Roy Heather: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Roy Heather: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:673;Page:19816] 
10. 
Hon HEATHER ROY (ACT) 
 to the  
Minister of Science and Innovation 
: How many times has he met with the Royal Society of New Zealand and what issues were discussed at these meetings? 
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP (Minister of Science and Innovation) 
: 
 I have met formally or attended functions with the Royal Society 11 times as the Minister of Science and Innovation. In addition I have frequently met informally with members of the Royal Society board and management team at various science events. I have discussed a broad range of topics including in fact the Royal Society of New Zealand Amendment Bill. This is an excellent bill which has the unanimous support of the House and the especially devoted attention of members opposite. I can only assume that Mr Grant Robertson thinks that the volume of speaking is one way to— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: It is not the member’s responsibility what Mr Grant Robertson might think—or not think. 
Hon Heather Roy 
: During these meetings has the Royal Society expressed concern over the deliberately slow progress of the Royal Society of New Zealand Amendment Bill especially considering the bill’s cross-party support; if so what concerns has it expressed? 
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP 
: The Royal Society is of course a very proper organisation and its members would never seek to influence Parliament. However I can say informally that they are somewhat bemused as to what is happening. They apprehend that they are in the grip of forces beyond their control. They ask: “When will the bill pass?”. They wonder and I have said: “With a bit of luck this year or maybe next.” As befits the detailed and forensic analysis of the humanities Mr Hodgson Mr Robertson and Mr Shearer have spent more than half an hour on whether— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member will resume his seat. He has no responsibility for Messrs Hodgson or Shearer or anyone else in the Labour Party. 
Hon Heather Roy 
: What advice or guidance has he given the Royal Society about progressing the bill more quickly in light of the Labour Party delaying its own bill? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister has no responsibility whatsoever for the member’s bill. 
Hon Heather Roy 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The question was in response to the answer to the previous supplementary question which was within the parliamentary guidelines I think. It was asking what advice or guidance he might have given the Royal Society in response to the conversations he has just reported on and I would have thought that it would be within the Standing Orders. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I will accept the member’s question. She may repeat the question but the Minister will need to be careful in answering it. 
Hon Heather Roy 
: What advice or guidance has he given the Royal Society about progressing the bill more quickly in light of the Labour Party delaying its own bill? 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My submission to you is that you were right in your first ruling and the fact that you allowed the Minister to stray outside his area of responsibility earlier does not mean that a supplementary question that is not within the Standing Orders should be allowed. 
Hon Simon Power 
: My recollection is that the question was: “What advice has he given to the Royal Society” in respect of a particular issue. That is within his responsibility as a Minister with responsibility in the science and innovation area. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: This is not a matter of science; it is a matter of legislation that is the responsibility of my colleague Grant Robertson. It is not this Minister’s responsibility. It might be that Minister’s responsibility but not this one’s. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I have heard sufficient on the matter and I am persuaded by the Hon Trevor Mallard’s view that the Minister can be questioned only on advice he has given in areas of his responsibility and he is not responsible for this legislation. My first instinct I believe was correct and I must rule accordingly. What I am prepared to do though as the member has no further questions is give the member a chance to ask a question that is within the Standing Orders. 
Hon Heather Roy 
: What affiliate members of the Royal Society has the Minister met with and do they also have concerns about progress on legislation before Parliament that might affect them? 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Again that is outside his responsibility. The question asked who he has met with and that is fine. But asking about their concerns—not whether they have advised him or anything like that—is not his responsibility. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I think the Minister can answer the first part of the question. Does he recollect the first part of the question? 
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP 
: Yes I do. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Could the Hon Heather Roy please repeat just the first part of the question? 
Hon Heather Roy 
: What affiliate members or those associated with the Royal Society of New Zealand has he also met with and given advice to and what might that advice be? 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: No that’s not what she said before. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Hon Dr Wayne Mapp in the interests of making progress may answer that question. 
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP 
: Yes I have met with affiliate members and board members. I have to say that the issue on their minds is when the bill will pass. 
Grant Robertson 
: Has he seen a copy of the memorandum of understanding between the Royal Society of New Zealand and the Council for the Humanities dated 9 February 2010 which states that they hope to pass the legislation referred to in the primary question within 5 years? 
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP 
: No I have not seen that memorandum but I say this: I do not think that was seen as an invitation to spend the entire year debating the legislation. 
Grant Robertson 
: I seek leave of the House to table the memorandum of understanding between the Royal Society of New Zealand and the Council for the Humanities dated 9 February 2010 which gives them 5 years to pass the legislation. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document is there any objection? There is objection.