United Kingdom

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of the United Kingdom

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Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) (officially Questions to the Prime Minister) is a constitutional convention in the United Kingdom, where every Wednesday when the House of Commons is sitting the Prime Minister spends half an hour answering questions from Members of Parliament ("MPs"). The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The politics of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland takes place in the framework of a Constitutional monarchy, in which the Monarch is Head Her Majesty's Government, or when the monarch is male His Majesty's Government, is the title used by the Government of the United Kingdom, based at TalkCommonewalth realm.--> The monarchy For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II Throughout the Commonwealth realms The Crown is an abstract metonymic concept which represents the legal authority for the existence of any government Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. In the Politics of the United Kingdom, the Cabinet is a formal body composed of the most senior government ministers chosen by the Prime Minister The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom WikipediaManual of Style (biographies#Academic titles --> James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951 is The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all Economic and Financial Alistair Maclean Darling (born 28 November 1953 is a British Politician and Chancellor of the Exchequer since 28 June 2007 The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a member of the United Kingdom Government heading the David Wright Miliband The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the United Kingdom Home Office Jacqueline Jill "Jacqui" Smith (born 3 November 1962 is a British Politician for the Labour Party. See also Lord Chancellor The Secretary of State for Justice is a United Kingdom cabinet position John Whitaker Straw (born 3 August 1946 most commonly known as Jack Straw, is a senior British Labour Party Politician. Gordon Brown is currently serving as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories In the United Kingdom, the State Opening of Parliament is an annual event held usually in October or November that marks the commencement of a session of the Parliament This article discusses types of Acts and the process of law-making in Parliament The House of Lords is the second house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as "the Lords" The Lord Speaker is the speaker of the House of Lords in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Helene Valerie Hayman Baroness Hayman, PC, née Middleweek (born 26 March 1949 in Wolverhampton) is Lord Speaker of the House of Lords The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords Michael John Martin MP (born 3 July 1945 is the current Speaker of the House of Commons in the United Kingdom. The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons Harriet Ruth Harman Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, or the Official Opposition, in the United Kingdom is led by the Leader of the Opposition. The Leader of the Opposition (sometimes known as the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons) in the United Kingdom is the politician who leads David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966 is a British Politician and the current leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of Her Majesty's In British parliamentary practice the Official Loyal Opposition Shadow Cabinet (usually known simply as 'The Shadow Cabinet' is a group of members from Her Majesty's Loyal The United Kingdom does not have a single unified Judicial system, but separate judicial systems serving England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Her Majesty's Courts of Justice of England and Wales are the civil and criminal Courts responsible for the administration of Justice in England The courts of Northern Ireland are the civil and criminal Courts responsible for the administration of Justice in Northern Ireland: The civil, criminal and heraldic Courts of Scotland are responsible for the administration of Justice. The constitution of the United Kingdom is the set of laws and principles under which the United Kingdom is governed The United Kingdom has a long and established tradition of avowed respect for its subjects' Human rights. Constituent country is a phrase used often by official institutions in contexts in which a country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping Political history Pre-Union politics See also Parliament of England The English Parliament traces its origins to the Anglo-Saxon " Regional Assembly " is the name which has been adopted by the English bodies established as regional chambers under the Regional Development Agencies The Greater London Authority ( GLA) is the city-wide governing body for London, England. Current situation The largest party is the Scottish National Party, which campaigns for Scottish independence. The Scottish Government (SG ( Scottish Gaelic: Riaghaltas na h-Alba) is the executive arm of the government of Scotland. The Scottish Parliament ( Scottish Gaelic: Pàrlamaid na h-Alba; Scots: Scottish Pairlament) is the devlolved national unicameral The emergence of a Welsh polity During the latter part of the 19th century and early part of the 20th century the notion of a distinctive Welsh polity gained credence The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG (Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru LlCC) was firstly an executive body of the National Assembly for Wales, consisting of The National Assembly for Wales (Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. General demographics Population 1685267 The population of Northern Ireland has increased annually since 1978 The Northern Ireland Executive is the executive arm of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the devolved Legislature for Northern Ireland The Northern Ireland Assembly ( Irish: Tionól Thuaisceart Éireann, Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann Semmlie) is the devolved For other meanings see Reserved powers disambiguation page In the United Kingdom reserved matters, also referred to as reserved The United Kingdom has five distinct types of Elections UK general elections elections to national/regional parliaments and assemblies elections to the European Parliament This is a list of the 646 constituencies currently represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, as at the 2005 general election This is a list of political parties in the United Kingdom. Brief history and overview Prior to the mid-19th century Politics in the United Kingdom Results Overview For events leading up to the date of the election see article Pre-election day events of the United Kingdom general Leadership of the main parties David Cameron became Conservative leader in December 2005 replacing Michael Howard. The United Kingdom (UK is a key player in international politics with interests throughout the world The European Union is a unique entity possessing elements of Intergovernmentalism, Supranationalism and a Multi-party Parliamentary democracy Information on politics by country is available for every Country, including both De jure and De facto independent Alternative meaning Constitutional convention (political meeting A constitutional convention is an informal and uncodified procedural agreement that is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. ^[1]

In Canada, a similar convention is known as Question Period and occurs both in the federal Parliament and in the provincial legislatures. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Question Period, known officially as Oral Questions (questions orales occurs each sitting day in the Parliament of Canada. In Australia and New Zealand the period is called Question Time. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Question Time in a Parliament occurs when Backbenchers (members of the parliament who are not Ministers) ask questions of the Prime Minister which In the Irish Dáil, the practice is called Leader's Questions. In the Scottish Parliament, Northern Ireland Assembly and National Assembly for Wales this practice is called First Minister's Questions. The Scottish Parliament ( Scottish Gaelic: Pàrlamaid na h-Alba; Scots: Scottish Pairlament) is the devlolved national unicameral The Northern Ireland Assembly ( Irish: Tionól Thuaisceart Éireann, Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann Semmlie) is the devolved The National Assembly for Wales (Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. First Minister's Questions is the name given to the weekly questioning of the leaders of devolved administrations in the United Kingdom India's Lok Sabha has a Question Hour. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The Lok Sabha (also titled the House of the People, by the Constitution) is the directly elected Lower house of the Parliament of India Question Hour is the first hour in India 's Lok Sabha devoted to Questions During this hour members can raise questions about any aspect of administrative In Israel, it has been recently suggested that such practice should commence in the Knesset twice a year. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. For Beit Knesset a Jewish Place of worship, see Synagogue. The Knesset (כנסת lit Sweden's prime minister also answers direct questions from the parliament, every Thursday.

In 2008, John McCain pledged to instigate an American equivalent of question time if he was elected president. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United States presidential election of 2008, scheduled for Tuesday November 4 2008 will be the 56th consecutive ^[2][3]

United Kingdom practice

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair, Labour. Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair (born 6 May 1953 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the Sitting behind him is current PM Gordon Brown. WikipediaManual of Style (biographies#Academic titles --> James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951 is

The practice of regularly asking the Prime Minister questions in parliament in a fixed period was started in the 1950s.

Backbench MPs wishing to ask a question must enter their names on the Order Paper. For other meanings see Backbench A backbencher is a Member of Parliament (MP or a legislator who does not hold governmental The names of entrants are then shuffled in a ballot to produce a random order in which they will be called by the Speaker of the House of Commons. The Speaker will then call on MPs to put their questions, usually in an alternating fashion: one MP from the government benches is followed by one from the opposition benches. MPs who are not selected may be chosen to ask a supplementary question if they "catch the eye" of the Speaker, which is done by standing and sitting immediately before the Prime Minister gives an answer. The Leader of the Opposition is traditionally the first MP from the opposition benches to be called after the first question (whether it comes from the government or opposition benches), and the leader of the next largest opposition party is the next MP to be called from the opposition benches. The Leader of the Opposition (sometimes known as the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons) in the United Kingdom is the politician who leads

The first formal question on the Order Paper, posed by simply saying "Number One, Mr Speaker", is usually to ask the Prime Minister if he/she will list his/her engagements for the day. The current Prime Minister Gordon Brown, like his predecessor Tony Blair, usually replies:

The Prime Minister may also take a moment before giving the answer to extend condolences or offer congratulations after significant events. After this, the MP may ask a supplementary question about any subject which might occupy the Prime Minister's time. The reason for asking the Prime Minister about his/her engagements is because, until recently, any member of the Cabinet could answer the posed question, allowing the Prime Minister to avoid answering questions himself, but once someone answers a question, he is obliged to answer follow-up questions (on any topic). A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of Government, typically representing the executive branch. The only question that the Prime Minister had to answer personally was his/her list of engagements for the day; hence he/she is traditionally asked this question first, and all subsequent questions are follow-up questions, forcing the Prime Minister to answer the questions himself/herself. Occasionally the first question tabled is on a specific area of policy, but this is rare, as it would allow the Prime Minister to prepare a response in advance; the non-descript question allows some chance of catching him/her out with an unexpected supplementary question.

The Leader of the Opposition is allowed six supplementary questions (which he/she will normally use as two groups of three), and the leader of the third largest party (currently the Liberal Democrats) has two. The Leader of the Opposition (sometimes known as the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons) in the United Kingdom is the politician who leads The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the The Speaker tries to alternate between government and opposition questioners, and MPs who have drawn a low number or did not enter the ballot can be called in order to provide this balance.

If the Prime Minister is away on official business then a substitute will answer questions. This is usually the Deputy Prime Minister, a post currently unfilled; the Leader of the House of Commons, or another senior Minister. The Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is a senior member of the British Cabinet. The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons If the Prime Minister is not in attendance, it is normal for the Leader of the Opposition and the leader of the third party to also send a substitute. Currently the Opposition substitute is normally William Hague (designated "Senior Member of the Shadow Cabinet") and for the Liberal Democrats, Vincent Cable (the party's deputy leader). William Jefferson Hague (born 26 March 1961 is a British Politician. WikipediaManual of Style (biographies#Academic titles --> John Vincent Cable, known as Vince Cable If one is absent or the position unfills then they will be substituted by the Shadow Leader of the House (for the Opposition) or parliamentary affairs spokesperson (for the Liberal Democrats). Since the televising of Parliament, Prime Minister's Questions have formed an important part of British political culture. Because of the natural drama of this confrontation, it is the most well-known piece of Parliamentary business. Tickets to the Strangers Gallery (public gallery) for Wednesday are the most sought-after Parliamentary tickets. The Strangers Gallery is set aside for members of the public at the British House of Commons, and is intended for both invited and uninvited members of the public to watch the One of Tony Blair's first acts as Prime Minister was to replace the two 15-minute sessions, held on a Tuesday and Thursday, with a single 30 minute session on a Wednesday. Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair (born 6 May 1953 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to The first PMQs under this new format took place on 21 May 1997[1].

PMQs have also been a popular feature on the US cable channel C-SPAN, and have been spoofed by sketches on Saturday Night Live. C-SPAN (officially the Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network) is an American Cable television network dedicated to airing non-stop coverage Saturday Night Live ( SNL) is a weekly late-night 90-minute American Sketch comedy / Variety show based in New York City They are also currently being re-broadcast on CPAC in Canada. CPAC ( English: Cable Public Affairs Channel and French: La Chaîne d'affaires publiques par câble) is a Canadian Cable television Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page

Leaders at the Dispatch boxes during Prime Minister's questions since 1945

The most high-profile contributors at Prime Minister's Questions are, of course, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, who speak opposite each other at the dispatch box. A dispatch box, or despatch box, is a box for holding official papers and transporting them from place to place Regular, fixed sessions have taken place since the 1950s, and the list below shows all the Prime Ministers since 1945 and all the Opposition Leaders they faced across the floor of the House of Commons;

• Clement Attlee, faced by Winston Churchill 1945–1951
• Winston Churchill, faced by Clement Attlee 1951–1955
• Anthony Eden, faced by Clement Attlee 1955, Hugh Gaitskell 1955–1957
• Harold Macmillan, faced by Hugh Gaitskell 1957–1963, George Brown 1963 and Harold Wilson 1963
• Alec Douglas-Home, faced by Harold Wilson 1963–1964
• Harold Wilson, faced by Alec Douglas-Home 1964–1965, Edward Heath 1965–1970 and 1974–1975, and Margaret Thatcher 1975–1976
• Edward Heath, faced by Harold Wilson 1970–1974
• James Callaghan, faced by Margaret Thatcher 1976–1979
• Margaret Thatcher, faced by James Callaghan 1979–1980, Michael Foot 1980–1983, and Neil Kinnock 1983–1990
• John Major, faced by Neil Kinnock 1990–1992, John Smith 1992–1994, Margaret Beckett 1994 and Tony Blair 1994–1997
• Tony Blair, faced by John Major 1997, William Hague 1997–2001, Iain Duncan Smith 2001–2003, Michael Howard 2003–2005 and David Cameron 2005–2007
• Gordon Brown, faced by David Cameron 2007–present

References

External links

• Website of 10 Downing Street Archive of videos and transcripts of PMQs
• BBC Documentary about PMQs (Real Player)
• BBC Documentary about PMQs (Windows Media Player)
• BBC PMQs video podcast