Lords engagement programme
The House of Lords outreach programme aims to reach out to the public and engage with them about what the House of Lords does and how it works for them
Almost 2000 visits have been made to schools in every region of the UK as part of the Peers in Schools programme, in which Members of the Lords talk to and answer pupils' questions about the Lords and its role in the democratic process.
House of Lords chamber events have brought young people to Parliament to explore and debate a range of issues. Members of the Lords have mentored participants, attended debates and provided behind-the-scenes support during these events.
Members of the Lords share their expertise by speaking on subjects from their fields of knowledge to audiences of invited members of the public and the media in Robing Room lectures. The series has included talks by Lord Winston on politicians, doctors and medical dilemmas; Lord Puttnam on young people, new media and political engagement; Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield, contemporary historian, on the nuclear deterrent and the history of UK nuclear weapons policy-making; Baroness Manningham-Buller, former director of MI5, on intelligence; and Lord Rees of Ludlow, Astronomer Royal, looking ahead to the world in 2050.
Other activities include the Lord Speaker's competition for young people, which has provided opportunities for entrants to meet with Members and select committees. Members of the Lords also discuss issues from their areas of specialist knowledge with groups of invited journalists in occasional River Room seminars, helping to inform the reporting of public policy issues in the media and showcasing the expertise in the Lords.
Image: Beamont Collegiate Academy