Cabinet ministers are to have their own variants of Prime Minister’s Questions in the Commons, when MPs can question them without notice on any subject for which they are responsible.

Each minister in charge of a major government department will face a monthly 15-minute ordeal under a reform of Commons procedure announced yesterday.

The new system of “open questions” seeks to address frustration among opposition MPs, and some government backbenchers, that ministers can be quizzed at question time only on topics notified in advance. This means that they have the advantage of being able to prepare, helped by civil servants.

MPs have to submit a question in writing, to which the minister gives a brief answer, and can then ask a follow-up question that must be confined to the same topic. MPs are unable to question ministers on topics such as changes to capital gains tax, major developments in international affairs or big domestic rows if no relevant questions are tabled in advance.

This system will remain at question time, the daily hour-long session at the start of daily Commons business, but will be shortened to allow 15 minutes for “topical questions” on any subject that is the responsibility of the ministers present.

Harriet Harman, the Leader of the House, confirmed that the Government would agree to the changes in response to a report by the Commons Modernisation Committee, chaired by her predecessor Jack Straw, which proposed the reform. MPs must approve the plan before it is introduced.

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