11588 (2025). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister for Social Development and Employment

11588 (2025). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What was the average time taken to process a studylink application in January broken down in each of the 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 calendar years?

Hon Louise Upston: I am advised by the Ministry of Social Development (the Ministry) that providing the Member with the average time to process applications for student loan or allowance entitlement assessments would require the Ministry to divert personnel from their core duties to review every student loan or allowance entitlement assessment made by Ministry staff across the country on individual client files. In accordance with Speaker’s Ruling 210/6, I consider that the time, and hence the expense, of answering these parts of the Member's questions is not in the public interest.