11. Schools—Funding ReviewCHRIS HIPKINS (Labour—Rimutaka) to the Minister of EducationSchools—Funding Review11. CHRIS HIPKINS (Labour—Rimutaka) to the Minister of Education: Is she considering any proposals to allow schools to spend money currently committed to teaching staff on other expenses; if so why?Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education): Tēnā anō koe Mr Speaker. No I am not considering any proposals as described by the member. However the funding review advisory group made up of the key teacher unions and sector associations is considering a number of options.Chris Hipkins: Does the bulk funding or global funding proposal outlined in her Cabinet paper involve removing the existing maximum class size guarantee for primary schools?Hon HEKIA PARATA: It would be disrespectful to the funding group to predetermine the outcomes of options that it is currently considering.Chris Hipkins: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: Well I can anticipate—why do I not just ask the member to repeat the question. It may not have been understood by the Minister.Chris Hipkins: Does the proposal for bulk funding or global funding as outlined in her Cabinet paper involve removing the existing maximum class size guarantee for primary schools?Hon HEKIA PARATA: The proposals that are before the funding advisory group do not preclude it from making recommendations on all the elements that it has in front of it. Once it has made recommendations on that element or another then I will be considering them.Chris Hipkins: Can she guarantee that class sizes will not increase or the range of subjects on offer decrease as a result of schools reducing their spending on teaching; if not why not?Hon HEKIA PARATA: No decisions have been made around the options that are in front of the funding advisory group including the particular elements the member raises. Chris Hipkins: Why has she proposed in her Cabinet paper allowing schools to use money that is currently ring-fenced for teaching staff on other expenses?Hon HEKIA PARATA: The principles underpinning this review are greater flexibility for schools to make choices more and better results for students and diversity of options for parents. Those are the principles and outcomes we are interested in. There are options before the funding review group. It would be disrespectful to its members and the process of consultation to make predetermined decisions.Chris Hipkins: Can she explain any scenarios in which a school could reduce the number of teachers it employs without either increasing class sizes or reducing the number of subjects on offer; if so what are those scenarios?Hon HEKIA PARATA: An explanation of the kind sought by the member would be premature to the considerations of the funding advisory group.Chris Hipkins: Why has she proposed ring-fencing funding for school property maintenance in order to protect the Crown's investment in school infrastructure" whilst proposing to remove the ring-fencing of teaching staff funding? Is she really indicating that the Government rates protecting property assets more highly than quality teachers?Hon HEKIA PARATA: To the second part of the question no.Chris Hipkins: Will she guarantee that the level of funding schools receive under any bulk funding model will meet the cost of at least as many teaching staff as they currently have under the existing formula and any increase in operational costs; if not why not?Hon HEKIA PARATA: Because bulk funding is not one of the options for funding that the advisory group is being asked to consider."