Definition
A point of information, often abbreviated POI, is a short interjection offered by a member of the opposing team during a debater's speech, most commonly in British Parliamentary and other parliamentary-style formats. The speaker holding the floor may accept or decline it; if accepted, the offering debater gets roughly fifteen seconds to make a point or ask a question before the original speaker resumes.
Example
During a speech defending a proposed subsidy, an opposing debater stands and says "on that point," offering a POI. If accepted, they might say: "Doesn't that subsidy just shift the cost onto taxpayers who don't use the service?" The original speaker must respond briefly and continue their speech, having lost a few seconds and had to address an unplanned challenge live.
Common mistakes
New debaters either accept every POI offered, which can derail a carefully timed speech, or decline every one, which can look evasive to a judge and forfeits a chance to undermine the opponent's own momentum. A common guideline is to accept one or two well-timed POIs per speech, ideally not in the first or last minute, and to decline politely rather than ignoring the offer.