For many people - outsiders and MPs alike - the highlight
of the Parliamentary week is Prime Minister's Questions,
which runs for 30 minutes every Wednesday. Its value
is hotly debated. Some people seeing it as unnecessary
ritual confrontation between the Prime Minister and
Leader of the Opposition, while others see it as a good
way of assessing the party leaders in action. The media,
too, tend to take a keen interest in the personalities involved.
Whatever their personal views, the house is always packed with MPs.
As at ministerial questions, backbenchers are entitled to ask one supplementary question. However, the Leader of the Opposition may ask several - and this regularly leads to a lively and entertaining exchange.