National Party · Associate Minister of Health
None.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What papers, if any, did the Minister take to Cabinet during the week beginning 2 February 2026, by title and date?
Answered by
Hon David Seymour
Member for Epsom · ACT Party · Associate Minister of Health
None.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What papers, if any, did the Minister take to Cabinet during the week beginning 2 February 2026, by title and date?
Answered by
Hon Casey Costello
List MP · NZ First Party · Associate Minister of Health
As Associate Minister of Health, none.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What papers, if any, did the Minister take to Cabinet during the week beginning 2 February 2026, by title and date?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
None.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What is the breakdown of Te Whatu Ora's $0.5 billion underspend in personnel expenses by major workforce category?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I refer the Member to page 272 of the Health New Zealand Annual Report 2024-2025: www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/publications/health-new-zealand-te-whau-ora-annual-report-purongo-a-tau-2024-25.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
Was the $0.5 billion personnel underspend at Te Whatu Ora transferred to any other Te Whatu Ora budget lines; if so, to which lines and in what amounts?
Was any of the $0.5 billion underspend in Health New Zealand’s personnel expenses reallocated to other areas of health spending; if so, to which areas?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised Health New Zealand did not reallocate or reset budgets across areas of spend in the 2024/25 financial year. As the Member should be aware, this should be read in conjunction with the variances reported in section 21 of the…
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What were Te Whatu Ora's regional budgets (Northern, Midland/Te Manawa Taki, Central/Te Ikaroa, South Island/Te Waipounamu) for each financial year 2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25, and 2025/26, with each year’s answer broken down into total…
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I refer the Member to the attached table.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What proportion, if any, of New Zealand’s World Health Organization contributions in each of the last five years were discretionary or earmarked funding, and what programmes or regions were they allocated to?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised that New Zealand’s assessed contributions to the World Health Organization (WHO) are not earmarked funds. They provide flexible funding that WHO can allocate across the programme budget that is approved by Member States. New…
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
How much was distributed total to each Te Whatu Ora region for each financial year where a contingency, reserve, or nationally held balance existed, and on what dates?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I refer the Member to the attached table, which outlines the information requested as part of our focus on building a healthcare system that has patients at its centre.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
How much funding, if any, was held by Health New Zealand nationally as a contingency, reserve, or centrally managed unallocated balance for each of the financial years 2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25, and 2025/26?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
As the Member will be aware, Health New Zealand did not hold any national funding as a contingency, reserve, or centrally managed unallocated balance in FY2022/23 or FY2023/24. As the Member will also be aware, following this period, the…
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What is the ratio of each Te Whatu Ora region’s efficiency target, if any, in dollars to its total regional budget for the years 2023/24, 2024/25, and 2025/26?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I refer the Member to the attached table, which outlines the information requested as part of our focus on building a healthcare system that has patients at its centre.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What were the efficiency or savings targets, if any, set for each Te Whatu Ora region (Northern, Midland, Central, South Island) for each of the financial years 2023/24, 2024/25, and 2025/26, expressed both as the percentage applied to…
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I refer the Member to Written Parliamentary Question 4044 (2026).
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What was the actual expenditure in each of the four Te Whatu regions for 2022/23, 2023/24, and 2024/25 with each year’s figures broken down into total actual expenditure, staffing expenditure, and non‑staffing expenditure?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I refer the Member to the attached table, which outlines the information requested as part of our focus on building a healthcare system that has patients at its centre.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
Further to replies 45892 (2025), 45894 (2025), and 45895 (2025), on what basis were answers to questions seeking 2024/25 regional budget figures withheld on audit grounds if, as stated in reply 53287 (2025), regional budgets are not…
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised that the total actual expenditure for Health New Zealand was subject to audit, and as the regional budgets are the comparator for Health NZ expenditure, the information was withheld until audits were completed.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What support, guidance, or resources, if any, did New Zealand receive from the World Health Organization during recent public health emergencies, including COVID-19, broken down by type and date?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
The World Health Organization (WHO) generally provides global advice and guidance to all Member States, rather than to New Zealand specifically. At times, the WHO may tailor the advice and guidance depending on how countries are…
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What direct benefits to New Zealand’s public health system, if any, does the Minister consider arise from membership of the World Health Organization?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I consider that membership of the World Health Organization can deliver benefits to New Zealand, including access to technical guidance and evidence to inform health policy, participation in international disease surveillance and early…
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What, if any, was New Zealand’s total financial contribution to the World Health Organization in each of the last five financial years, broken down by year and by type?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I refer the Member to the attached table.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What, if any, is New Zealand forecast to contribute to the World Health Organization in 2025/26 and 2026/27?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I refer the Member to the attached table.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What work, if any, was not done as a result of the removal of Te Whatu Ora funding in 2023/2024 which impacted the delivery of the expansion of cybersecurity protections and capabilities?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised that their was no impact on existing delivery. I am further advised that Health NZ provided an additional $9.5m to support cyber security to focus on critical initiatives from its existing baseline funding.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
Has any work been undertaken by the Ministry of Health or Health New Zealand since 27 November 2023 on any new policies that would pay nurses’ and midwives’ student loan repayments?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised that in 2024 Health New Zealand expanded its existing Voluntary Bonding Scheme for qualified health professionals to include more midwives. This provides New Zealand trained midwives who graduated from 2022 onwards with…
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
Will the Minister implement any new policies to pay nurses’ and midwives’ student loan repayments?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised that Health New Zealand have actions underway to grow and retain nurses and midwives. I refer the Member to Health New Zealand’s Health Workforce Implementation Plan which outlines several actions aimed at improving the…
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
Has Health New Zealand provided any interim advice, briefings, or progress updates to the Minister or Associate Ministers on the Central Lakes clinical services planning process; if so, on what dates and in what form?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
Titles of advice that I have received that support delivering access to timely, quality healthcare for all New Zealanders have been, or will be, proactively released on the Ministry of Health, Health New Zealand and Pharmac websites:…
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
What stage, if any, has the Central Lakes clinical services planning process reached as of 4 February 2026?
What key milestones, if any, have been completed to date in the Central Lakes clinical services planning process, and on what dates were they completed?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised that a draft Central Lakes clinical services planning document is currently under consideration.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
How many applicants have accepted and formally commenced placements in the West Coast's rural hospital medicine and specialist GP training programme, if any?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised that ten applications were received; all 10 were accepted and will formally commence placements in the West Coast's rural hospital medicine and specialist GP training programme in 2026.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
How many applicants to the West Coast's rural hospital medicine and specialist GP training programme were offered placements to date, if any?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I refer the Member to Written Parliament Question 3012 (2026).
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
How many expressions of interest, if any, have been received to date for the West Coast rural hospital medicine and specialist GP training programme?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised there is no formal expression of interest process for the West Coast Rural Hospital Medicine or specialist GP training programmes. Recruitment occurs through the national annual recruitment cycle, where registrars apply for…
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What retention targets, if any, have been set for trainees completing the rural hospital medicine and specialist GP training programme, and how, if at all, will retention be measured and reported?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised that there are no specific retention targets set for trainees completing the rural hospital medicine and specialist GP training programme. However, retention remains a key focus for this Government as we continue to strengthen…
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
How many registrars are expected to be placed on the West Coast in 2026 under the newly coordinated rural hospital medicine and specialist GP training programme, and how many of these, if any, are additional to existing training placements?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I refer the Member to Written Parliamentary Question 3012 (2026). I am advised that they are an expansion of the existing cohort.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
How many doctors, if any, who completed rural hospital medicine or specialist GP training on the West Coast in the past ten years are still practising on the West Coast?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised that of the current rural generalist and specialist general practice cohort working in Greymouth, South Westland and Buller, 15 completed rural hospital medicine or specialist GP training on the West Coast.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What new funding, if any, has been allocated specifically for the newly coordinated rural hospital medicine and specialist GP training programme?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised that Health New Zealand utilised existing capacity within the Christchurch resident doctors support unit for the newly coordinated rural hospital medicine and specialist GP training programme.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
How many, if any, of the eight to ten registrars announced for the West Coast in 2026 are additional placements?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I refer the Member to Written Parliamentary Question 3027 (2026).
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
How many rural hospital medicine registrars and specialist GP registrars were training on the West Coast in each of the past five years, broken down by year?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised that this information is held in individual employee files and therefore providing the Member with this information would require Health New Zealand to undertake a substantial manual collation exercise and divert staff from…
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
Will Te Whatu Ora undertake any reviews of IT outages this year and if so, what incidents will they review?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised that Health New Zealand's standard process is that all major IT outage incidents undergo a review. The major IT outage incidents in January 2026 are currently under review. I am further advised that while current evidence…
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
Has the Minister had any debriefs about any Te Whatu Ora IT outages this year and if so, what incidents was he debriefed on and on what dates?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised about major IT outage incidents as they occur, which is Heath New Zealand's standard protocol. I have not received such advice on major IT outage incidents so far this year, as reviews are still underway.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
Will Te Whatu Ora publish findings from any reviews or debriefs into hospital IT outages occurring in 2026, and if not, why not?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised that IT outage incident reviews are not intended for publication. They contain free and frank advice to internal oversight groups, and making information public about potential network risks could be useful to cyber criminals.…
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
Has the Minister requested any reviews, reports, or root-cause analyses into the January 2026 IT outage affecting Southern hospitals?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
Health New Zealand has advised that their standard approach following any outage is to undertake reviews and root-cause analyses. I am also advised that this is underway, with corrective actions to be implemented where recommended.…
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What contractual or funding mechanisms exist at Te Whatu Ora, if any, to require exterior commercial datacentre providers to meet minimum resilience and redundancy standards, and what penalties apply, if any, if those standards are not met?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised that the majority of Health New Zealand's external data centre contracts are procured from the All-of-Government panel where the conditions of certification are managed by the Department of Internal Affairs.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What assessment, if any, has been made of the risk of single points of failure within exterior commercial datacentres relied on by hospitals, including the adequacy of backup systems and redundancy?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised that Health New Zealand has a comprehensive risk management framework, which is the basis for reviewing and managing risks, mitigations and treatments including resilience, redundancy and disaster recovery. Critical services…
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
Has the Minister been advised whether any exterior commercial datacentres used by hospitals contain ageing or legacy equipment comparable to that previously identified as a risk within hospital-based systems?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised that Health New Zealand's 10-year Health Digital Investment Plan describes the legacy infrastructure currently in use across Health NZ and the investment required to stabilise and modernise it.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
Has the Minister requested any reviews, reports, or root-cause analyses into the January 2026 IT outage affecting Auckland hospitals, and if not, why not?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised that Health New Zealand's standard approach following any outage is to undertake reviews and root-cause analyses. I am further advised that this is underway and stakeholders will be updated in due course. In addition to the…
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
Is any of the equipment hosted in exterior commercial datacentres used by Te Whatu Ora considered to be at end-of-life or risk of failure?
Has the Minister been advised whether any exterior commercial datacentres relied upon by hospitals are operating with equipment that is beyond vendor support or end-of-life, and if so, what funding has been allocated to address this risk?
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised that the 10-year Health Digital Investment Plan describes the legacy infrastructure currently in use across Health NZ and the investment required to stabilise and modernise it.
Asked by
Ayesha Verrall
List MP · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What steps, if any, is the Minister taking to ensure that staff experiences and patient safety risks identified during the Auckland and Southern hospital IT outages are formally incorporated into future IT stabilisation and investment…
Answered by
Hon Simeon Brown
Member for Pakuranga · National Party · Minister of Health
I am advised that Health New Zealand's standard approach following any outage is to undertake reviews and root-cause analyses to identify steps that should be taken to reduce risk and address issues. I am advised that these will be…