35142 (2025). Hon Willie Jackson to the Minister for Social Development and Employment
Written Question
Published date: 01 Aug 2025
35142 (2025). Hon Willie Jackson to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: How many main benefits have been cancelled into work, during week of July 14th 2025, broken down by ethnicity, age and gender?
Hon Louise Upston: I am advised by the Ministry of Social Development (the Ministry) that standard reporting period is month end and quarter end. Data as the Member is requesting is not readily available in a weekly format, however, may be available in a monthly or quarterly format if requested.
Regular reporting is provided in the Ministry’s Benefit Fact Sheets which are available on the Ministry’s website: https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/statistics/index.html.
The Ministry would have to divert personnel from their core duties to provide the information sought by the Member. Therefore, in accordance with Speaker’s Ruling 210/6, I consider that the time and expense of answering the Member’s questions, relating to weekly benefit data, is not in the public interest.