11. Question No. 11—CorrectionsHon SCOTT SIMPSON (National—Coromandel) to the Minister of CorrectionsQuestion No. 11—Corrections11. Hon SCOTT SIMPSON (National—Coromandel) to the Minister of Corrections: Is he confident that the Department of Corrections' policies are keeping New Zealanders safe from COVID-19; if so why?Hon KELVIN DAVIS (Minister of Corrections): Yes. As we saw in this recent case it was Corrections health screening that helped us to identify that there was potential that COVID had spread in the community. While Corrections have strict policies in place to stop the spread of COVID in prisons this case has identified that there are areas where we can look to create improvements around transportation. While these are outside of the control of Corrections given bail conditions are set by the courts I have asked my officials to work with other agencies to see what improvements can be made around transportation. This approach was outlined by the Prime Minister earlier today. I am confident in Corrections' processes to minimise risks relating to the transmission of COVID-19 though. These include health screening for every person who enters a prison all prison staff are required to wear masks at all times while on site and when staff are interacting with prisoners they are wearing personal protective equipment to prevent transmission. The secure and controlled nature of the prison environment means Corrections are able to quickly isolate prisoners as required restrict their movements and identify people who would have been in contact with them if required.Hon Scott Simpson: As corrections Minister does he think it's fair that essential workers should be required to show that they have had a COVID-19 test before travelling through an alert level boundary but a Black Power member recently released from prison should not be required to?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: Again this is an issue around the transportation of prisoners. Corrections doesn't set those conditions the judges and the courts set the bail conditions so he needs to really address his question to the correct Minister.Hon Scott Simpson: As corrections Minister does he place more trust in prisoners who are being released from prison to travel through an alert level boundary without being tested for COVID-19 than essential workers?SPEAKER: Order! Order! Order! The Minister doesn't have responsibility for either of those groups.Hon Scott Simpson: Point of order Mr Speaker. I was asking whether he thought it was fair or did he have trust. My question was: does he place trust?SPEAKER: Well people who've been released from prison and essential workers—neither of those groups are the responsibility of this Minister.Hon Scott Simpson: Point of order Mr Speaker. The prisoner is still in the care of Corrections staff—still in the purview of the Corrections department.SPEAKER: Well no the member said the person had been released from prison.Hon Simon Bridges: He's on bail.SPEAKER: It's exactly what the member said.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Point of order. Mr Speaker we're getting into a tangle between whether the question is in order or whether the answer should have been given in that way by the Minister. I'm suggesting to you that while that may well have been the answer the Minister could have given it doesn't render the question out of order.Hon Kelvin Davis: Speaking to the point of order Mr Speaker. The Minister of Corrections is responsible for people who are in prison. The judges and the courts set the bail conditions. The Minister of Corrections is not responsible for them.David Seymour: Point of order. In case I can assist Mr Speaker—SPEAKER: You're always here to help!David Seymour: That's me! He may well have been released from prison but he was still in the care of Corrections and surely the Minister's perception of and the Minister's attitude towards the behaviour of prisoners and their trustworthiness while under the care of Corrections is something that is very relevant that this House is allowed to ask about. That's what the question was about: does the Minister trust those prisoners who are under Corrections' care. His attitude towards prisoners is of great interest to this House.SPEAKER: And if the question had been asked like that it would have been in order.David Seymour: It was asked like that.SPEAKER: I'm prepared to be generous and let the member rephrase his question so he makes it clear that there is ministerial responsibility. I am being very kind.Hon Simon Bridges: Oh come on!SPEAKER: Mr Bridges—sorry is the member trying to fly or—I've heard him described as Samson recently.David Seymour: He was brushing his hair back!SPEAKER: That's right—Samson!Hon Scott Simpson: As the Minister of Corrections does he place more trust in persons who are in the care of Corrections staff recently released from prison to travel through an alert level boundary without being tested for COVID-19 than essential workers?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: I trust the Corrections processes.Hon Scott Simpson: What specific measures if any did the Department of Corrections take to ensure the transportation of the prisoner to northern Hauraki would be done safely and appropriately given Auckland's lockdown status and in light of Corrections deeming him unsuitable for bail?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: I'll refer to my primary answer. The case has identified that there are areas where we can look to create improvements around transportation. While these areas are outside of the control of Corrections given bail conditions are set by the courts including the transport of prisoners I've asked my officials to work with other agencies to see what improvements can be made around transportation.Hon Scott Simpson: At what point did the Department of Corrections realise the prisoner had stopped at four different locations including two private addresses and why wasn't he arrested for breach of bail when his bail conditions required him to travel without any unnecessary stops?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: So Corrections and Police jointly manage electronically monitored bail. Corrections assesses a person and their proposed address for electronic—EM"—bail suitability and carries out the electronic monitoring. Police are responsible for responding to all non-compliance and managing any other bail conditions imposed by the courts. Corrections has no involvement in non-EM bail though.Hon Scott Simpson: Why did Corrections staff allow the prisoner to be picked up by three individuals when his bail conditions stated that a specified family member was to collect him from Mt Eden Corrections Facility and does this demonstrate a complete failure by Corrections to monitor the prisoner effectively given they had concerns about him being unsuitable for bail?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: No.SPEAKER: That concludes oral questions. I call on—[Interruption] Oh sorry! Angela Roberts—No. 12. I apologise."