News story

9th February 2004

Young People Get a Taste of Power!
 

Steve Webb with local sixth formers in the Houses of Parliament

Two coachloads of teenagers from South Gloucestershire walked the corridors of power at Westminster this week. Sixth form students from five local secondary schools got up early to join coaches which left at 6am in order to be at Westminster for a full day of political discussion and debate.

In the morning the sixth formers joined over 1000 other teenagers from around Britain at Westminster Central Hall to hear speakers from the three main parties—Schools Minister David Milliband for Labour, David Rendel MP, the Lib Dem spokesman on higher education, and Tim Yeo MP, Conservative spokesman on health and education—and to put questions to them. In the afternoon, Northavon MP Steve Webb arranged for the young people to spend time in the gallery of the House of Commons hearing a debate. He also met the groups in a House of Commons committee room to hear their views and to answer questions.

Feedback on the day was very positive. Comments received included:

“Yesterday In London was an awesome experience-all in all the trip was fantastic!”

“The trip helped me to understand how Parliament works.”

Commenting after the event, Steve Webb said:

“It is always refreshing to hear the views of young people from the local area. We are always reading in the national media that young people are switched off from politics, but many of the sixth formers who came on this trip were very well informed and had strong views on a wide range of subjects.

"I hope that trips like this will encourage young people to see the relevance of what is debated at Westminster for their daily lives and will be encouraged to use their vote”.