Fact sheet – Speaker’s delegation

Members’ services

- Members of Parliament are entitled to one return business class airfare to allow them to participate in events that form part of the Official Inter-Parliamentary Relations Programme funded through the Office of the Clerk, of which the Speaker’s Delegation is a core event. Members may use the amount of one business class return airfare to enable their spouses to accompany them e.g. they may down grade their airfares to premium economy or economy class. Any additional cost associated with members’ spouses or partners accompanying them must be met by members. In this respect, there is no additional cost associated with members spouses or partners accompanying them than if the member had travelled alone i.e. the entitlement amount is set as one business class return airfare and this amount does not change. The Speaker’s spouse has a return business class airfare in their own right because of their ceremonial and representational role.

- All other costs associated with spouses or partners accompanying members of Parliament on Official Inter-Parliamentary Relations Programme events including accommodation, meals, transport, and incidental expenses is met by members. Costs for the Speaker’s spouse are met by the Office of the Clerk.

- These services are set out in the Members of Parliament(Official Inter-Parliamentary Relations Programme) Travel and Accommodation Services Determination 2014 which can be found here: http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/about-parliament/how-parliament-works/speaker/corp-docs/00SpeakSpeakIPRDetermination1/members-of-parliament-official-inter-parliamentary-relations

The role of spouses and partners

- Parliamentary diplomacy seeks to establish ties between countries that are separate from government to government relationships, with a focus on deepening understanding and building relationships at the legislative level to foster deeper, ongoing engagement. In this sense parliamentary exchanges such as the Speaker’s Delegation form a part of New Zealand’s wider diplomatic efforts.

- It has long been established practice in the New Zealand Parliament that members of Parliament accompanying the Speaker on such inter-parliamentary visits may also be accompanied by their spouses or partners. The role of spouses and partners participating in such visits, is ceremonial and representative, and an accepted and important aspect of inter-parliamentary exchanges. Parliamentary visits are reciprocal, and the New Zealand Parliament usually hosts a number of such visits in any given financial year. This includes the hosting of spouses and partners of Presiding Officers and members of other parliaments. Invitations for the Speaker to lead delegations out of New Zealand to other parliaments always include an invitation for their spouse to accompany the delegation.

- Official events and functions are attended by the spouses and partners of host dignitaries, and there is an expectation that the spouses and partners of the New Zealand Parliament’s delegation will mingle and engage with their counterparts. Establishing these relationships further enhances ‘soft diplomacy’, and adds value to New Zealand’s parliamentary relationships.

- Members’ spouses and partners participating in the Speaker’s Delegation does not add to the overall expense of the event, as members of Parliament are required to meet the cost of airfares from within their entitlement (as outlined above), and to meet all other associated costs of their spouse or partner’s participation.

Disclosure

Pursuant to section 37 of the Members of Parliament (Remuneration and Services) Act 2013, each member of the Speaker’s delegation is required to disclose details of the expenses incurred for travel and accommodation. These are disclosed as part of the quarterly members’ expenses disclosure on the Parliament website. http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/mpp/mps/expenses

Mary Harris
Clerk of the House of Representatives

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