Each team in a Parliamentary Debate event has two debaters. The Government team consists of a prime minister and a member of government. The second team, known as the Opposition, consists of the Opposition Leader and Opposition Member. The judge of the debate is known as the Speaker.
According to the National Parliamentary Debate Association, the resolution or topic of a debate centers on current affairs or a question of philosophy.
A debate round involves a series of speeches presented by the debaters. The Government team begins the debate by presenting a specific statement or resolution, which it must demonstrate to be correct. The Opposition, by its arguments and speeches, must show the Government team's position to be incorrect.
The debate round begins with a speech by the Prime Minister. The Leader of the Opposition then replies with an opening speech. Following the Opposition Leader, the Government member speaks, then the Opposition member. Rebuttal speeches then follow, beginning with the Opposition leader and ending with the Prime Minister.
According to the American Parliamentary Debate Association, the Prime Minister's opening speech is limited to seven minutes, and the Opposition Leader has a limit of eight minutes. The two team members--Government and Opposition--have eight minutes each for their speeches. The rebuttals are four minutes for the Opposition Leader and five minutes for the Prime Minister.
During the speeches by the Prime Minister, Member of Government, Opposition Leader or Opposition Member, other debaters may rise to ask a question of the person speaking or to make a point. This is known as a point of information. To raise a point of information, the debater must stand, place a hand on top of her head and raise her other arm to signal. The debater who is speaking may recognize the point by saying "on that point," then allow the questioner to speak. If the debater does not wish to recognize the point of information, he says "no thank you," at which point the questioner sits.
When a debater believes a rule of debate has been broken, she can stand and say, "Point of order." The debater who is speaking must then stop and allow the debater who rose to state what rule has been violated. The judge of the debate round, known as the Speaker, then rules on the point of order, deciding if it is "well taken" or "not well taken." A "well taken" point means the debater must conclude his speech. The debater can continue if the Speaker rules the point to be "not well taken."
Although rarely used, a debater can raise a "point of personal privilege" if she has been personally insulted during a debate. As with points of order, the speaker rules whether the point is well taken or not well taken.