52310 (2024). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister for Social Development and Employment

52310 (2024). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What teams, business units, and functions in the Minister’s departments, if any, have increased FTEs since November 2023, and how many FTEs have they been increased by?

Hon Louise Upston: I am advised by the Ministry of Social Development (the Ministry) that no business groups have had an increase in FTEs over this period. The Ministry’s FTEs have reduced from 9,502.5 FTE on 30 November 2023 to 8,678.9 as at 21 August 2024. There have been some small increases within business groups at a branch level but these are generally due to filling vacancies or secondments between business groups. The Ministry has identified that in May 2024, the Child Wellbeing and Poverty Reduction Group transferred from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to the Ministry, there are currently an additional 7 FTEs in this area. While there has not been an overall increase in the Transformation business group, at a branch level the Ministry has increased resources to progress the Ministry’s Transformation programme, Te Pae Tawhiti. Between the two dates above, the Programme teams have increased by 33.9 FTE. This change reflects two points in time, and includes permanent, fixed-term and secondments. The Ministry has advised me that transformations of this scale require strong specialist capability and that numbers will continue to flex as needs of the programme change.