Question time
The Question Time is a term from the parliamentary system . It is a regular item on the agenda of a parliamentary session ( plenary ). Here, outside of the regular debates, MEPs can put brief oral questions to the government, which must be answered orally immediately.
In the area of local politics there is also the special form of citizens' question time.
Germany
Bundestag
The Bundestag differentiates between “questioning the federal government” and “question time”. While the former allows MPs to ask spontaneous questions about the cabinet meeting and current issues, the Federal Government answers questions submitted in writing during Question Time.
This is regulated in detail in the rules of procedure of the German Bundestag (GOBT) :
- Questioning the federal government: Section 106 and Annex 7 GOBT
- Question time: § 105 and Appendix 4 GOBT
Questioning the federal government
The survey of the federal government takes place every Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. during the weeks of the Bundestag. Here, MPs can ask questions about the previous cabinet meeting and current issues to the Federal Government. Questions and answers should be short. In contrast to Question Time, the questions do not have to be submitted in advance. The government survey begins with a brief report from a member of the cabinet. (GOBT - Annex 7) In 2018 it was agreed in the coalition agreement between the CDU and the SPD that the Chancellor herself would answer questions from the MPs three times a year, while other representatives of the Federal Government (mostly ministers of state) would answer the questions during the remaining question times.
The federal government survey is broadcast live by Phoenix .
Question time
Question Time usually takes place on every Wednesday of a session week between 1.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m. Each member of the German Bundestag can put up to two questions to the federal government for oral answers per session week .
The questions must reach the President of the Bundestag no later than on Friday at 12 noon before Question Time . As an exception, urgent questions in the public interest can be admitted, provided they are received by the President by 12 noon on the day before Question Time. The President of the Bundestag decides on the admissibility of the questions in each case.
The questioner has the option of asking up to two additional questions per question. Other MPs can also ask additional questions. Additional questions must be related to the original question.
If a parliamentary group is not satisfied with an answer from the federal government, it can request a current hour on this. The current hour, a short debate with 5-minute speeches, takes place immediately after the question time. (GOBT - Annex 5)
In practice, Question Time usually deals with very specific technical or local issues from the respective constituencies of the MPs. The parliamentary state secretaries usually answer. The Federal Ministers rarely answer personally during Question Time, and the Chancellor practically never.
As with the federal government survey, Question Time is usually broadcast live on the radio by Phoenix . However, the Bundestag itself also offers a live broadcast on its website. Recordings can also be called up in the Bundestag's online video archive.
State and local parliaments
Regulations similar to those in the German Bundestag can also be applied to state, district and local parliaments. This is at the discretion of the respective parliamentary rules of procedure .
Citizens question time in German local parliaments
A municipality in Baden-Wuerttemberg can grant the possibility of residents question time in its rules of procedure. Question Time must be included as a separate agenda item in the invitation to the municipal council meeting and can be placed at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of the GR meeting.
Only questions related to local politics are permitted.
Austria
If there is no current hour, every session of the National Council usually begins with a question time. In this, the MPs direct short oral questions to members of the government on matters relating to their area. After answering an inquiry, the questioner and other members of parliament can ask short additional questions ( § 94 GOG-NR , § 95 GOG-NR, § 96 GOG-NR and § 97 GOG-NR).
In contrast to the National Council, every meeting in the Federal Council begins with a question time. The legal bases are § 62 GO-BR and § 63 GO-BR.
Switzerland
In the Swiss National Council there are question-and-answer sessions of 90 minutes eight times a year (on the second and third Monday afternoons of a session). Members of Parliament must submit the questions in writing a few days in advance. A member of the government reads out a response text that has been approved by the entire government, the Bundesrat . Then the members of parliament can ask additional questions, which are answered immediately by the member of the government.
Question Time in the Westminster System
Question Time plays a central role in British-style parliamentarianism ( Westminster system ). The head of government ( prime minister ) as well as his ministers are expected to regularly answer parliamentary questions personally. The opposition in particular sees it as its task to control the government. There is regularly a direct exchange of blows between the opposition leader and the prime minister. The UK even has its own Prime Minister Question Time.
If these countries have a bicameral parliament , the main focus is usually on question time in the directly elected parliament (usually lower house or house of representatives). The second chamber (upper house or senate) also has its own question time, but subordinate members of the government usually answer here.
In contrast to German parliamentarism, Question Time takes up a large part of media coverage in these countries. There are regular live broadcasts on radio and television. Broadcasts and podcasts on the Internet make it possible to follow Question Time directly from numerous English-speaking countries around the world.
United Kingdom
With the exception of Friday sessions, the first hour of each session of the UK House of Commons is reserved for MEPs' questions to government officials. The question time is divided into fixed time quotas for the individual departments.
By far the most important is "Prime Minister´s Question Time (PMQs = Prime Minister´s Questions)". The Prime Minister's Question Time, which takes place every Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. (local time), is probably the most famous Question Time in the world. It lasts 30 minutes. The opposition leader has a total of six questions and the chairman of the second largest opposition faction has two questions. The remaining time is reserved for questions from ordinary members of parliament (backbenchers). The prime minister does not usually know the questions beforehand.
The direct exchange of blows between the opposition leader and the prime minister, in particular, is often politically explosive and entertaining. These speeches in front of a packed house are certainly among the high points of political events in Great Britain.
PMQs are broadcast live as follows:
- BBC Two (British TV station)
- BBC Parliament (British Parliament TV)
- Sky News (British private television news channel)
- BBC Radio 5 Live (UK radio station)
- C-SPAN2 (US TV station)
- CPAC (Canadian television broadcaster): time-shifted broadcast
Transmission on the Internet: The channels mentioned also enable reception via the Internet (live or video / audio on demand ) on their respective websites . The UK Prime Minister's home page also has a PMQs video archive dating back to January 2000. The online portal of the British newspaper "The Guardian" offers a PMQs podcast. Video clips with particularly interesting excerpts can also be found on YouTube .
Canada
"Question Period" (English) or "Période des questions" (French) in the House of Commons takes place Monday to Thursday around 2:00 p.m. (local time) and lasts approx. 45 minutes. Question Time is usually opened by the opposition leader, who has a total of 3 questions. The questions are not known beforehand.
Like all sessions of the Canadian Parliament, Question Time is bilingual; H. either English or French can be spoken. Simultaneous translation into both languages is available.
The liveliness of “Question Period” is contributed by the fact that questions and answers are usually accompanied by applause from their own group; in contrast, in other Westminster parliaments, applause by clapping or knocking on the lectern is rather uncommon.
The Canadian television station CPAC broadcasts live and makes a recording available as a podcast on the Internet. Here, too, you can choose between the original sound and versions with simultaneous English or French translation.
Australia
"Question Time" in the House of Representatives takes place Monday through Thursday around 2:00 pm (local time) and lasts approximately 90 minutes. The opposition and the government take turns asking a question, with the first question always coming from the opposition. The agenda item question time is officially called up by the speaker with "Questions Without Notice", i. H. the questions are not known beforehand.
"Question Time" is often loud and turbulent. Rules of procedure debates about the admissibility of questions and answers (points of order) are not uncommon.
The speaker can exclude interfering MPs from the meeting for an hour, which actually happens quite often. In the event of serious disruptions, MPs can be excluded for 24 hours by majority vote; a roll-call vote (division) on this may then also take place during Question Time (Standing Order 94).
There is an occasional urgency debate during Question Time. This happens e.g. B. when the opposition leader speaks up and makes a censure motion against the government. This is then immediately debated and voted on. In contrast to the Australian practice, question time and debate are strictly separated elsewhere.
The television station ABC and Sky News Australia transmitted "Question Time" live. ABC News Radio broadcasts on the radio. The last-mentioned station provides a recording as a podcast on its homepage. Video clips with particularly interesting excerpts can also often be found on YouTube .
New Zealand
"Question Time" in the House of Representatives takes place in the week of meetings on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and lasts about 60 to 90 minutes. As a rule, 12 previously submitted written questions are answered by the government per question time. Several additional questions per question are allowed. The first question always comes from the opposition.
“Question Time” is broadcast on Parliament TV , the private news channel Sky News New Zealand and Radio New Zealand . The latter offers a podcast on its homepage. You can find excerpts on YouTube .
Japan
In the national parliament of Japan the question time ( Japanese. 党 首 討論 , tōshu tōron , lit. "Debate of the party leaders") was set up on the model of the British Prime Minister's question time in 1999, based on a separate law that strengthen parliamentarism and the primacy of politics should. At the 45-minute session in a joint committee of both chambers of parliament, the kokka kihon seisaku iinkai , “Committee on fundamental [questions of] national [n] politics”, only the party chairmen answer questions, mostly at the head of the lower house group stand by their party; the chairman of the largest ruling party is usually also the prime minister .
The tōshu tōron is often broadcast nationally and internationally by the public broadcaster NHK and the lower house television station Shūgiin TV . The latter offers a podcast on its website. You can find excerpts on YouTube .
Finland
In Finland's Parliament, Question Time is held weekly on Thursdays and is broadcast live on television.
Web links
German Bundestag:
United Kingdom:
- PMQs video archive on the UK Prime Minister's home page with links to the relevant verbal transcripts
- PMQs at "The Guardian" (including podcast)
- "Daily Politics" - Homepage of the TV program of the same name by BBC Two (Here you can find the latest PMQs and an expert analysis on them as a video.)
- PMQs at C-SPAN2 (including video archive)
Canada:
Australia:
New Zealand:
Individual evidence
- ^ Glossary of the Austrian Parliament . Retrieved April 6, 2019
- ↑ Parliamentary Services : Question Time in the National Council. In: Parliamentary Dictionary. Retrieved August 27, 2020 .
- ↑ e-Gov, legal database : 国会 審議 の 活性 化 及 び 政治 主導 の 政策 決定 シ ス テ ム の 確立 に 関 す る 法律 ( Memento of the original from November 13, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. from 1999 (Heisei 11)
