Vexed Bermoothes

Here’s the Westminster explanation of parliamentary questions. The main principles are set out in Erskine May which is the guiding handbook for Westminster style parliaments (pp.345-354).

As MP John Barritt points out, Bermuda’s parliamentary procedure is crap. Questions must be submitted at least 10 days in advance and are subject to a myriad of delaying tactics by Ministers. The latest tactic by Dr. Brown and Speaker Lowe would add yet another barrier to transparency and accountability.

In the UK, there are two types of questions:

• ORAL. An MP may tabled one question for each question time slot on a particular day, subject to a maximum of two questions per MP per day. An additional limitation is that only one question may be put per Minister. Scheduled up to 3 days in advance, once in session the MP is allowed to ask a supplementary question (which is often the main point of the exercise). The Minister must both the original and the supplementary question. Oral questions that were not covered within the alloted question time must receive a written answer on the day of the oral session. Currently approximately 14 questions are answered orally on an average day. In addition, there is a greater time allotted to specific questions for the Prime Minister.
• WRITTEN. Questions for written answer are used by MPs to extract more detailed information from the Government than would be available from an oral question or to press for
  action on an issue. They are subject to the same rules of order as oral questions. In the 2005-06 session, MPs tabled over 61,000 questions for written answer. Written questions are typically answered within 7 days.

Oral and written questions and their answers become part of the public Hansard transcript.

In the UK, the Speaker is impartial and decides on the admissibility of questions under defined rules and traditions. The management of Parliament is bipartisan. Needless to say, the Speaker does not jerk and twist parliamentary procedure to suit the whim of his political colleagues.

As you can see, the procedures in our Bermuda Parliament are out-of-date and inadequate, which makes it easy for the democratic process to be mugged by partisanship.

Parliament meets today.  1)  No public schedule has been published.  2)  There is no live TV coverage.  3)  There is no Hansard transcript.  No wonder Bermudians have such low respect for their parliamentarians;  no-one knows what they do!