72414 (2024). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills

72414 (2024). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills: Were the Minister's departments, if any, invited to submit for new spending initiatives or cost pressures for Budget 2024?

Hon Penny Simmonds: Tertiary Education Commission (TEC): As part of the Fiscal Objectives across the term and Budget 2024 expectations (Minister of Finance letter 21 December 2023), the TEC was invited to submit the following initiatives for new spending initiatives or cost pressures for Budget 2024: 1) Cost Adjustment for Tertiary Education - limited to price pressures relating to the Government contribution to the cost of Tertiary Education and training delivery. 2) Funding to support the work programme on the University of Waikato medical school-joint initiative with Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education. 3) The disestablishment of Te Pukenga. 4) Apprenticeship Boost Initiative - joint initiative with Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Education. Ministry of Education: I refer the Member to the attached tables, showing the new spend initiatives and cost pressure initiatives I was invited to submit for Budget 24 as Minister for the Tertiary Education and Skills portfolio. I also sought a late invitation and received agreement from the Minister of Finance to submit Managing Tertiary Education and training System Pressures: Increased Fees cost pressure initiative. The invitation letter from the Minister of Finance has been proactively released by the Treasury, and can be found at: https://www.treasury.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2024-09/b24-invite-educ-4900241.pdf