3. Question No. 3—Prime MinisterRt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 3—Prime Minister3. Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Prime Minister): Yes. In particular I stand by this Government's action to ban mobile phones in schools. Officially kicking in yesterday the ban is already helping young Kiwis focus on learning the skills they need to succeed and schools across the country are reporting more engaged kids louder playgrounds and sports fields at lunchtime more positive interaction and less cyber-bullying. We're committed to delivering better public services for Kiwis. This is just one part of our plan to do exactly that.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: What additional factors was he made aware of between 4 March when he expressed full confidence in Melissa Lee and last week when he dismissed her from the broadcasting portfolio?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: As I discussed last week Melissa Lee and Penny Simmonds for that matter are hard-working good Ministers doing an excellent job but those portfolios became more complex and more complicated and I want them managed by senior Ministers.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: What additional factors was he made aware of between 26 March when he expressed full confidence in Penny Simmonds and last week when he dismissed her from the disability portfolio?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Again as I said the agenda in disability issues became more complicated and complex and I want that managed by more senior Ministers. But what I'd just say is that that's the same leader who was a Prime Minister along with Grant Robertson his former Minister of Finance who actually got advice about the problems in that department agency and their management of their money and their budget and did nothing about it. It was typical of his Government to not face up to issues to not deal with them. We're doing that.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Point of order Mr Speaker. In reference to the last segment of the Prime Minister's answer it neither related to the question nor is anything that the Prime Minister has any responsibility for. Will you give me a couple of extra supplementary questions in compensation for that?SPEAKER: One.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Thank you Mr Speaker. Does he agree with David Seymour and Shane Jones' criticism of the Waitangi Tribunal? If not why not?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Again what I'd say to you: I have strong Ministers doing an excellent job and both those Ministers are doing exactly that.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Point of order Mr Speaker. I asked the Prime Minister whether he agreed with the criticism that David Seymour and Shane Jones have made of a Government entity the Waitangi Tribunal and if he didn't why he didn't agree with them. He didn't even address that.SPEAKER: Have another go.Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: I wouldn't characterise it that way. What I would say is that I've made my statements on that and you saw that in the media last week.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Point of order Mr Speaker. Public statements that Ministers make—certainly the subject can be the subject of questioning but they're not read into the record of the House. A Minister—any Minister—being asked a question shouldn't be referred simply to public statements that have been made. The Minister has an obligation to answer to the House.Hon Shane Jones: No no to address the question.SPEAKER: The obligation is in fact—thank you Mr Jones; I'll do this on my own if that's all right—to address a question and by saying that he refers to public statements he's made he's addressing the question.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Does he believe that David Seymour and Shane Jones' criticism of the Waitangi Tribunal breaches the Cabinet Manual?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: I wouldn't characterise it that way and you've seen my statements on the issue.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Why does it not breach the Cabinet Manual?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Because I don't believe it does.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Can I ask the Prime Minister as to whether he's told his Cabinet—SPEAKER: Hang on a minute. Wait on. When questions are being asked they're asked in silence.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Has the Prime Minister told his Cabinet colleagues to concentrate on great principles and great political programmes rather than venal vicious personal attacks?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: I think all my Ministers are very clear we are here to get things done for New Zealanders and they're doing a great job doing that.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Will the Prime Minister take disciplinary action against ministerial colleagues like David Seymour and Shane Jones attacking the legitimacy of the Waitangi Tribunal in breach of the Cabinet Manual? If not why not?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Look I have to say the sanctimony from that member is quite outrageous because it took him longer to sack Michael Wood than it will take for the backbench to sack him.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Point of order Mr Speaker. Not only does the Prime Minister not have responsibility for that he hasn't addressed the question that was asked.SPEAKER: Well he did by saying that he didn't agree with the sanctimoniousness of the question which is kind of a dismissing but it's none the less addressing the question.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Who is right: the Prime Minister who said that ultimately he determines the performance of Cabinet Ministers or David Seymour who said that the Prime Minister sacking an ACT Minister would be a breach of the faith of the coalition agreement and would be a major problem?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: The Prime Minister.