news story

30th April 2009

MP Gives Residents Chance to Quiz the Prime Minister

Suggest a question that you would like Steve to ask the PM

Northavon MP Steve Webb is giving his constituents the opportunity to ask the Prime Minister the question they have always wanted to ask. The Lib Dem MP has been successful in the weekly ballot for questions to the Prime Minister and is Number 2 on the order paper for Wednesday May 6th.

He has therefore launched a swift consultation with local residents to see what they would like to ask and will choose from among the suggestions that are made. The MP has e-mailed over 7,000 constituents who are part of his e-mail consultation group to ask for their views but is also keen to hear from those who are not online. Local residents are welcome to write in with their suggestions to the MP at his constituency office at Yate.

Steve Webb said:

"Many people say to me that they would love to have the chance to stand up in the House of Commons and ask the Prime Minister a question, and I am seeking to give them that opportunity. There are plenty of questions that I would like to ask myself but I also want to know what is most on the minds of local residents. I am therefore looking to hear either by letter or e-mail what people would like to ask and I will then choose from among the suggestions that I receive. Whether I get a good answer or not is a different matter!"

The MP has issued guidance to residents on the sort of questions that work well in the House of Commons. They need to be relatively short, must not require the Prime Minister to have detailed local knowledge, and need to try to avoid an answer that simply gives the Prime Minister chance to say how many billions of pounds have been spent in a particular area.