UK Youth Parliament annual sitting kicks off Parliament Week 2015
11 November 2015 (updated on 11 November 2015)
On Friday 13 November, Members of the UK Youth Parliament debated a range of topical issues, including the need for improved mental health services and tackling racist and religious discrimination.
The Youth Parliament, sat for its sixth year in the House of Commons Chamber, heralding the start of Parliament Week (13-22 November), a UK-wide programme of events and activities that inspire, engage and connect people with parliamentary democracy.
This year’s Make Your Mark campaign to decide the topics of the Youth Parliament’s debate in the House of Commons received a record number of ballots, reaching 968,091 young people.
Make Your Mark is now the biggest youth consultation of its kind in UK history, with nearly 1 in 5 of all young people aged 11-18, taking part.
- Parliament TV: UK Youth Parliament (morning session)
- Parliament TV: UK Youth Parliament (afternoon session)
At the close of debates, Members of the Youth Parliament (MYPs) voted that tackling racism and religious discrimination and improving mental health services are the topics that will be the focus of their national 2015 campaign.
Morning session
- Working together to tackle racism and religious discrimination
- Mental Health services should be improved with our help
- Make public transport cheaper, better and accessible for all
Afternoon session
- A curriculum to prepare us for life
- Everyone should be paid at least the Living Wage
- ‘My Magna Carta’
The UKYP sitting was presided over by the Speaker Rt Hon. John Bercow MP, who said:
“Welcoming the Youth Parliament for their annual sitting in the has become one of the House of Common’s most pleasant traditions. Almost a million young people across the United Kingdom participated in this year’s vote, and I am pleased that they are taking advantage of the opportunity to make their voices heard in the heart of democracy in ever increasing numbers."