Question Hour, the first hour of every parliamentary sitting, is the most vibrant instrument of executive accountability, enabling Members of Parliament to scrutinise government functioning through a structured question mechanism.
Starred questions require an oral answer on the floor of the House and are distinguished by an asterisk mark. Unstarred questions, by contrast, receive only a written reply laid on the Table of the House — no oral answer is delivered. This distinction is fundamental: it is the reverse of what is commonly misunderstood.
Since starred questions invite oral answers, Members may ask supplementary questions arising from the minister's reply, deepening scrutiny. Unstarred questions, receiving only written replies, do not permit supplementary questions — making this a critical procedural difference that limits the depth of real-time accountability for unstarred matters.
Beyond starred and unstarred categories, Parliament also provides for short notice questions on urgent public matters and questions to private members on Bills or resolutions they have introduced. These mechanisms collectively ensure that no domain of legislative or executive action escapes parliamentary oversight.
Question Hour compels ministries to maintain updated policy briefs and forces accountability at the highest administrative levels. The written replies to unstarred questions also serve as official government positions, carrying evidentiary weight in subsequent debates and committee deliberations.
Effective use of Question Hour depends on Members understanding procedural distinctions precisely. Strengthening pre-session research support for MPs would enhance the quality of questions and, consequently, the depth of executive accountability in Parliament.
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