9. Question No. 9—Social Development and EmploymentRICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH (Green) to the Minister for Social Development and EmploymentQuestion No. 9—Social Development and Employment9. RICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH (Green) to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she agree with the Prime Minister's recent statement that the average adult now is on the benefit for 13 years on average and the under-25s are on the benefit for an average of 24 years? Hon LOUISE UPSTON (Minister for Social Development and Employment): Yes in its full context. The Prime Minister was referring to independent evidence produced by Taylor Fry in 2022 which reported that someone on the jobseeker benefit is expected to spend 13 years on benefit throughout their lifetime. The same evidence shows someone on a youth benefit is expected to spend 24 years on benefits throughout their lifetime. Ricardo Menéndez March: Is she aware that the Taylor Fry report she just quoted actually says that only 0.5 percent of people on the benefit are expected to spend 24 years on a benefit throughout their lifetime? Hon LOUISE UPSTON: Anyone that spends up to 24 years of their future lifetime on welfare is a major issue for this Government and that's why we are focused on fixing it. Ricardo Menéndez March: Why then has the Prime Minister and the Minister continued to say that under-25s are on the benefit for an average of 24 years? Hon LOUISE UPSTON: Because that's what the Taylor Fry report has said. For someone who goes on to youth payment or youth parent payment unfortunately the future lifetime expected that they will spend on welfare is up to 24 years. That is a disaster from anyone's book and why we are focused with a social investment approach on where the group have the highest risk of poorer life outcomes and interrupting it. We are not interested in allowing young people in this country whether it's a small number or a large number spending that amount of time stuck. Ricardo Menéndez March: Is she aware that for that tiny 0.5 percent proportion of people the modelling has taken into account seven additional risk factors including acute unplanned care from a public hospital interaction with Oranga Tamariki and exclusion from school and if so why didn't she create a target to reduce those risk factors as opposed to just getting 50000 people off the benefit? Hon LOUISE UPSTON: The Taylor Fry modelling is based on really careful analysis of the IDI data which is why it is so rich. It looks at people's past outcomes with the intention of trying to disrupt that from happening in the future. Whether it's one person whether it's 100 or whether it's 100000 every one of those people counts to me and I am unwilling to sit by and let them get stuck. Ricardo Menéndez March: Is she confident in the accuracy of her and the Prime Minister's comments that the average young person is spending 24 years on a benefit? Hon LOUISE UPSTON: As I said in my primary answer the context in which that was given was a discussion about long-term welfare dependency—the horrendous change that we have seen under the last six years with a significant increase in young people going on to welfare and staying on it—and the Taylor Fry report was one piece of the evidence that shows why we must prioritise this group. Ricardo Menéndez March: Will she commit going forward to be clear that only 0.5 percent of people are predicted to spend 24 years on the benefit as per the Taylor Fry report? Hon LOUISE UPSTON: What I will commit to this House is that for every single person we will do our best to get them off welfare and into work because that's what improves their life outcomes. Whether it's one year or 24 years it's not good enough. Ricardo Menéndez March: Point of order Mr Speaker. I seek leave to table the Taylor Fry report released under the Official Information Act—SPEAKER: Sorry when the House is silent we can all hear what you're saying. Ricardo Menéndez March: Thank you Mr Speaker. I seek leave to table the Taylor Fry report Social Outcomes Modelling—2022 Results released to me under the Official Information Act. SPEAKER: Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection? There appears to be none. Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.