9.4d Ministerial Question Time

Question 1

Minister’s questions

Answer 1

Minister’s questions take place for an hour every day in parliament.

Ministers must attend and answer questions about their department put forward by other MPs.

Minister’s questions ensure that ministers are fully aware of their department’s work and acting in the interests of UK citizens.

Question 2

Prime Minister’s questions

Answer 2

Prime Minister’s questions takes place every Wednesday for 30 minutes.

MPs question the Prime Minister on issues which they must answer.

The opposition leader will ask six questions of the Prime Minister, and then other MPs from all parties can ask follow up questions.

Prime Minister’s questions is an important way of scrutinising the government and receiving direct answers.

The PM does not know questions in advance and so must be briefed in detail on major issues in the public interest.

Question 3

Nature of Prime Minister’s questions I

Answer 3

Prime Minister’s questions is often unruly and is arguably more about political point scoring than effective scrutiny of the Prime Minister and government.

Prime Minister’s questions has been named ‘Punch and Judy’ politics because it becomes a shouting match between politicians in front of the media.

Question 4

Nature of Prime Minister’s questions II

Answer 4

MPs from the government’s party will ask the Prime Minister planted questions to make the government and the PM appear strong in front of voters.

PM David Cameron’s aides sent emails round to Conservative MPs suggesting questions for them to ask at Prime Minister’s Questions including on the benefits of the government’s economic policies.