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How to apply for an urgent question

Step-by-step:

These steps are for you as an MP, rather than your staff, although your staff can help you put the application together.

  1. You can apply to the Speaker's Office to ask an urgent question on a day when the House is meeting, for answer that same day.
  2. Applications must be submitted by:
    • 11.30am on Mondays
    • 10.00am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
    • 8.15am on Thursdays
    • 8.30am on Fridays
  3. The application should set out your question in the form “If he/she will make a statement on…”, (which is not allowed in ordinary oral questions). Your question should be one short sentence, and should be addressed to the relevant Secretary of State.
  4. Your application should explain why the matter is urgent. To be judged as ‘urgent’, a question should relate to a very recent or imminent event or development. You should set out your explanation, including background, context and evidence in a few paragraphs, and no more than two sides of A4. You may wish to use the Word template for Urgent Question applications.
  5. Your application should include any relevant interests.
  6. Once you have written your application, email it to the Speaker’s Office from your account, or sign it and deliver it by hand, or ask your staff to deliver it.
  7. You can’t apply for more than one urgent question on the same day.