A parliamentary committee has found Education Minister Jan Tinetti is not guilty of a contempt of Parliament.
It follows her hearing before the Privileges Committee earlier this month, where she said she did not intend to mislead Parliament by not correcting an incorrect statement in the debating chamber in February.
The committee found, however, her actions were due to "a high degree of negligence" and has asked her to apologise.
In the debating chamber in February, Tinetti, who took over the education portfolio from Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, said she was not responsible for the timing of release of school attendance data.
She was told by staff later the same day that the statement was incorrect, but did not correct the record by updating the House of this until May 2.
At the end of last month Speaker Adrian Rurawhe said in the House it had been alleged Tinetti had "deliberately misled the House by failing to correct a misleading statement at the earliest opportunity".
The Privileges Committee is a panel of senior MPs which focuses on the rights and freedoms that allow the House of Representatives to do its work and make laws free from outside interference.
It was tasked with deciding whether Tinetti had deliberately misled Parliament by not correcting the record at the earliest opportunity.
Its finding, published today, said in failing to correct her inaccurate statement to the House until May 2, Tinetti "made and sustained an erroneous judgement that caused the House to be misled".
"During this time, the House was impeded in the performance of its functions.
"We recommend that the Minister be required to apologise to the House for her conduct.
"However, we accept that the Minister’s actions arose from a high degree of negligence on her part, not an intention that the House be misled. On this basis, we do not find the Minister guilty of a contempt of the House."
Tinetti has been approached for comment.
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