Robertson Grant: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeRobertson Grant: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 03 March 2016. Volume:711;Page:9374. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]5.GRANT ROBERTSON (Labour—Wellington Central) to the Minister of Revenue: Does he stand by all of his answers to Oral Question No. 4 yesterday?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (Minister of Revenue): Yes with one small correction. When I said as evidence of my concern to ensure all contributions were passed on to KiwiSaver accounts that there was a 99.994 percent collection rate I should have said a 99.94 percent collection rate.Grant Robertson: When he said yesterday that he had been unable to verify media reports that 46154 people had not had their employer contributions paid to their KiwiSaver accounts did he realise that information came directly from his department?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: Yes I was aware of those reports as having originated from the Inland Revenue Department (IRD). I am now advised that the 46000 number provided by IRD does not represent the number of employees who have not had KiwiSaver employer contributions passed on. It represents the number of KiwiSaver employees of those employers who may not have passed on all of the contribution. So it is a rather nuanced difference—the number of actual people affected by that is less than that and in the time available IRD has not been able to provide the exact number. That should not detract from the fact that IRD and I remain very concerned to ensure high levels of compliance.Grant Robertson: To assist the Minister in the House I seek leave of the House to table information released by the Inland Revenue Department earlier this year—Mr SPEAKER: Is it available on their website?Grant Robertson: No as far as I am aware it is not. It includes a table of the total number of employees who have not had employer contributions deducted from their account.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that particular document. Is there any objection? [Interruption] Order! There is objection—there is objection. Order! I put the leave there was objection. That is the end of the matter. If the member now wishes to continue his supplementary questions I invite him to do so.Grant Robertson: How does the Inland Revenue Department identify those companies that are failing to pass on employer contributions to KiwiSaver accounts currently numbering 2210 companies and what intervention measures does it take?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: The first sign of any non-payment is usually with the employer schedules that transfer payments like PAYE ACC levies and KiwiSaver contributions. When that occurs the Inland Revenue Department has a range of interventions that start with follow-up calls and conversations about whether or not there are cash-flow issues or technical difficulties that prevented the physical payment. As a consequence of that the overwhelming majority of those payments are remedied in a short period of time.Grant Robertson: Is he therefore satisfied that the Inland Revenue Department is performing that role correctly when there are still 46000 New Zealanders who have not got in their KiwiSaver account what they are entitled to?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: Putting aside any dispute about whether or not the 46000 number represents that yes I am. The best evidence of that is the fact that although the Inland Revenue Department reported $10.68 million of unpaid employer contributions as at 30 June 2015 by 31 December 2015 that number had fallen to $8 million—a more than 25 percent reduction which I think is a very good measure of its diligence.