Part of General Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 20 June 2024.
Siobhian Brown
Scottish National Party
We support Police Scotland and local authorities to continue to invest in prevention, early Intervention and diversionary activities to reduce antisocial behaviour. They have a wide range of powers and are best placed to lead on addressing those issues.
In addition, an independent working group on antisocial behaviour is currently examining our strategic approach to the issue and is undertaking widespread engagement in order to deliver its report later this year. We have also provided local authorities with more than £600 million of additional revenue funding, while Police Scotland has received an increase of £92.7 million, despite difficult financial circumstances that are due to United Kingdom Government austerity.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
An intervention is when the MP making a speech is interrupted by another MP and asked to 'give way' to allow the other MP to intervene on the speech to ask a question or comment on what has just been said.
