Senior MPs ready to grill Brown

Gordon Brown will be questioned over the recession

Gordon Brown is set for a grilling on the economy when he takes part in his twice-yearly question-and-answer session with senior MPs.

The Commons liaison committee is due to ask the prime minister about issues involving the failures of the banking sector and their wider impact.

The panel is also expected to focus on foreign affairs.

The themes are selected in advance, although Mr Brown is not given prior notification of the questions.

'Deep recession'

The session usually lasts for up to two-and-a-half hours. The MPs' panel is made up of the chairmen of Commons select committees.

The main area of questioning on Thursday will be the UK recession.

MPs will ask the prime minister about its consequences for the private and public sectors, as well as its impact internationally.

Bank of England governor Mervyn King said on Wednesday that the UK was in "deep recession".

It was also revealed that UK unemployment had risen to 1.97 million between October and December, the highest level since 1997.

Thursday's liaison committee session will be the third time Mr Brown - who came to power in June 2007 - has faced the MPs' questions.

The session is due to begin at 1000 GMT.

Chancellor Alistair Darling is to face Treasury questions in the House of Commons chamber.

Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg will deliver a speech calling for a return to "traditional, narrow high street banks".

He will add: "Institutions that consumers and small businesses depend on for savings and loans should not be put at risk by the casino culture of investment banking."