Ryall Tony: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members Question No. 7 to Minister  
Ryall Tony: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members Question No. 7 to Minister  
[Volume:620;Page:15368] 
3.  
Hon TONY RYALL (National—Bay Of Plenty) 
 to the  
Minister of Police 
: How many police officers have been required to guard remand prisoners in police and court cells over the past 2 months and what discussions if any has he had with the Minister of Corrections as to how much longer those actions will be required? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS (Minister of Police) 
: 
 The police have always been funded for the escort and custody of remand prisoners. I am advised that usually on average 70 police officers provide that service. However since July of this year the police have reassigned on average an additional six police officers for those duties. I have had a number of discussions with the Minister of Corrections on this issue and he informs me that such arrangements are not ideal. However I am also informed that short medium and long-term plans are in place to reduce the need for such arrangements in the future. 
Hon Tony Ryall 
: Is the Minister aware that well over 150 remand prisoners were held in police cells last night and that large numbers are being held in court cells today and does he think that the highly informed media reports about his ministerial future suggest that he is getting the blame for the Minister of Corrections’ mishandling of this crisis? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: I think the Minister of Corrections is dealing with the present problem extremely well and in cooperation with the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Police. I support him wholly and I think that that member should support him as well. 
Dr Muriel Newman 
: With police officers guarding prisoners meeting traffic ticket quotas and assisting in the Solomons and Bougainville is it Government policy that the way to reduce crime is to have fewer police available to answer burglary complaints so that the public no longer bother to complain; and is that deliberate policy or just an accident? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: No and no. 
Hon Tony Ryall 
: Is the Minister aware that last weekend in his own electorate one of the very few police patrols in that area had to be taken off the road for the whole weekend so that the officers could guard remand inmates; and could that possibly be one of the reasons why the Prime Minister today refused to assure the Minister of a ministerial warrant? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: Obviously the police are called out to cover shortfalls. Prison numbers are high because of tougher sentences by this Government and tougher bail conditions. Of course the Prime Minister—I think—has a very successful Minister of Police. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Is it correct that some of the reasons there are so many prisoners in police cells are the facts that there are more police on the beat now than ever before and that resolution rates are higher than ever before; and therefore will the Minister accept the House’s congratulations? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: Yes and yes. 
Hon Tony Ryall 
: Is the Minister at all concerned by further speculation that he is to be replaced by someone less competent than himself? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: I think that that member has been interviewing his typewriter as well as Vernon Small’s.