Part of Topical Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 1 October 2024.
Shirley-Anne Somerville
Scottish National Party
I hope that Mr Kerr was listening to the answers that my colleague Neil Gray gave to the earlier question. The national care service is about providing better services for people here in Scotland. I do not recognise the figures that he cited in his question.
Mr Kerr also chooses to ignore the fact that the UK Government’s decision took £150 million out of the budget this year—not over the coming years, but out of this year—and £150 million will be taken out next year and on and on and on. I am sick and tired of the hypocrisy from Opposition members who think that the Scottish Government’s purpose is to mitigate the UK Government’s bad choices.
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.
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".
