7. Question No. 7—Social DevelopmentHon LOUISE UPSTON (National—Taupō) to the Minister for Social DevelopmentQuestion No. 7—Social DevelopmentSPEAKER: I'll warn now that I have been informed that the answer to this question is very long. 7. Hon LOUISE UPSTON (National—Taupō) to the Minister for Social Development: Is she satisfied that she has good financial oversight of her portfolio; if so how much has been spent on each of the payments listed on Work and Income's A to Z webpage in each of the last three years?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Social Development): Yes and as I have previously noted in my response to written parliamentary question No. 10913 (2020) this is a substantial request that requires considerable time to process notably because it goes beyond the Ministry for Social Development (MSD). There are 61 payments or supports listed in the Work and Income A to Z. Not all of these payments are primarily administered by MSD and not all of them are funded entirely by Vote Social Development. I also note that to answer this question fulsomely would require over 180 different figures to be listed. I can advise the member that for 2019/20 the amount spent for the 11 months ending 31 May 2020 are $5.440 billion on main benefits $14.336 billion on New Zealand superannuation and veterans pension and $3.118 billion on supplementary assistance and hardship assistance. In 2018/19 $5.386 billion was spent on main benefits $14.56 billion was spent on New Zealand superannuation and veterans pension and $2.978 billion was spent on supplementary assistance and hardship assistance. In 2017/18 $5.088 billion was spent on main benefits $13.862 billion was spent on New Zealand superannuation and veterans pension and $2.160 billion was spent on supplementary assistance and hardship assistance. In total Vote Social Development expenditure was $36.896 billion for the 11 months of 2019/20 $26.174 billion for 2018/19 and $24.067 billion for 2017/18. Can I assure the member that a more fulsome response will be provided as soon as that information is available.Hon Louise Upston: How much money if any has been spent on the employment transition grant over the last three years?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: As I have said there are 180 payments to be processed here. I did say to the member in writing that we could get that information to her. I actually said I think that it would come via the Official Information Act. I've reviewed that and actually we will give it to the member in a written answer to her written question. It does just take some time for the reasons that I've already outlined.Hon Louise Upston: How much money if any has been spent on the transition to work grant start-up payment over the last three years?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: I refer to my previous answer—that I am more than happy to give the information to the member in writing but I cannot rattle off 181 different payments that were made over three years in this House.Hon Louise Upston: Is she concerned with the largest unemployment crisis in decades that she doesn't have current information on spend including on key employment support?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: I'm not concerned because I reject the premise of the question asked by that member. I gave the substantive response in my primary answer. There is more information to come. There are reasons why—as I laid out one being that some of these payments are not made by the Ministry of Social Development and it takes time to collate—it takes a little bit of time and I will give that information to the member in writing as soon as it is available.Hon Louise Upston: Is it a priority for the Ministry of Social Development to be increasing their support for people getting into work and if so how can she measure this if she doesn't know what's currently being spent?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: I reject the premise of that question.Hon Louise Upston: Does it concern her that taxpayers are funding 111 people in an insights team at MSD when they can't even provide insight into what her department's spending?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: Again I reject the premise of the member's question. I think I've laid out very clearly why I can't rattle off the 181 different payments over three years in the House today and it would be more appropriate for me to give that information to the member in writing. I'm actually very proud of the job that the Ministry of Social Development has done during this time particularly during this COVID period. They have worked incredibly hard to roll-out a wage subsidy that has supported over I think 1.6 million New Zealanders during this very uncertain time as well as rolled out the temporary job loss cover as well as continued to support New Zealanders who are experiencing hardship and needing Work and Income support. I'm very proud of the job that the Ministry of Social Development has done and as I've said I reject the premise of that member's question.SPEAKER: I'm just going to invite the member to make a slight correction to her answer. I think she said there were 61 areas for three years; that's 183 not 181.Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: I so correct my answer Mr Speaker. Apologies for my maths.