Question Times in the Houses of Parliament
Types of Questions
● PMQs
● Oral Questions
● Written Questions
● Urgent Questions
● Lords Oral/Written Questions
PMQs
Every Wednesday, the House of Commons meets to question the Prime Minister on the
week’s proceedings.
The leader of the primary opposition (currently Kemi Badenoch) asks six questions. The PM
(currently Keir Starmer) must respond. The questions are unseen, but usually predictable.
The leader of the third largest party in the House of Commons (currently Ed Davey of the
Liberal Democrats) then asks two questions.
After these questions are complete, the floor is opened up to MPs to ask questions. The
MPs who wish to ask questions submit their names to the speaker beforehand, who shuffles
them on a random computer generator and chooses whoever the machine selects.
The PM usually hates PMQs (Tony Blair famously hated it lol). They’re usually well prepared
to answer questions, but the proceedings often descend into Punch and Judy politics
anyway.
Oral Questions
Oral Questions are asked every Monday-Thursday, after a few things but towards the start of
sessions, to particular government departments. The government department being
questioned on a particular day rotates daily (one day it’ll be the Department of Education
etc).
Written Questions
MPs submit written questions to the government. The government has a couple of days to
respond, unless they’re ‘named day’ questions, there is a specific day which the government
minister must respond on.
Urgent Questions
Urgent Questions can be asked every day the HoC is in session. MPs apply for their
question to be answered, and the Speaker decides whether it’s of enough relevance to ask
in the chamber. The relevant government minister has to come to the stand to answer the
question (if the Speaker decided it was relevant enough).
Lords Written/Oral Questions
The lords can also ask oral questions, in the same way the Commons can, except they ask
the government as a whole, not specific departments. They ask them at the very start of
sessions for thirty minutes (so the relevant ministers can then skiddaddle to the Commons).
The Lords can submit written questions too, but only for research purposes, not with any
agenda or party criticism.
Types of Questions
● PMQs
● Oral Questions
● Written Questions
● Urgent Questions
● Lords Oral/Written Questions
PMQs
Every Wednesday, the House of Commons meets to question the Prime Minister on the
week’s proceedings.
The leader of the primary opposition (currently Kemi Badenoch) asks six questions. The PM
(currently Keir Starmer) must respond. The questions are unseen, but usually predictable.
The leader of the third largest party in the House of Commons (currently Ed Davey of the
Liberal Democrats) then asks two questions.
After these questions are complete, the floor is opened up to MPs to ask questions. The
MPs who wish to ask questions submit their names to the speaker beforehand, who shuffles
them on a random computer generator and chooses whoever the machine selects.
The PM usually hates PMQs (Tony Blair famously hated it lol). They’re usually well prepared
to answer questions, but the proceedings often descend into Punch and Judy politics
anyway.
Oral Questions
Oral Questions are asked every Monday-Thursday, after a few things but towards the start of
sessions, to particular government departments. The government department being
questioned on a particular day rotates daily (one day it’ll be the Department of Education
etc).
Written Questions
MPs submit written questions to the government. The government has a couple of days to
respond, unless they’re ‘named day’ questions, there is a specific day which the government
minister must respond on.
Urgent Questions
Urgent Questions can be asked every day the HoC is in session. MPs apply for their
question to be answered, and the Speaker decides whether it’s of enough relevance to ask
in the chamber. The relevant government minister has to come to the stand to answer the
question (if the Speaker decided it was relevant enough).
Lords Written/Oral Questions
The lords can also ask oral questions, in the same way the Commons can, except they ask
the government as a whole, not specific departments. They ask them at the very start of
sessions for thirty minutes (so the relevant ministers can then skiddaddle to the Commons).
The Lords can submit written questions too, but only for research purposes, not with any
agenda or party criticism.
