6. Todd Barclay—Southland Electorate Office Allegations Prime Ministerial ConductRON MARK (Deputy Leader—NZ First) to the Prime MinisterTodd Barclay—Southland Electorate Office Allegations Prime Ministerial Conduct6. RON MARK (Deputy Leader—NZ First) to the Prime Minister: In his prime ministerial capacity does he stand by all his statements on the Clutha-Southland electorate office issue; if so how does he do that?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH (Prime Minister): Those statements were not made in my prime ministerial capacity.Ron Mark: In that case if his line—Chris Hipkins: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am sorry to interrupt the member asking the question. The Prime Minister's answer cannot be allowed to stand because he has made statements on that matter in the House in his capacity as Prime Minister. He has answered questions as Prime Minister. He therefore needs to be able to answer for at least those statements that he has made.Mr SPEAKER: The Prime Minister's answer will stand and it will be for people here in this House to judge it and for the public to judge it.Ron Mark: If his line of defence in this matter continues to be statements were not made in my ministerial capacity" but as National Party leader then why did he not correct Susie Ferguson on Morning Report Duncan Garner on The AM Show and Hilary Barry on the Breakfast show when he was asked questions on this matter on Monday as the Prime Minister?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: I would simply reiterate the answer to my first question and I do not agree with the members assertions. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] That is the sort of remark that will lead to gross disorder.Ron Mark: If that is true did he lie to The Nation Q+A Morning Report The AM Show Mike Hosking The Country and others given that he now says—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I will give the member a chance to rephrase that question. You cannot accuse another member of lying in this House. I will give him a chance to rephrase that.Chris Hipkins: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The member did not make an accusation; he asked a question. In fact if we go back through Hansard you will find copious examples of where Ministers have been asked whether they have told the truth about something or whether they have lied about something. This is certainly not the first time it has been used in a question. It is absolutely out of order to accuse someone of it; it is not out of order to ask somebody whether they did it.Mr SPEAKER: I will listen to the member as he rephrases or runs that same question. If I do not like the tone of the question and I feel that it then breaches Speakers' rulings on page 48 it could well be ruled out. I will give the member another chance.Ron Mark: If that is his answer is it true that he did not tell the truth to The Nation Q+A Morning Report The AM Show Mike Hosking The Country and others given that he now says he spoke only as the leader of the National Party?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: No and if I was that member I would be more worried about Shane Jones showing up in his caucus room. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order!Ron Mark: In so far as it is to do with the Prime Minister's ministerial responsibilities what is the difference between Taito Phillip Field's bribery and corruption conviction and a Minister misappropriating $100000 in an attempt to silence a staff member and to prevent the police from laying criminal charges against his backbench MP?Mr SPEAKER: In so far as the Prime Minister can perhaps detect some prime ministerial responsibility I invite him to answer it.Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: I reject the member's assertions but he needs to work out soon the difference between Shane Jones and a deputy leader of the New Zealand First Party. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! I will invite the member to ask his supplementary question but he just asks it—it does not need the introduction. Ron Mark: Why after she served him loyally faithfully and honestly for 18 years did he throw Glenys Dickson under the bus and should he not just do the honourable thing and resign now? Mr SPEAKER: I do not believe there is any prime ministerial responsibility for that. The question is out of order."