2. Question No. 2—Prime MinisterRt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 2—Prime Minister2. Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Prime Minister): Yes I do. In particular I stand by the Government's action to conduct a ministerial inquiry into problems within the school property system—problems driven by a culture of mismanagement under the previous Government's Ministers of Education which have resulted in hundreds of projects facing huge escalations in both cost and scope. I also appreciate the member's most recent supportive remarks correcting earlier comments from Jan Tinetti denying there was even a problem. This Government stands by all of its actions to address the shocking educational outcomes delivered by that member's Government.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Is it correct that school property capital expenditure for the Botany electorate increased from $3.7 million in 2017 to $11.9 million in 2022; if so which of those projects does he believe were of low value?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: If the member would like to ask a specific question I'm sure I can give him a proper answer for that. But what I would say to you is: 350 schools were misled by the previous Government: We're going to rescope your school; we're going to redesign it." Twenty before Christmas; 250 now 350; billions of dollars lots of promises no delivery underfunded—a pattern of behaviour we've seen many many times.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Does he agree with Christopher Luxon on the smoke-free law changes made by the previous Government: "We've been really supportive. Anything to remove you know smoking harm I think is a good thing."?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Absolutely.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: When he stated "We believe … we can lower smoking rates with the legislation that exists today." had he seen the Treasury advice that repealing the smoke-free environments Act changes will net the Government $500 million a year in extra revenue with more people smoking for longer?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: What I have seen is the results from the last year which has seen daily smokers go from 8.6 percent to 6.8 percent just in the last 12 months with the legislation that we're going to readopt. Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Did his Associate Minister of Health advise Cabinet that the Ministry of Health estimated rolling back smoke-free law changes would cost the health system an estimated $5 billion and that smoking currently contributes to an average of 12 deaths per day in New Zealand; if not why not?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Our Associate Health Minister is very committed to lowering smoking rates. The smoking legislation that we've seen over the last decade has actually halved daily smoking in this country. We are very confident that this will continue to lower smoking rates across this country.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Point of order Mr Speaker. My question was about the advice that Cabinet received from the Associate Minister of Health. The Prime Minister didn't address that.SPEAKER: Well I'm sure that he will if he's asked again. You can ask him again with no penalty to you.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Did his Associate Minister of Health advise Cabinet that the Ministry of Health estimates that rolling back smoke-free law changes will cost the health system an estimated $5 billion and that smoking currently contributes to an average of 12 deaths per day in New Zealand; if not why not?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Our decision is very clear: we're going to adopt the existing legislation—that previously existed just a month before the election—that has driven smoking rates down. Smoking rates are going to continue to fall under the existing legislation that we're going to readopt.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Point of order Mr Speaker. It wasn't a difficult question; it asked what the Associate Minister of Health had advised Cabinet with regard to the cost and the number of people who die per day from smoking and the Prime Minister hasn't addressed either of those issues.SPEAKER: Well I don't think so. I assumed that that was part of the advice that he had got that lead to the answer. Why doesn't the Prime Minister—[Addressing the Rt Hon Winston Peters] that's not you—answer that one more time. Sorry my apologies. I apologise to the member because I realise he's only at the mid-point in his career so it could happen. Anyway—Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Unlike the previous Government we don't discuss stuff that happens in Cabinet—unlike Stuart Nash.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Point of order Mr Speaker. Prime Ministers have regularly in this House been asked what advice Ministers have provided to Cabinet and have given answers on that.SPEAKER: Yes previously. He just said they don't do it.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Is the Prime Minister aware that the legislation that's seen the most dramatic change in the decrease in smoking levels in this country—that law was written by New Zealand First and not these people over here that are screaming about it right here right now—SPEAKER: Yeah—first part of the question's good.Hon David Parker: Point of order. In respect of your most recent ruling sir there's a difference between advice that a Government—SPEAKER: Could you speak more into your microphone if you wouldn't mind.Hon David Parker: I think the microphone might be off.SPEAKER: I don't think it is; it just needs to be up a bit. But carry on.Hon David Parker: As to your point of order sir there is a difference between advice that is provided to Cabinet and Cabinet discussions on what is before it. There is no obligation on the Government to disclose the discussions in a Cabinet made by different Cabinet Ministers but Ministers can be asked what information was provided to Cabinet.SPEAKER: They can and in due course they're likely to release it. They don't have to release it here in the House. And further to that point it wasn't my point of order.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Point of order Mr Speaker. Your intervention there may well have been an acceptable answer for the Prime Minister to give; it's not exactly a ruling though. The Prime Minister is effectively refusing to answer the question.SPEAKER: Well to the part of your point of order you're quite right—I'm an unrecognised talent. You've got another supp?Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Why did his Associate Minister reject proposals to stop tobacco being sold near schools?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Well because as I heard Ayesha Verrall—Ministers take a range of advice on a range of topics and she's free to do that. We have a clear programme forward: we want to lower smoking rates across this country and we're going to do it with the existing legislation.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Why did his Associate Minister of Health reject proposals to raise the purchase age of tobacco to 25 given the advice from the Ministry of Health: "there is strong evidence that starting smoking after 25 is uncommon."Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Ministers take a range of advice on a range of topics."