1. Question No. 1—Prime MinisterRt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion No. 1—Prime Minister1. Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Prime Minister): Yes I do and especially our announcement of new targets for at least 80 percent of students regularly attending school and 80 percent of year 8 students at or above the expected curriculum level for their age in reading writing and maths. These are critical things to make sure that our kids can get the quality education they have and can follow the dreams that they have. Finally we have a Government that's getting New Zealand back on track getting our kids back to school and making sure they're going to do well.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Why did he say yesterday that the Suicide Prevention Office would remain open when the Ministry of Health officials were saying at the same time that it wouldn't? Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: As I said yesterday the Ministry of Health said that they did not adequately brief the Minister. The Minister has made it very clear the functions of the Suicide Prevention Office will remain open.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Were any Ministers in his Government briefed on the Ministry of Health's proposal to wind up the Suicide Prevention Office before it became public knowledge?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Again I don't know how to be any clearer: we've had the Ministry of Health come out and say they did not adequately brief the Minister. Within a very quick and short period of time the Minister responded by saying he wanted the functions of the Suicide Prevention Office to remain and they will remain.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Point of order Mr Speaker. I think the Prime Minister might have missed my question. I was asking about any Ministers in his Government. Of course there are multiple Ministers of Health. The Minister that he's referring to is not the Vote Minister that is the Minister of Health. I was asking him whether any Ministers in his Government had been briefed on the proposal before it become public.SPEAKER: Well I think he probably did answer that but he could perhaps say something else.Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Well no I feel like I have answered it. I've answered it yesterday; I'm answering it again today. As I said the Ministry of Health said they did not adequately brief the Minister. The Minister of Mental Health has come out and said that he wants the functions of the Suicide Prevention Office to remain and they will remain. That's the situation.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Was the Minister of Health or any other Minister in his Government briefed on the ministry's proposals before they were made public?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: No.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Why did Ministry of Health officials just yesterday say that the role of the director of the Suicide Prevention Office will not be filled other roles in the Suicide Prevention Office will be cut and the work of the office would be integrated into other ministry work which to most people sounds like the office is being wound up?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Well I can reassure you the Minister has been very clear to say that the functions of the Suicide Prevention Office will remain.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Will he guarantee that his Government's proposal to cut jobs from the Ministry of Health including from the tobacco regulation team will not lead to an increase in youth smoking?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: We are determined as a Government to deliver on the smoke-free 2025 targets. As that member well knows we've had good progress in the last 12 months and we're going to march towards a 5 percent daily smoker target under smoke-free 2025.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Will he guarantee that his Government's proposal to cut 6.5 percent from the budget of Customs will not lead to longer lines at airports delays for our importers and exporters and more illicit drugs entering New Zealand?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Well what I can say to that member is that we finally have a Government that can walk and chew gum at the same time. We can end the wasteful spending we can prioritise front-line services we can deliver tax relief for low- and middle-income workers—folk that that member's party used to care about—and we can make sure we can grow this economy.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Point of order Mr Speaker. That can't possibly come anywhere close to addressing the question that I had asked the Prime Minister. I asked him whether he would guarantee that there wouldn't be more illicit drugs coming into the country longer lines at airports—SPEAKER: I know what you asked him and that is the problem. You're asking him to give a guarantee which is in the nature of a yes/no answer and I ruled those out yesterday.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Yeah but he at least needs to address the question. I admit I can't make him say yes or no but he at least needs to talk about the question that was asked as opposed to whatever he feels like.SPEAKER: I'm not going to debate it with you but I don't think asking someone to guarantee something and then saying they must address that is in any way different from asking for a yes or no answer. Please ask another supp. Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Will he guarantee that his proposal to cut 6.5 percent from the Customs budget won't lead to longer times at airports won't lead to delays for our importers and exporters and won't lead to more illicit drugs entering New Zealand?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: What I can reassure that member is that this'll be a Government that will rebuild our economy restore law and order and deliver better public services in health and education.