Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Defence – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 18 Rhagfyr 1973.
Mr Thomas Peart
, Workington
12:00,
18 Rhagfyr 1973
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the hon. Member for Tyne-mouth (Dame Irene Ward) has expressed a view which is held by certain Opposition Members and that it will be interesting to see whether the hon. Lady votes against her own Government on this matter.
The Opposition are the political parties in the House of Commons other than the largest or Government party. They are called the Opposition because they sit on the benches opposite the Government in the House of Commons Chamber. The largest of the Opposition parties is known as Her Majesty's Opposition. The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of Government. The Opposition often votes against the Government. In a sense the Official Opposition is the "Government in waiting".
