Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Agriculture, Fisheries and Food – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 15 May 1980.
Mr Alick Buchanan-Smith
, Angus North and Mearns
12:00,
15 May 1980
The hon. Gentleman will know of the Government's strong Opposition to the sale of subsidised butter to Russia. We shall continue that opposition.
The Opposition are the political parties in the House of Commons other than the largest or Government party. They are called the Opposition because they sit on the benches opposite the Government in the House of Commons Chamber. The largest of the Opposition parties is known as Her Majesty's Opposition. The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of Government. The Opposition often votes against the Government. In a sense the Official Opposition is the "Government in waiting".
