Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena yesterday announced that the Committee on Parliamentary Business had decided to allow the backbenchers to ask questions related to a matter of urgent public importance, during the adjournment time, the Communication Department of the Parliament said in a communique yesterday (5)

Accordingly, on the dates allotted for motions at the adjournment time, 20 minutes out of the allotted one hour have been set aside for the hearing of two ” Questions at the Adjournment time”.

The Speaker also said that during the days allotted for motions at the adjournment time, only two questions each would be allowed for the government and the opposition, respectively. Accordingly, five minutes will be allotted for the relevant MP to ask the question and five minutes will be allotted for the relevant Minister to answer the question.

Questions at the Adjournment time are limited to ‘matters of urgent public importance’ and the Speaker will decide whether the relevant questions are of urgent public importance.

Any Member of Parliament may submit a question at the adjournment time personally or by fax or e-mail to the relevant Chief Whip and the signature of the relevant MP should be placed.

Any such question should be sent by the relevant Chief Whip to the Secretary General of Parliament by 10.00 am on the previous day. The Secretary General of Parliament will send the matter to the Secretary to the Leader of the House before 12.00 noon thus that the relevant Minister can be informed.