English Bill: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
English Bill: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:630;Page:2483] 
4.  
Hon BILL ENGLISH (National—Clutha-Southland) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: Why did she make public comments about the possible reinstatement of David Parker to her Cabinet when the Companies Office has yet to complete its inquiry into declarations made by David Parker? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK (Prime Minister) 
: 
 Because reinstatement is an option. 
Hon Bill English 
: Why did she change the view she held on 21 March that Mr Parker had made mistakes serious enough for her to accept his resignation to a view on 28 March that the mistakes he had personally admitted were only “allegations”? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: Those are matters for the Companies Office to determine and we will be guided by the facts. 
Hon Bill English 
: Did any member of her office or her department or any Minister’s office seek or receive information advice or opinion from the Companies Office in relation to Mr Parker or the matters for which he is currently under investigation? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: Mr Parker has of course kept in touch with the leadership of the Labour Party. There has I understand been communication from the Companies Office to the head of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet about the pace of the inquiry. I do not want to comment on what may have occurred in those conversations but I am satisfied that Mr Parker is keeping his leadership in the loop. 
Hon Bill English 
: Is the Prime Minister telling the House that a statutory agency responsible for a decision over whether to prosecute a senior Minister in the current Government has been communicating with the Prime Minister’s department over the progress of that investigation? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: Obviously I have made no request whatsoever for any information from the Companies Office but— 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: Just answer the question. 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: Settle down Dr Smith. The member is very vocal at question time. [ 
Interruption 
] 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Order please. 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: I am directly answering the question by saying that my understanding is that the head of the Ministry of Economic Development spoke to the head of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet at a very early stage about the likely timing of the inquiry. 
Hon Bill English 
: Can I take the Prime Minister’s statement to the House today as confirmation of rumours and allegations that personnel from her department contacted an officer of the Companies Office last week and that that officer of the Companies Office provided written advice on the Companies Office view of Mr Parker’s declaration; and does she regard that as appropriate behaviour for a member of the Prime Minister’s department and for a statutory officer responsible for making a decision about whether to prosecute a senior member of her Government? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: I have no advice of any such interaction as the member has referred to. 
Hon Bill English 
: How come the Prime Minister then is aware of a discussion between the head of the Prime Minister’s department and the Companies Office; and how can anyone not construe that as pressure on the Companies Office from the political leadership of the Government to consider its view very carefully? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: Let me be very clear about what I have already told the member. The head of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet quite correctly reported to me that he had been phoned by the head of the Ministry of Economic Development. 
Hon Bill English 
: Can the Prime Minister now confirm to the House that not only has somebody from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet been discussing these matters with the Companies Office but those discussions have been reported to her; and how does she think that looks to a Parliament concerned that a statutory agency should be totally independent in making a decision about whether to prosecute a Minister? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: All that I can confirm is that as I said in the previous answer the head of the Ministry of Economic Development apparently contacted my head of department at a very early stage. It would have been in the day or two after the matter became public. My head of department quite properly reported that to me. 
Hon Bill English 
: Can the Prime Minister then answer a question I asked earlier as to why she said on 21 March that Mr Parker’s actions were “mistakes serious enough for me to accept his resignation” then a week later after being briefed by the head of her department on discussions with the Companies Office changed her view to one where she said that Mr Parker’s actions were only “allegations”? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: The facts are that on day one Mr Parker said he had made mistakes. 
Hon Bill English 
: And you agreed. 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: I accepted his word. Since that time Mr Parker has been in communication with the leadership of his party as is entirely proper.