New Zealand First is drafting a single Ngapuhi Treaty of Waitangi settlement claim

Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith has confirmed the Government would prefer a single commercial settlement with the iwi, but is open to smaller groupings.

It's after debate over a clause in an initial deed for East Coast iwi Te Whanau-a-Apanui - stating the iwi and Crown "agreed-to-disagree" on who held sovereignty.

Minister Shane Jones says any Bill he creates - will state there is no separate Ngapuhi iwi sovereignty.

He says they do not believe in breaking up the country's largest tribe into uneconomic atoms.