Expert: Harry Hayfield - 1/9/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hi Harry,
Just finished watching PMQ's and something that has intrigued me for quite a
time is this:
When the Speaker calls out an MP's name to ask a question, several other
MP's across all parties, stand up briefly and then sit down.
Why is this?

ANSWER: Well, they are not playing musical chairs (perhaps I shouldn't have said that with the BBC comedy series Dead Ringers about to start up soon). What they are actually doing is "catching Mr. Speaker's eye" and it's a hangback to when MP's had to bob up and down like yo yos so that Mr. Speaker would call them to ask a question.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for that Harry, but I still don't quite understand!
Invariably, the people that stand up aren't called to ask a question, and there
seems no logical sequence to it in that why wouldn't more people stand up as
I'm sure everyone has a question they would like to ask. Or are those wanting to
ask a question known beforehand?

Answer
The procedure is that anyone who wants to ask a question at PMQ's gives it to the Speaker before PMQ's (I think the day before). The Speaker then calls out the MP's name and he says "Question Number 1" which the PM answers and then that MP can ask any question he likes afterwards. The MP's that bob up and down are trying to catch the Speaker's eye in case they ever run out of listed questions.