Parliament Matters

Urgent Questions: PMQs, whipping, Sinn Fein MPs, access to security passes, hospitality facilities in Parliament and much more!


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With the House of Commons in recess this week Mark and Ruth catch up with listener's questions on a wide range of parliamentary topics.


What was the point of debating an e-petition about the date of the general election? Was there ever a time when the Prime Minister gave a proper answer at PMQs? If the Speaker were to throw an MP out of the House of Commons Chamber for bad behaviour how would he do it? Is whipping in the best interests of democratic government? Sinn Fein MPs don't take their seats in Parliament so how are their office operations funded compared to other MPs? Do former Members of Parliament have security passes and access to the parliamentary estate? What are the hospitality facilities in Parliament like and who and what are they for? What is the capacity of Parliament that would need to be supported if they were to vacate the Palace of Westminster for repairs? The 'Wright Report': what is it and how much of it has been implemented? And to what extent are written parliamentary questions simply performative?


  • šŸŽ“ Access resources about issues mentioned in this episode via our websiteĀ here:Ā hansardsociety.org.uk/news/parliament-matters-podcast-e20
  • ā“ Submit your questions to us on all things Parliament using the form here:Ā hansardsociety.org.uk/pmuq
  • šŸ“± Follow us across social mediaĀ @HansardSociety
  • āœ… Subscribe to our newsletter for all the latest updates related to the Parliament Matters podcast and the wider work of the Hansard Society:Ā hansardsociety.org.uk/nl


Support the Hansard Society by making a donation. We don't have a wealthy founder or an endowment. That's why donations are so important – they help to support our work AND our independence:Ā hansardsociety.org.uk/donate


Parliament Matters is a Hansard Society production supported by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust




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