Ardern Jacinda: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeArdern Jacinda: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 26 August 2015. Volume:708;Page:6164. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]12.JACINDA ARDERN (Labour) to the Minister for Social Development: How many people who have made claims with the Historic Claims Team are still waiting for a response from the Ministry of Social Development and of those what is the longest period a claimant has waited?Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister for Social Development): The policy is that every person who makes a claim to the historical claims unit receives a response from a member of the historical claims team in the form of a phone call face-to-face meeting a letter of acknowledgment or a combination of these. When claimants are legally represented communications are directed by their legal representative. I am advised by the Ministry of Social Development that it is not aware of anyone who has not received a response. However if the member has any names I am very happy to look into it.Jacinda Ardern: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. That question was on notice and asked for the longest period that a claimant has waited. The Minister did not respond to that.Mr SPEAKER: This is a very fair point that has been raised. It is a very specific question. How many people have made the claims is the first part and that has not been addressed. Is the Minister able to give us that answer?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: The question was: how many people who have made claims are still waiting for a response and what is the longest period that they have waited? My answer is—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I apologise. I accept that the question has been addressed by the Minister.Jacinda Ardern: How can she claim that she is not aware of any claimants who are still waiting to hear a response when in answers to written questions she herself stated that there were more than 200 claimants who had not received a response from the ministry?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: I would have to have a look at the exact details of the question that was asked in order to make sure because this was a question on written notice. I have checked with theministry today and it is not aware of any claimant who has not had that first response from the ministry.Jacinda Ardern: Why has anyone with legal representation explicitly not been allowed to have their case fast tracked by the historical claims team?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: Well it is not a matter of not being allowed. What we have done is we have developed the fast-track approach and divided it into two tranches. The first tranche is almost complete and we have had 82 percent of those claimants—fortunately because it is a very long process—take up the response. The second tranche which is just due to go out now is those who have legal representation. Of course the difference is that you cannot deal directly with those claimants; you have to go through their legal representative and follow due process. So that is why they were in a separate tranche and that process is happening now.Jacinda Ardern: Why is the gentleman who was sexually abused by a staff member at Epuni Boys’ Home—like many others—and placed in the Porirua psychiatric hospital at just 13 for an entire year and who attempted suicide at 15 and his punishment was to be sent to a boys’ training centre not being fast tracked when he lodged his case more than 10 years ago and is still waiting?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: There are a number of claimants who lodged their claims prior to the historical claims unique process starting. [Interruption] I am not sure whether they want an answer.Jacinda Ardern: In light of these historical claims—[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! The two front—[Interruption] Order!Jacinda Ardern: In light of these historical claims can she guarantee that children in care are better off and not worse off as a result of Child Youth and Family intervention?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: I think it is important to remember that the historical claims process is dealing with the claims of people who were in State care from the 1940s to 1992. I do not think that there is a member in this House who would not apologise to anyone who was in State care and was abused during that time and we all want to see that claims process completed and those people get the recognition for the trauma they have suffered. What we have now in process—as Minister for Social Development I have put into process an expert panel to redesign the Child Youth and Family system because I cannot give that guarantee that the children who are in State care today are better off.Jacinda Ardern: I seek leave to table the written answer that said there were 247—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Written answers are published. They are available to all members.