The Official Questions List of the House of Lords was a legal instrument in Manticoran politics.
On Questions Day, a question added to the list could only remain unanswered if the official in charge of answering it asserted that the security of the Star Kingdom depended on it. (HH1, HH10)
Even if the question could not be debated in public, a secret session had to be convened so certain members of Parliament could have a secret debate. (HH1)
According to the unwritten portion of Manticoran legal tradition, a Question could not be withdrawn, even by the author, once it was placed on the list. (HH1)