12. Todd Barclay—Southland Electorate Office Allegations Police Investigation and Ministerial ConductCHRIS HIPKINS (Labour—Rimutaka) to the Prime MinisterTodd Barclay—Southland Electorate Office Allegations Police Investigation and Ministerial Conduct12. CHRIS HIPKINS (Labour—Rimutaka) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of the statements that he has made or have been made on his behalf in this House regarding the Todd Barclay case?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH (Prime Minister): Yes in the context in which they were made. I understand there is an ongoing police investigation into those matters.Chris Hipkins: When he stated in his answer to question No. 3 in the House on 21 June: I understand there has been an Official Information Act process. I was aware of it. I did not really take part in it." had he or anyone from his office indicated to the police that his statement should be withheld from the information being released by the police?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: The decision on what information is released is one for the police and I do not intend to add any comment to that.Chris Hipkins: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. It was a direct question as a result of a statement the Prime Minister made in the House in his capacity as Prime Minister.Mr SPEAKER: I am going to invite the member to repeat the question.Chris Hipkins: Thank you. When he stated in his answer to question No. 3 in the House on 21 June: "I understand there has been an Official Information Act process. I was aware of it. I did not really take part in it." had he or anyone from his office indicated to the police that his statement should be withheld from the information being released by police?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: I just give the same answer I gave before. It is up to the police to decide what according to the law should be released and as it happened everything has been released.Chris Hipkins: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am well aware of what the police's responsibilities are and that they make the decision. I asked what the Prime Minister indicated to the police.Mr SPEAKER: We have had the question twice. I cannot do any more than that. The Prime Minister is responsible for his answer. It will be judged by the House and by the public.Chris Hipkins: Why will he not tell the House whether he or anyone from his office indicated to the police whether his statement should or should not be released as part of the Official Information Act request?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: For two reasons. One is that police make the decision about the release of any statement and all statements have been released.Chris Hipkins: Why did he tell the House on 21 June: "The employment dispute is between the employer and the employee. I was absolutely no party to that and I do not know what the dispute was or how it was settled."  given his police statement reveals that he had detailed knowledge of what the dispute was about and his own text messages set out his knowledge of how the dispute was settled?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: I disagree with the member's assertions.Chris Hipkins: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. [Interruption] Mr SPEAKER: Order! I will hear from Chris Hipkins.Chris Hipkins: The question asked why the Prime Minister told the House something. He has not addressed that question.Mr SPEAKER: I think that on this occasion he has. There was a very lengthy question which started with asking why the Prime Minister made some statements in the House and then the member's question went on and the Prime Minister has taken his opportunity to answer it that way.Chris Hipkins: When he stated in his answer to oral question No. 2 in the House on 20 June "I would expect any Minister who became aware of possible breaches of the law to bring it to the attention of the authorities." was he aware of any other allegations regarding breaches of the law by Todd Barclay that he had not brought to the attention of the police?Mr SPEAKER: Again in so far as there may be prime ministerial responsibility the right honourable Prime Minister.Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: Again all the matters of which I have relevant knowledge have been dealt with publicly and the statements to the police have been released.Chris Hipkins: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My question asked about the standard that the Prime Minister has set for all Ministers in his Government to inform the police of any information they have about whether anybody has breached the law. I asked the Prime Minister whether he had informed them—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! The member will resume his seat immediately. I will on this occasion allow the member to repeat the question. As I listened to the question I did wonder whether there was prime ministerial responsibility and that is why I gave that introduction as I called the Prime Minister. I will allow the question to be asked again but it will then be for the Prime Minister to answer in the way he sees fit.Chris Hipkins: When he stated in answer to oral question No. 2 in the House on 20 June "I would expect any Minister who became aware of possible breaches of the law to bring it to the attention of the authorities." was he aware of any other allegations regarding breaches of the law by Todd Barclay that he had not brought to the attention of the police?Mr SPEAKER: Again in so far as there may be prime ministerial responsibility the right honourable Prime Minister.Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: I simply repeat my answer. What I knew was communicated with the police and the relevant statements have all been released. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member will stand and withdraw that remark. [Interruption] Because I have asked him to please.Chris Hipkins: I withdraw. I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Are you ruling that "slippery" is now a non-parliamentary term?Mr SPEAKER: No I am not. I am ruling that that was an interjection that was likely to create disorder—[Interruption] Darroch Ball if you interject again when I am on my feet you will be leaving the House. I am not ruling words in or out. I judge words on the occasion depending on the temperature of the House. I asked the member to withdraw. He did so and I am grateful that he did.Chris Hipkins: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: I just need to make something quite clear to the member. I have made a decision. The member is now in a position where he may attempt to relitigate that. As the member saw last week I take such relitigation very very seriously. But if the member was to raise a fresh matter and nothing to do with what has just occurred in the House I am quite happy to hear that.Chris Hipkins: I will try to make it fresh.Mr SPEAKER: I just point out that the member had better make it fresh otherwise he will be leaving.Chris Hipkins: Absolutely. If you rule in any context that a phrase is unacceptable for an interjection or for a member to use in a question to a Minister will you also therefore make sure that that phrase is unacceptable for a Minister to use in an answer? I can count multiple answers where Ministers have accused Labour members of being slippery and you have never ruled them out of order.Mr SPEAKER: The member is very dangerous on this point because he is exactly relitigating. As I say I am not ruling any words in or out. I do not think I have ruled a word out since I have been Speaker. I judge everything on the text and the tone and the demeanour of the House at the time.David Seymour: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: I will hear from David Seymour.David Seymour: I take offence at Darroch Ball calling you Mr Speaker stupid while you were on your feet. If he is going to get away with that we might as well all go home. I think he should withdraw and apologise.Mr SPEAKER: Order! I did not hear that remark. Did Darroch Ball make that comment? [Interruption] Order! I have asked the member. A member's word must be accepted. It has been accepted. [Interruption] Order! I call on Government order of the day No. 1 [Interruption] We have just got too much noise. I called on Government order of the day No. 1; I actually could not even hear the Clerk because of the level of interjection.Darroch Ball: I seek leave to make a personal explanation.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought for that course of action. Is there any objection? There is none.Darroch Ball: I would just like to make it clear to this House that I did not call you stupid Mr Speaker; I said that it was stupid.Mr SPEAKER: I will leave members to judge that for their own benefit."