Urgent question on Romanian and Bulgarian benefits
5 March 2013
Frank Field, MP for Birkenhead, asked an urgent question in the House of Commons on Tuesday 5 March 2013, on what actions the Government is planning to restrict welfare to newcomers from Bulgaria and Romania from 1 January 2014.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, responded to the question on behalf of the Government.
- Watch Parliament TV: Urgent Question on Romanians and Bulgarians (Benefits)
- Read Commons Hansard: Romanians and Bulgarians (Benefits)
- Read current Parliamentary material in Topics: Social security and pensions
Urgent Questions
At times MPs may want to put an urgent question to a Minister. If a matter of public importance has arisen, which an MP believes requires an immediate answer from a government minister, they may apply to the Speaker to put forward such a question.
The relevant government department would be informed at once.
If the Speaker agrees, the question will be asked after that day’s Question Time.
Once the MP has asked the main question, they are allowed to ask a supplementary question. Other MPs will then be called to ask further questions on the same subject.