Spørretimer

Spørretimer, or question times, are a parliamentary procedure found in many democratic legislative bodies. During a spørretimen, members of the parliament or legislative assembly have the opportunity to directly question government ministers or other high-ranking officials. The purpose of these sessions is to hold the government accountable and to provide the public with information about government policies and actions. Questions can range from broad policy inquiries to specific operational details.

Typically, a minister will be given a set amount of time to answer each question. There may be opportunities for brief follow-up questions from the member who asked the original question. Spørretimer can be a significant part of the legislative process, influencing public debate and potentially leading to policy changes. The format and rules surrounding spørretimer can vary significantly between different countries and their respective parliamentary systems. Some systems may have scheduled, regular spørretimer, while others might allow for them to be called as needed. The transparency and effectiveness of these sessions are often subjects of discussion and reform efforts.