King Annette: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeKing Annette: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 03 March 2016. Volume:711;Page:9367. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]1.Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) to the Minister of Health: What was core Crown health expenditure as a percentage of GDP in 2010-11 and what is it in 2015-16?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN (Minister of Health): The 2015 Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand state that in 2010-11 core Crown health expenditure was 6.7 percent of GDP and in 2015-16 it is forecast to be 6.4 percent of GDP. This Government has increased health spending by $4 billion while increasing access to services for all New Zealanders.Hon Annette King: In light of that answer does a 0.38 percent decrease in Crown health expenditure—Hon Steven Joyce: Oh you’re going to say it’s a decrease. Oh good on you Annette.Hon Annette King: —as a percentage of GDP Mr Joyce—between the 2010-11 and the 2015-16 years equate to $930 million less going into health if the spending level had stayed the same; if so when will he acknowledge that health expenditure has been cut?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: What a silly question. It quite clearly has not been cut because it has gone up by $4 billion over the term of this Government. You had better go and talk to your question writer.Hon Annette King: I seek leave to table—[Interruption] This is a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: And I want to hear it please.Hon Annette King: I seek leave to table a Parliamentary Library document dated 3 March 2016 compiled from data from Treasury that shows exactly what I outlined in terms of core Crown health expenditure.Mr SPEAKER: It may be useful to members. I will put the leave. Leave is sought to table that information from the Parliamentary Library. Is there any objection? There is none. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Simon O’Connor: What reports has the Minister seen about the levels of core Crown health expenditure as a percentage of GDP?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: I have seen advice that from 2000 to 2008 the average percentage of GDP spent on core Crown health expenditure was 5.7 percent. That is lower than the average of 6.5 percent during the term of this Government. In fact between 2000 and 2008 core Crown health expenditure as a percentage of GDP never rose above 6 percent. That is what you call an own goal Mrs King. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! If the member wishes to raise a supplementary question—[Interruption] Order! [Interruption] Order! Mr Joyce that is your final warning for today.Hon Annette King: If there is a real increase in Crown health expenditure as he claims every week why have district health board deficits increased to an unplanned $61.5 million year to date 31 December 2015?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: That is a big improvement on the $150 million - plus they were running at under Labour.Hon Annette King: I seek leave to table the Ministry of Health paper entitled DHB Sector Financial Performance: Year to Date 31st December 2015 setting out the—Mr SPEAKER: Order! No we do not need any more. I just need to know whether the document is publicly available.Hon Annette King: No it is not.Mr SPEAKER: On that basis I will put the leave. Leave is sought to table it. [Interruption] Order! [Interruption] Order! The Hon Annette King that is your final warning. The level of interjection and the complaints I am getting because of the interjections particularly between the two front benches mean I have to deal with it. I have given a warning on this side. I have now given the equivalent warning to this member particularly when I am on my feet. I will act on those warnings if I sadly have to. I need to put the leave for those papers. Leave is sought to table those particular papers as described by the Hon Annette King. Is there any objection? There is none. They can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Hon Paula Bennett: I am wondering whether the Minister has seen any reports on who might have actually written this primary question.Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! That is not a question that is in order. It is not even described as a question.Hon Annette King: What is his response to the fact that five district health boards have reported that they do not have the funding to cover their vital nursing staff wage increase negotiated recently in the New Zealand Nurses Organisation’s multi-employer collective agreement an increase crucial to retaining their workforce?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Vote Health went up by $400 million last year. All district health boards assured me—because they planned well ahead—that they would be able to fund that very excellent pay increase for nurses and they will be. So do not worry about it.Hon Annette King: What impact on patients will Waikato District Health Board’s decision to cut its almost $9 million deficit and growing by not filling over 69 vacancies which includes medical personnel nursing personnel and allied health personnel have?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: I am not worried about Waikato’s performance because it has delivered an extra 5500 operations during the term of this Government and an extra 6600 first specialist appointments. It has had an extra $44 million in Budget 2015 an extra quarter of a billion dollars over the term of this Government and actually it is delivering great services. That member should actually back the staff there not constantly try to undermine their morale.Hon Annette King: I seek leave to table an Official Information Act request provided by the Waikato District Health Board dated 10 February 2016 setting out their vacancies.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that particular Official Information Act request provided by Waikato District Health Board. Is there any objection? There is none. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Hon Annette King: Was he alarmed when he read the Ministry of Health report received by him on 4 February which states that Hutt Valley District Health Board is going to control its growing $5 million deficit through staffing control and at this stage has 22 vacancies: 10 for nurses two for medical and five for allied health?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: I am actually very pleased with the new chief executive my former medical school classmate Dr Bloomfield and the fiscal discipline that he is bringing to Hutt Valley District Health Board. He is going to make good use of that extra $76 million that the district health board has received over the last 7 years and he is actually making the types of decisions that mean that we can focus on getting more services delivered to the people of the Hutt Valley. So he is doing a great job.Hon Annette King: I seek leave to table an Official Information Act request from the Hutt Valley District Health Board dated 4 February 2016 setting out their vacancies.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that particular document. Is there any objection? There is none. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.