LGBT rights among issues to be debated by UK Youth Parliament
Joe Lepper
Friday, October 20, 2017
Challenging discrimination against lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender (LGBT) young people is among five issues in the running to become the priority campaign for the UK Youth Parliament in 2018.
The issues have been selected by the Make Your Mark ballot involvingĀ 948,677 young people and will be debated when the UK Youth Parliament sits in the House of Commons next month.
A vote will be staged following the debate to decide which will become the UK Youth Parliament's priority campaign for next year.
Also being debated at the sitting, which takes place on 10 November and will be chaired by the House of Commons speaker John Bercow, will be giving 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote and ways to make public transport more accessible for young people.
Other issues to be discussed are how the school curriculum can better cover issues such as finance, politics and sex and relationships, and improving work experience for 11- to 18-year-olds.
"Young people have made it absolutely clear they want a curriculum that prepares them for life. This is the fifth time it's come out as a priority for young people - it's imperative that the government acts now to address this reoccurring issue," said Anna Rose Barker, chair of the British Youth Council, which manages the UK Youth Parliament.
The Make Your Mark ballot took place between August and October this year, and is supported by local authorities, parliament and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
"Make Your Mark continues to reach out to so many young people across the UK and it's important politicians and decision makers now sit up and listen to what young people have to say," Barker added.
Next month's sitting is the seventh time the UK Youth Parliament has staged a debate in the House of Commons since 2009 and is the only time anyone other than MPs are allowed to debate in the chamber.