UK Youth Parliament annual sitting kicks off Parliament Week 2016

The Youth Parliament, sat for its seventh year in the House of Commons Chamber, heralding the start of UK Parliament Week (14-20 November), an annual festival of events intended to connect communities across the UK with their 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 978,216 young people. 

Make Your Mark is now the biggest youth consultation of its kind in UK history, with almost two million young people aged 11-18 taking part in the last two years.

Around 300 MYPs from across the UK took part and at the close of debates, voted to make 'votes for 16 and 17 year olds', and 'a curriculum to prepare us for life' the focus of their 2017 campaigns.

• Watch Parliament TV: UK Youth Parliament (morning session)
• Watch Parliament TV: UK Youth Parliament (afternoon session)

Morning session

• We must stop cuts that affect the NHS
• Votes for 16 and 17 year olds in all public elections
• Make public transport cheaper, better and accessible for all

Afternoon session

• Tackling racism and religious discrimination, particularly against people who are Muslim or Jewish
• A curriculum to prepare us for life
• A better, kinder democracy

The UKYP sitting was presided over by the Speaker Rt Hon. John Bercow MP, who said:

“I am delighted to welcome the Youth Parliament to their annual sitting. It is always encouraging to see young people debating issues so passionately in the House of Commons and participating in our democracy. Almost a million young people, from across the UK, voted for the motions before us on the Order Paper today, and I am pleased that they are making their voices heard and engaging with the parliamentary process.”

Further information

• UK Parliament Week