PMQs stands for Prime Ministers Questions, though the official title is Questions to the Prime Minister.
When are PMQs?
PMQs take place every Wednesday at 12 noon, and last for half an hour. They are held every week that Parliament is sitting.
The First Question
Each PMQs begins with a procedural question, asking the Prime Minister to list his engagements for the day. The PM usually gives a standard answer, but may also take this opportunity to offer congratulations or condolences on any recent significant events. The MP who asked the procedural question is then allowed to ask a supplementary question if they wish, which can be on any subject.
The Leader of the Opposition
After the initial question, the floor is given to the Leader of the Opposition, who is allowed to ask the Prime Minister six questions. This part of PMQs is the most eagerly anticipated and has the greatest depth. Following on from this, the leader of the next largest party in the House is allowed to ask two questions.
The Shuffle
Every Thursday before PMQs MPs are allowed to submit one question each to be entered into a ballot called ‘the shuffle’. From this draw, 15 questions are chosen at random to be asked to the Prime Minister. Because there is a limited amount of time to answer questions in the House, those of the 15 MPs whose questions go unanswered at PMQs are entitled to written responses from the PM. Like the MP asking the first question, MPs technically ask two questions to the PM; the first one being purely procedural and the second supplementary question being more political. But by convention every other MP can skip the procedural question and simply ask their supplementary one.
Deputising
When the Prime Minister is away on official business or ill, the Deputy Prime Minister is called upon to take their place.
The History of PMQs
Questions have always been asked to the Prime Minster but the modern-day version of PMQs began in 1961 under Harold Macmillan. Prior to this, PMQs was an ad hoc series of questions asked to a Prime Minister when the need arose and when they were in Parliament. In 1961 PMQs was formalised into two fifteen-minute sessions per week, to be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays while Parliament was sitting. This format persisted until 1997, when Tony Blair moved PMQs to one half-hour session on a Wednesday at noon.
The decision to move PMQs to Wednesday has proved slightly controversial, with some MPs arguing that it hinders Parliament’s ability to hold the executive to account. The switch was made by Blair to reduce the time the PM had to spend preparing for questions, and thus increase the time the PM could spend governing. For this reason, the move appears to have proved popular with his successors.
How Relevant is PMQs?
It is undoubtedly true that the ultimate success of failure of a Prime Minister or Leader of the Opposition is not decided at PMQs. But it is also undeniably true that PMQs are important to how a leader is perceived. Leader’s who enjoy the confidence of their backbenchers are usually very competent at the dispatch box, while watching your leader get mauled by their opponent every week is hugely dispiriting. These impressions filter down into the media and people’s consciousnesses, so although most people don’t watch PMQs, it still shapes their opinions in some way.
For more information, why not read:
The House of Commons Report on PMQs
This Wikipedia entry on PMQs
This BBC Democracy Live article on PMQs
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