Oral Questions
The question
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will review the selection process for Oral Questions to identify ways to minimise the grouping of identical Questions.
Answered by Nick Smith
It is for Members themselves to determine what Questions they submit for any given Oral Question time. The Table Office runs an electronic “shuffle” to randomly select the relevant number of Questions that are then listed on the Order Paper for the relevant Oral Question time. Requests from Ministers for the grouping of similar Questions, with the permission of the Speaker, enable a single response to be given on a substantive Question and related supplementary Questions to be taken all together.
The Table Office keeps under review its internal processes relating to Oral Questions and any procedural change would be a matter for the House. The Procedure Committee keeps Parliamentary Questions under review and representations could be made to them on any procedural proposals.
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