9522 (2024). Ricardo Menéndez March to the Minister for Social Development and Employment

9522 (2024). Ricardo Menéndez March to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: How much assistance, if any, has the Ministry of Social Development granted for public transport costs for each quarter over the last 5 years, by value, number, and type of assistance?

Hon Louise Upston: I am advised by the Ministry of Social Development (the Ministry) that clients may receive assistance for transport costs, such as public transport, on an ongoing basis or as a one-off payment. In order to provide the Member with how much assistance has been granted for public transport costs the Ministry would need to assess each individual client file in the Ministry’s system to identify payments made for this purpose. This would mean the Ministry would need to divert personnel away from their core duties to review each individual file for further information on assistance granted to clients. In accordance with Speaker’s Ruling 185-4, I consider that the time, and hence the expense, of answering these parts of the Member's question is not in the public interest.