Part of Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 10 December 2025.
Kate Forbes
Scottish National Party
Absolutely—I could not agree more. The biggest threat—those are not my words, but the words of multiple employers—to jobs in the energy sector in the north-east is the energy profits levy. That was introduced by the Conservatives and extended by the Conservatives, and it has now been extended by Labour. We all hoped that, at the recent budget, Labour would suspend and replace the levy, but the UK Government obviously does not appreciate the level of threat that is facing our energy industry right now.
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 Conservatives are a centre-right political party in the UK, founded in the 1830s. They are also known as the Tory party.
With a lower-case ‘c’, ‘conservative’ is an adjective which implies a dislike of change, and a preference for traditional values.
