6. Question No. 6—COVID-19 ResponseCHRIS BISHOP (National) to the Minister for COVID-19 ResponseQuestion No. 6—COVID-19 Response6. CHRIS BISHOP (National) to the Minister for COVID-19 Response: Does he stand by all his statements and actions in responding to COVID-19?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister for COVID-19 Response) (remote): Yes and in particular I stand by my announcement this morning that 28 of our 32 current managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facilities will be returning to being regular hotels by the middle of this year. Our MIQ facilities have served us incredibly well during the course of the pandemic and the staff who have worked in them deserve particular acknowledgment for placing themselves on the front line between the virus and New Zealanders. It's been difficult work. I think as a country we all owe them a great big vote of thanks for the enormous contribution they have made to our COVID-19 response.Chris Bishop: Why did he publicly disclose information in a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) briefing relating to Charlotte Bellis that specifically said it was not for public comment?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: As I indicated to the member this morning I don't intend to make any further comment on that individual case. If a member acting on behalf of the person concerned wants to raise a matter with me and they have a signed consent form in order to do so then they are certainly able to do that and I'll certainly work with them on it. But I don't intend to make further public comment. I don't believe it's in the public interest to discuss individual cases in a forum such as parliamentary—Chris Bishop: Point of order. The Minister may not want to disclose any further information or answer the question but he is subject to obligations to this Parliament. And it was a very simple question: why did he publicly disclose information? He has previously said he doesn't want to but that does not discharge him of his obligations to the House to answer the question.DEPUTY SPEAKER: He has addressed the question and he said it's not in the public interest. Therefore the answer is appropriate.Chris Bishop: Did he or his staff ask Nanaia Mahuta's office for a copy of the MFAT briefing that her office received relating to Charlotte Bellis and if so why?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: That material has been covered in written answers provided by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in answer to written parliamentary questions to the member. I have nothing further to add to the written material that he's already been provided.Chris Bishop: Point of order. That's actually not correct. That question I asked I asked because it's not covered in the written questions and he can't refer the House to written questions to answer a question when that information is not in fact in the written questions. He needs to answer the question that has been put before him orally now which is whether or not he or his staff asked Nanaia Mahuta's office for a copy of the MFAT briefing that her office received.DEPUTY SPEAKER: None the less he has answered the question.Chris Bishop: Well he hasn't.DEPUTY SPEAKER: Well he has. The answer may be correct or may not be correct—I don't know—but he has answered the question.Chris Bishop: Did he ask Nanaia Mahuta's office for a copy of the MFAT briefing that her office received at 12.55 p.m. on 31 January relating to Charlotte Bellis?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I refer the member back to the two previous answers that I've just given.Chris Bishop: Does he accept that he has done wrong in this matter and will he apologise to Charlotte Bellis?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Can I refer the member back to the two previous answers I've just given him. I think it is important that the House do continue to observe the tradition of not discussing individual cases. Individual cases get raised by members of Parliament with Ministers all of the time and I think it's important that members of Parliament are able to do that without for example thinking that those cases are going to be the subject of debate in the House of Parliament.Hon Nanaia Mahuta: Can the Minister confirm that the written questions referred to are written questions 3098 to 3101?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I don't have those particular questions in front of me but given that the Minister asking the question was the one that answered them I'm sure that her numbers are correct.Chris Bishop: They are correct but I'm not sure how that helped the House. Supplementary? Hon Grant Robertson: You get to commentate do you? Is that your job?DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yeah you sort of don't get to—Chris Bishop: The Speaker's the judge of order actually Mr Robertson.DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yeah have you two finished? Oh you have finished. Don't stand up and give a commentary on a previous answer. Just get up and do your supplementary.Chris Bishop: In light of what he's just said around it being important not to talk about particular individuals in Parliament will he apologise to Charlotte Bellis for breaching her privacy?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I refer the member back to my two first answers.