Question Hour

Question Hour is the time in Parliament when Members of Parliament (MPs) ask ministers direct questions about the work of the government.

• It usually takes place during the first hour of a sitting of Parliament. Ministers must give information about their departments, policies, spending, or decisions.
• For example, an MP may ask the Railway Minister why trains are delayed in a particular region, or ask the Health Minister about the availability of medicines in government hospitals.
• Questions can reveal problems that might otherwise receive little public attention. They also allow MPs to ask follow-up questions if a minister’s answer is unclear or incomplete.
• This makes the government accountable: ministers cannot simply make decisions without being prepared to explain them to the elected representatives of the people.
• Question Hour is especially important in a parliamentary democracy because it links the daily work of the executive with Parliament’s duty to examine and supervise the government.