The UK Youth Parliament is returning to the House of Commons to debate issues affecting young people on Friday 4th November.
There are currently 249 members of the Youth Parliament representing 11-18 year olds across the United Kingdom.
This year’s debate will focus on the impact on the health impact of a breadth of different issues, such as the cost of living crisis and the ongoing effects of climate change.
The morning debate centres on: why “we must get rid of sexism, xenophobia, racism and the discrimination that negatively affects people’s lives” and on why “the government needs to adopt strategies that will help protect our physical and mental health from the onset of Climate Change”.
The afternoon session will discuss why “government needs to develop a branch dedicated to noting the impact of insufficient personal, social and health education on young people in school” and on increasing mental health funding.
In a statement on the British Youth Council website (the body which oversees the Youth Parliament), current member of the Youth Parliament Kashmea Wahi said: “Members of Youth Parliament will take over the Commons chamber to debate the top concerns of young people in the UK. From a nationwide ballot of almost half a million young people, the issue of health was voted as one of the most paramount concerns”.
The Speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, will preside over the morning session and the afternoon will be presided by the deputy speakers.
This will be the 11th time that young people have sat in the Youth Parliament debate in the House of Commons chamber, debating issues which they believe the government should prioritise.
