Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 20 November 2024.
Liam McArthur
Liberal Democrat
We move to portfolio questions on finance and local government. I remind members that questions 5 and 7 are grouped together, so any supplementaries on those questions will be taken after the substantive questions have been asked. As ever, members looking to ask a supplementary question should press their request-to-speak buttons during the relevant question.
Unfortunately, the member who is due to ask question 1 is not present in the chamber, for which I will expect an explanation and an apology, so I will have to move to question 2.
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.
