United Future silent on hopes for smaller cabinet

United Future yesterday distanced itself from its policy to cut the size of the Government's executive as talks continued on the support it could give a Labour-led Government.

Labour has also been talking with the Green Party as Prime Minister Helen Clark seeks backing for her minority coalition with the Progressive Coalition.

Talks between officials are expected to continue but party leaders are taking a short break. They are due to return to the negotiating table about Tuesday.

United Future leader Peter Dunne has not said what arrangements his party is considering.

As part of a coalition government it could expect at least one minister around the cabinet table. Of United Future's nine MPs, only Mr Dunne is experienced in the job.

United Future's policy is to reduce the size of the executive - which includes cabinet ministers, ministers outside cabinet and under-secretaries - to 18.

Its policy also includes cutting the number of ministerial portfolios, and performance deals for ministers.

Mr Dunne's spokesman yesterday could not say if the party would keep the executive-cutting policy.

The party had been undergoing a policy review when the election was called and that policy had not been "revisited" because the party "simply ran out of time".

- NZPA

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