Scott Alastair: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers Questions to MembersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeScott Alastair: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members[Sitting date: 09 December 2015. Volume:710;Page:8685. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]2.ALASTAIR SCOTT (National—Wairarapa) to the Minister of Finance: What progress has the Government made on its priority of delivering better public services in 2015?Hon BILL ENGLISH (Minister of Finance): The Government has delivered on that promise to deliver stable Government finances and to support the most vulnerable. The Budget this year delivered a $790 million package to help children living in some of New Zealand’s poorest families to assist them in breaking the cycle of hardship as well as protecting the incentive to move from welfare to work. The Government increased benefits for families with children by $25 a week after tax the first increase over and above inflation since 1972.Alastair Scott: What steps is the Government taking to improve transparency as part of its commitment to delivering better public services for New Zealanders?Hon BILL ENGLISH: Earlier today Treasury released an in-depth analysis of at-risk 15 to 24-year-olds using data collected from a range of Government agencies. It highlighted particular high-risk groups and their characteristics some of whom the Government has already taken action on such as young solo parents half of whom it is likely will by age 35 have spent more than 5 years on a benefit. The Government will be translating these insights into further action.Alastair Scott: What progress can he report on delivering the Government’s economic and fiscal goals in 2015?Hon BILL ENGLISH: When the Government had a deficit of around $18 billion it set a target of getting back to surplus by 2014-15 and as the annual accounts showed we just achieved that. The significance of the surplus target was the pressure to create spending discipline and focus on value for money for Government spending that was already being spent as well as great care with limited additional funding. Persistent low inflation and lower dairy prices will mean a challenge to maintain surpluses in the future.Alastair Scott: Looking ahead what reasons does he see for confidence in the economic outlook in 2016?Hon BILL ENGLISH: Continued broad public support for the Government is certainly one of the features but New Zealand businesses are now benefiting from the lower interest rates and lower exchange rate that have arisen from adjustments in the economy and that is now flowing through again to recent lifts in consumer and business confidence.Grant Robertson: I seek leave of the House for David Bennett to be able to pop—I mean ask a question.Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member surely knows that it is out of order to seek leave for someone else. [Interruption] Order! Festivities can start when the House finally rises.Darroch Ball: If the Minister has total confidence in his Better Public Services target results will he support New Zealand First’s member’s bill that enables the Office of the Auditor-General to independently review those results; if not why not?Hon BILL ENGLISH: We do have confidence in those results. We set targets back in 2012 to deal with some of the toughest issues in New Zealand that the Government has to deal with and we are making significant progress on them. I am happy for the member to argue the toss about whether the crime rate has actually dropped whether the number of 16-year-olds achieving National Certificate of Educational Achievement level 2 has actually risen considerably whether reoffending rates have actually dropped or whether rheumatic fever cases are actually dropping. The Auditor-General I am sure can add to the discussion but we do not think it is necessary to legislate.