5. Question No. 5—State ServicesHon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson) to the Minister of State ServicesQuestion No. 5—State Services5. Hon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson) to the Minister of State Services: What are the dates and contents of all work-related electronic communications between former Minister Hon Clare Curran and the Prime Minister since the decision in Cabinet last year that the CTO be appointed by and accountable to the Prime Minister and the Ministers of Government Digital Services and Broadcasting Communications and Digital Media"?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance) on behalf of the Minister of State Services: The Prime Minister's office have advised me that there are two email communications that they have identified between the Prime Minister and Clare Curran that relate to the Chief Technology Officer. On 9 February 2018 Clare Curran sent an email to the Prime Minister providing an update on the CTO recruitment process including the appointment panel's thoughts on candidates in round one of the recruitment. On 27 May 2018 the Prime Minister forwarded without comment to Clare Curran correspondence that she had received from a member of the public on data rights which also made a passing reference to the CTO role but not to any candidate. I'm advised by the Prime Minister's office that they are working through other electronic communications to identify those that are with Clare Curran and are relevant to the CTO role. I will make sure that these are provided to the House when they are available in accordance with the public interest. I can confirm that the former Minister communicated with the Prime Minister to keep her updated on the process of the CTO selection in a manner that would be expected for a position of this type.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Were there any communications between the Prime Minister and Clare Curran or their offices around the time that Derek Handley texted the Prime Minister in April this year seeking the Government's Chief Technology Officer role?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: As I said in that answer I cannot answer that with respect to electronic communications other than emails. But emails no—I've listed those. That information will be provided to the House when it's available.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Were there any communications between the Prime Minister and Clare Curran or their offices around the time that Derek Handley emailed the Prime Minister's private email address on 7 June this year seeking the Government's Chief Technology Officer role?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I just simply have to repeat the answer I've previously given. With respect to communications other than those of emails I'm unable to answer that today but that information will be provided to the House when it is available.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Who was being referred to when Derek Handley tweeted the then Minister Clare Curran saying that he had been encouraged by "friends" to apply for the Government's Chief Technology Officer role and was one of those "friends" the Prime Minister?SPEAKER: Order! Order! I've allowed quite a broad approach to this question as the member is aware but responsibility for Mr Handley's tweets is not something that this Minister has.Hon Dr Nick Smith: What was the date that Mr Handley was offered the role of the Government's Chief Technology Officer and what date did he accept that role?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: In terms of the first question I would want to make sure I get the date exactly right. It was a date in early August. I will come back to the member with the exact date. I cannot answer the other part of the question.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Does the Minister accept that the responsibility for the debacle over the appointment of the Chief Technology Officer rests equally with both appointing Ministers: Clare Curran and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: No.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Why—when both Ministers were clearly given responsibility by Cabinet for the appointment and given the extensive communications including by the Prime Minister's own private email—does the Prime Minister not share some responsibility for this debacle?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I'm not the Prime Minister though.SPEAKER: No I think it's a reasonable question.Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: As I said in my primary answer the Prime Minister was kept in touch with this process by the former Minister as would be expected and only as would be expected."