Points of Order — Questions for Written Answer—Ministerial Responsibility

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I ask you to make a considered ruling in relation to Speaker’s ruling 145/6, which relates to ministerial responsibility for answering questions. In particular, I want you to rule on a written question that the Office of the Prime Minister has twice turned down as not having responsibility for, which relates to a letter the Prime Minister wrote as Prime Minister to 350,000 New Zealanders.

💬 Mr SPEAKER: I hear the honourable member. Another issue arose recently while the Deputy Speaker was in the chair around a discrepancy between an oral answer and a written answer. It is quite difficult for us to follow up these issues without the detail being down in writing. It has taken quite a lot of research to follow up that previous point of order. I am not saying there is anything wrong with what the member is asking, but I ask him to put it in writing for me so that I can consider the detail of what he is seeking and act on that. It is not a matter for the House to consider right now; it is a matter for me to consider. I am very happy to do that.