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First Minister's Questions are question time sessions held respectively in the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Scottish Parliament and the Senedd. First Minister's Questions is an opportunity for members of each legislature to question the respective leaders of the devolved nations of the United Kingdom. These sessions are based on the similar Prime Minister's Questions held in the House of Commons. It is usually the most attended event in each legislature by representatives.

Northern Ireland Assembly

In Northern Ireland, Questions to the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister (or simply First Minister's Questions) is taken jointly by the First Minister and deputy First Minister.^[1] This joint approach is part of the power-sharing arrangements that underpin the operation of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive Office.^[2] Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) may put questions to the ministers for up to thirty minutes. The questions are tabled in advance by MLAs.

Scottish Parliament

In Scotland, First Minister's Questions (often abbreviated to FMQs) is a weekly question time session held when the Scottish Parliament is sitting, during which Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) may question the First Minister for up to forty-five minutes.^[3] Usually, FMQs take place on a Wednesday, although this was changed during the COVID-19 pandemic to a Thursday. The current format allows the leader of the largest opposition party to ask the First Minister several questions, with subsequent questions from each of the leaders of the second and third largest opposition political parties.^[4] Other MSPs present in the debating chamber may ask a single question, at the discretion of the Presiding Officer.^[5]

The Scottish Liberal Democrats' leader no longer has guaranteed questions in FMQs following the 2021 Scottish Parliament election as they only won 4 seats, meaning they aren't considered a parliamentary party anymore and lose the benefits of that title.

Senedd

In Wales, First Minister's Questions is a question time session held weekly in the Senedd that permits Members of the Senedd (MSs) up to forty-five minutes to question the First Minister on issues within the remit of the Welsh Government.^[6] The session was initially titled First Secretary's Questions, and was renamed when the position of First Secretary for Wales was renamed to First Minister in 2000.^[7]

References

^ "Questions For Answer". Northern Ireland Assembly. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
^ "Stormont talks: Main NI parties agree power-sharing deal". BBC News. 10 January 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
^ "Holyrood First Minister's Questions sessions extended". BBC News. 25 May 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
^ Black, Andrew (25 May 2011). "First minister questions to be overhauled". BBC News. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
^ "Statements and Parliamentary Questions". Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
^ "Questions". Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament. 23 December 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
^ Browne, Adrian (12 January 2010). "Carwyn Jones debut marks calmer new dawn". BBC News. Retrieved 4 February 2021.

External links

Northern Ireland Assembly official site of the Northern Ireland Assembly
Scottish Parliament official site of the Scottish Parliament
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament official site of the Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament

This Northern Ireland–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This article related to the politics of Scotland is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This Wales-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This article related to the politics of the United Kingdom, or its predecessor or constituent states, is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[1] "Questions For Answer". Northern Ireland Assembly. Retrieved 4 February 2021.

[2] "Stormont talks: Main NI parties agree power-sharing deal". BBC News. 10 January 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2021.

[3] "Holyrood First Minister's Questions sessions extended". BBC News. 25 May 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2021.

[4] Black, Andrew (25 May 2011). "First minister questions to be overhauled". BBC News. Retrieved 4 February 2021.

[5] "Statements and Parliamentary Questions". Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 4 February 2021.

[6] "Questions". Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament. 23 December 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2021.

[7] Browne, Adrian (12 January 2010). "Carwyn Jones debut marks calmer new dawn". BBC News. Retrieved 4 February 2021.

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@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 {{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
 {{about|First Minister's Questions in the devolved nations of the United Kingdom|First Minister's Questions in Scotland only|First Minister's Questions (Scottish Parliament)}}
-'''First Minister's Questions''' are [[Question time|question time]] sessions held respectively in the [[Northern Ireland Assembly]], the [[Scottish Parliament]] and the [[Senedd]]. First Minister's Questions is an opportunity for members of each [[legislature]] to question the respective leaders of the [[Devolution in the United Kingdom|devolved nations]] of the [[United Kingdom]]. These sessions are based on the similar [[Prime Minister's Questions]] held in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]].
+'''First Minister's Questions''' are [[Question time|question time]] sessions held respectively in the [[Northern Ireland Assembly]], the [[Scottish Parliament]] and the [[Senedd]]. First Minister's Questions is an opportunity for members of each [[legislature]] to question the respective leaders of the [[Devolution in the United Kingdom|devolved nations]] of the [[United Kingdom]]. These sessions are based on the similar [[Prime Minister's Questions]] held in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]]. It is usually the most attended event in each legislature by representatives.
 ==Northern Ireland Assembly==
@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 ==Scottish Parliament==
 {{main article|First Minister's Questions (Scottish Parliament)}}
-In [[Scotland]], '''First Minister's Questions''' (often abbreviated to '''FMQs''') is a weekly question time session held when the [[Scottish Parliament]] is sitting, during which [[Member of the Scottish Parliament|Members of the Scottish Parliament]] (MSPs) may question the [[First Minister of Scotland|First Minister]] for up to forty-five minutes.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s)/no by-line.--> |title=Holyrood First Minister's Questions sessions extended |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-36381181 |work=BBC News |location= |date=25 May 2016 |access-date=4 February 2021}}</ref> The current format allows the [[Leader of the Opposition (Scotland)|leader of the largest opposition party]] to ask the First Minister several questions, with subsequent questions from each of the leaders of the second and third largest opposition [[List of political parties in Scotland|political parties]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Black |first=Andrew |date=25 May 2011 |title=First minister questions to be overhauled |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-13549277 |work=BBC News |location= |access-date=4 February 2021}}</ref> Other MSPs present in the [[debate chamber|debating chamber]] may ask a single question, at the discretion of the [[Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament|Presiding Officer]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/26507.aspx |title=Statements and Parliamentary Questions |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=<!--Not stated--> |website= |publisher=Scottish Parliament |access-date=4 February 2021 |quote=}}</ref>
+In [[Scotland]], '''First Minister's Questions''' (often abbreviated to '''FMQs''') is a weekly question time session held when the [[Scottish Parliament]] is sitting, during which [[Member of the Scottish Parliament|Members of the Scottish Parliament]] (MSPs) may question the [[First Minister of Scotland|First Minister]] for up to forty-five minutes.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s)/no by-line.--> |title=Holyrood First Minister's Questions sessions extended |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-36381181 |work=BBC News |location= |date=25 May 2016 |access-date=4 February 2021}}</ref> Usually, FMQs take place on a Wednesday, although this was changed during the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland|COVID-19 pandemic]] to a Thursday. The current format allows the [[Leader of the Opposition (Scotland)|leader of the largest opposition party]] to ask the First Minister several questions, with subsequent questions from each of the leaders of the second and third largest opposition [[List of political parties in Scotland|political parties]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Black |first=Andrew |date=25 May 2011 |title=First minister questions to be overhauled |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-13549277 |work=BBC News |location= |access-date=4 February 2021}}</ref> Other MSPs present in the [[debate chamber|debating chamber]] may ask a single question, at the discretion of the [[Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament|Presiding Officer]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/26507.aspx |title=Statements and Parliamentary Questions |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=<!--Not stated--> |website= |publisher=Scottish Parliament |access-date=4 February 2021 |quote=}}</ref>
+The [[Scottish Liberal Democrats]]' leader no longer has guaranteed questions in FMQs following the [[2021 Scottish Parliament election]] as they only won 4 seats, meaning they aren't considered a [[Parliamentary group|parliamentary party]] anymore and lose the benefits of that title.
 ==Senedd==