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Search written questions to Ministers and the replies they have received.

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Portfolio Vocational Education
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Showing 151 to 168 of 168 written question sets.

Question published
Reply lodged

Asked by

Francisco Hernandez

List MP · Green Party

Question

  • (matches this search)

    What plans, strategies or policies, if any, are in place to support international student wellbeing, including with living cost considerations?

Answered by

Hon Penny Simmonds

Member for Invercargill · National Party · Minister for Vocational Education

Answer

I refer the Member to the response to written parliamentary question 1350 (2026) provided by Hon Erica Stanford.

Questions published
Reply lodged

Asked by

Francisco Hernandez

List MP · Green Party

Questions

  • 1356 (matches this search)

    What advice, if any, has the Minister received regarding international student wellbeing, listed by title and date?

  • 1357 (matches this search)

    What advice, if any, has the Minister requested regarding international student wellbeing?

Answered by

Hon Penny Simmonds

Member for Invercargill · National Party · Minister for Vocational Education

Answer

I have not requested any advice specifically regarding International Student Wellbeing. When advice on international education has been prepared for me by agencies, it usually includes a section on risk analysis, and I expect any…

Question published
Reply lodged

Asked by

Francisco Hernandez

List MP · Green Party

Question

  • (matches this search)

    What events or meetings, if any, did the Minister decline to attend during the week beginning 19 January 2026 , including location, event description, and attendees?

Answered by

Hon Penny Simmonds

Member for Invercargill · National Party · Minister for Vocational Education

Answer

In my capacity as Minister for Vocational Education, my office has not declined any events or meeting requests that were scheduled to take place for the week beginning 19 January 2026.

Question published
Reply lodged

Asked by

Francisco Hernandez

List MP · Green Party

Question

  • (matches this search)

    What advice, reports, briefings, aide memoires, or any other documents has the Minister or any member of their Office received, if any, during the week beginning 19 January 2026, by title and date?

Answered by

Hon Penny Simmonds

Member for Invercargill · National Party · Minister for Vocational Education

Answer

I refer the Member to the list below received from Education agencies during the week beginning 19 January 2026. Tertiary Education Commission 20 January 2026 - Ministers Priorities Report dated 20 January 2026 22-January 2026 - Report to…

Question published
Reply lodged

Asked by

Francisco Hernandez

List MP · Green Party

Question

  • (matches this search)

    What advice, reports, briefings, aide memoires, or any other documents has the Minister or any member of their Office received, if any, from 1 January 2026 to 18 January 2026, by title and date?

Answered by

Hon Penny Simmonds

Member for Invercargill · National Party · Minister for Vocational Education

Answer

I refer the Member to my response to written parliamentary question 714 (2026).

Question published
Reply lodged

Asked by

Ayesha Verrall

List MP · Labour Party

Question

  • (matches this search)

    Is enrolment in Oral Health Therapy course qualifications capped at any New Zealand education provider, and if so what are the current caps by provider?

Answered by

Hon Penny Simmonds

Member for Invercargill · National Party · Minister for Vocational Education

Answer

Tertiary Education Commission funding conditions do not set a cap on enrolments in Oral Health Therapy qualifications.

Question published
Reply lodged

Asked by

Ayesha Verrall

List MP · Labour Party

Question

  • (matches this search)

    How many Oral Health Therapists graduated from New Zealand education providers in each of the last five years, broken down by education provider and qualification type where applicable?

Answered by

Hon Penny Simmonds

Member for Invercargill · National Party · Minister for Vocational Education

Answer

I am advised by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) that the number of qualification completions in 2025 will not be finalised until May 2026. I refer the member to the attached table below for the number of learners eligible for TEC…

Answered

400, 401 (2026)

Questions published
Reply lodged

Asked by

Francisco Hernandez

List MP · Green Party

Questions

  • 400 (matches this search)

    What work, if any, is currently underway to support the development of degree apprenticeships?

  • 401 (matches this search)

    What plans, if any, does the Minister have to support the development of degree apprenticeships?

Answered by

Hon Penny Simmonds

Member for Invercargill · National Party · Minister for Vocational Education

Answer

My responsibilities extend to tertiary education provision at polytechnics and private training establishments. Hon Shane Reti is responsible for degree level education and above at universities and wānanga. Policy work on degree…

Question published
Reply lodged

Asked by

Shanan Halbert

List MP · Labour Party

Question

  • (matches this search)

    How many staff were employed by Workforce Development Councils each year between 2023 and 2025 listed by council title and full-time equivalent staff?

Answered by

Hon Penny Simmonds

Member for Invercargill · National Party · Minister for Vocational Education

Answer

I refer the member to the attached table for the number of staff (in FTEs) employed in each workforce development council in 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Question published
Reply lodged

Asked by

Shanan Halbert

List MP · Labour Party

Question

  • (matches this search)

    Further to the Minister's reply to Written Parliamentary Question 59175, when was this advice received and in what form, by date and title?

Answered by

Hon Penny Simmonds

Member for Invercargill · National Party · Minister for Vocational Education

Answer

I received regular advice during 2025 on the forecast viability of individual polytechnics as independent entities from 1 January 2026, including potential risks. The risks referred to in my answer to written parliamentary question 59175…

Question published
Reply lodged

Asked by

Shanan Halbert

List MP · Labour Party

Question

  • (matches this search)

    Further to the Minister's reply to Written Parliamentary Question 59226, what forecasts, if any, has she received, by date and title?

Answered by

Hon Penny Simmonds

Member for Invercargill · National Party · Minister for Vocational Education

Answer

In the briefings referred to in my answer to written parliamentary question number 424 (2026) I received financial forecasts for the period 2026 to 2028 for each of the 10 polytechnics established as independent entities and operating from…

Question published
Reply lodged

Asked by

Shanan Halbert

List MP · Labour Party

Question

  • (matches this search)

    Further to the Minister's reply to Written Parliamentary Question 59229, on which dates in 2025 did her office receive from, or send briefings to the Minister of Education or her office pertaining to the role of Industry Skills Boards in…

Answered by

Hon Penny Simmonds

Member for Invercargill · National Party · Minister for Vocational Education

Answer

I refer the Member to my response to written parliamentary question 59219 (2025).

Question published
Reply lodged

Asked by

Shanan Halbert

List MP · Labour Party

Question

  • (matches this search)

    Further to the Minister's reply to Written Parliamentary Question 59229, on which dates during 2025 did the Labour Market Ministers Group meet?

Answered by

Hon Penny Simmonds

Member for Invercargill · National Party · Minister for Vocational Education

Answer

My attendance at the Labour Market Ministers Group is recorded in my proactively released diary.

Question published
Reply lodged

Asked by

Shanan Halbert

List MP · Labour Party

Question

  • (matches this search)

    Further to the Minister's reply to Written Parliamentary Question 59242, what was the percentage of staff, as a total of all staff employed by Workforce Development Councils, that were transferred from Workforce Development Councils to…

Answered by

Hon Penny Simmonds

Member for Invercargill · National Party · Minister for Vocational Education

Answer

As of 30 June 2025, across the 6 Workforce Development Councils, 267 staff were employed. The total number of staff that have transitioned from Workforce Development Councils to the Industry Skills Boards is 59 (22.1% of total staff as at…

Question published
Reply lodged

Asked by

Shanan Halbert

List MP · Labour Party

Question

  • (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 15 December 2025, listed by agency, title and date received?

Answered by

Hon Penny Simmonds

Member for Invercargill · National Party · Minister for Vocational Education

Answer

I refer the Member to the list below received from Education agencies during the week beginning 15 December 2025. Tertiary Education Commission 15 December 2025 - TEC Performance Report - Quarter One 2025/26 18 December 2025 - Ministerial…

Question published
Reply lodged

Asked by

Shanan Halbert

List MP · Labour Party

Question

  • (matches this search)

    What papers, if any, did the Minister take to Cabinet during the week beginning 15 December 2025, by title and date?

Answered by

Hon Penny Simmonds

Member for Invercargill · National Party · Minister for Vocational Education

Answer

None.

Question published
Reply lodged

Asked by

Shanan Halbert

List MP · Labour Party

Question

  • (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 8 December 2025, listed by agency, title and date received?

Answered by

Hon Penny Simmonds

Member for Invercargill · National Party · Minister for Vocational Education

Answer

I refer the Member to my response to written parliamentary question 58853 (2025).

Question published
Reply lodged

Asked by

Shanan Halbert

List MP · Labour Party

Question

  • (matches this search)

    What papers, if any, did the Minister take to Cabinet during the week beginning 8 December 2025, by title and date?

Answered by

Hon Penny Simmonds

Member for Invercargill · National Party · Minister for Vocational Education

Answer

I refer the Member to my response to written parliamentary question 58855 (2025).