Youth Parliament sits in House of Commons Chamber
22 November 2012 (updated on 22 November 2012)
On Friday 23 November Members of the Youth Parliament (MYPs) will be invited into Parliament to sit in the House of Commons chamber for the fourth year running
- Parliament TV: Watch the UK Youth Parliament afternoon session live
- Parliament TV: Watch the UK Youth Parliament morning session
Over 250,000 young people (11-18 years old) from across the UK voted for the issues they wanted to see debated, representing a marked increase from the 65,000 ballots received in 2011.
The sitting, presided over by the Speaker, Rt Hon John Bercow MP, will be screened as live by BBC Parliament and streamed online via the UK Parliament website.
All schools across the UK have been encouraged to tune in to watch the debates which will air at 11:10 and finish at 14:40 at which time the MYPs will vote to decide which of the five debated topics will become the focus of their national 2013 campaign.
Topics of debate
There are fives topics of debate:
Make public transport cheaper, better and accessible for all
The motion for the debate is as follows: We need to improve pricing structure, cleanliness, frequency, reliability, and treatment of young people on public transport, including those in rural areas.
Getting ready for work
The motion for the debate is as follows: The rate of youth unemployment is too high and young people need better education, skills development, apprenticeships and mentoring schemes to help equip them with the right tools to enter the employment market.
Every school pupil should have the opportunity to participate in work experience, in an external working environment, for a minimum of one week in a field of their choice, as well as access to opportunities linking them to professionals to help inspire them to learn about different career choices.
Marriage for all
The motion for the debate is as follows: We believe that all people in the UK should have equal rights to marriage. We believe that same-sex marriage should be legal in the UK and should give equal rights and benefits attributed to marriage’s current legal status in society.
An equal minimum wage
The motion for the debate is as follows: We believe that paying young people a lower National Minimum Wage than their adult counterparts because they are younger is age discrimination, and this is unacceptable.
A curriculum to prepare us for life
The motion for the debate is as follows: The national curriculum should be radically overhauled through a youth-led review that helps develop young people’s political knowledge, better sex and relationships education, cultural awareness, community cohesion, finance skills and sustainable living.