10. Question No. 10—HealthHon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 10—Health10. Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National) to the Minister of Health: Did he direct the Ministry of Health to prepare a 2018 Budget bid that reflected the findings of the co-design process as agreed to in the May 2017 settlement agreement between the ministry and the New Zealand College of Midwives; if not why not?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK (Minister of Health): When I came into office as the Minister of Health the issue with the College of Midwives had been left unresolved for several years. The ministry had entered a messy co-design process with the College of Midwives which resulted in the ministry not accepting the outcome of the process in its entirety. Since becoming the Minister I have met with midwifery organisations formally on at least four occasions and have had countless conversations with midwives working at the coalface. We have settled pay negotiations and Budget 2018 featured a $103.6 million package to better support community midwives including an 8.9 percent increase in their fees. The member will have to wait until tomorrow to hear more good news.Hon Michael Woodhouse: When the Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield advised lawyers acting for the College of Midwives Ultimately it was determined that a Budget bid closely reflecting the co-design report had no prospects of success" was he communicating a determination that the Minister had made?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: Could the member please repeat the question?Hon Michael Woodhouse: Happy to. When the Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield advised lawyers acting for the College of Midwives that "Ultimately it was determined that a Budget bid closely reflecting the co-design report had no prospects of success." was he communicating a determination that the Minister had made?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: No. This dispute has resulted from the ministry's actions which is why the ministry itself has publicly apologised. I am not going to apologise myself for the previous Government's mistakes but I do accept that I've inherited their mess and we have found a way forward.Hon Michael Woodhouse: If the co-design project was in his words "messy" and he believes Budget 2018 did reflect support based on the co-design project why did the ministry have to apologise?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: The ministry apologised for its actions. The midwives received an uplift which amounted to an 8.9 percent increase in their fees and the member will have to wait till tomorrow to hear more.SPEAKER: No—Hon Michael Woodhouse: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. SPEAKER: No I don't need the point of order. I think the Minister has to address the question that was asked. Repeat the question please.Hon Michael Woodhouse: If the co-design process was as the Minister described "messy" and Budget 2018 did increase funds reflective of the co-design project why did the ministry need to apologise for its failure to prepare a Budget bid?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: The ministry apologised as I understand it because they didn't feel that what they had done reflected the co-design process.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Does the Minister agree with the base remuneration of an independent midwife a full-time independent midwife of $171000 as recommended in the co-design report?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: This Government wants to see midwives remunerated better. That's why we put together the $103 million package for the last Budget including an 8.9 percent increase in their fees. There is no doubt that midwives were undervalued under the previous Government quite significantly and over a long period of time. That workforce has told me directly that they have felt stressed and strained. It has put further stress on their workforce because it's made it more challenging to recruit. We want to remunerate midwives better over time. We want a sustainable solution. We also want to see that the model better supports midwives. This is a Government committed to addressing the challenges the mess that we've inherited.Hon Michael Woodhouse: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The question was very specific: did he agree with the recommendation of a base remuneration of $171000? That was not addressed.SPEAKER: Yes; I'll refer the member to Speakers' ruling 171/4. Does he have a further supplementary?Hon Michael Woodhouse: If there isn't money to reflect the co-design work in tomorrow's Budget will he be the one to apologise to independent midwives and will they have to return to court to obtain redress?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I won't be releasing the details of tomorrow's Budget now. I do acknowledge that the previous Government made mistakes. I'm not about to apologise for those but it is my job to find a way forward and we've done that."