Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Northern Ireland – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 18 March 1993.
Lady Olga Maitland
, Sutton and Cheam
12:00,
18 March 1993
In view of the appalling number of killings which have taken place, does my hon. Friend agree that it was vital that we renewed the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 and despicable that the Opposition obstructed it?
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".
