United Kingdom Youth Parliament Debate 13Th November 2015

United Kingdom Youth Parliament Debate 13th November 2015 House of Commons 1 Youth Parliament13 NOVEMBER 2015 Youth Parliament 2 Youth Parliament he was esteemed across the House for his dedication, his principle, his sincerity and his service. I am with you Friday 13 November 2015 because I want to be here, and I cannot be at his funeral, but I think it only fitting that we acknowledge that [MR SPEAKERINTHECHAIR] service and our due respect to someone who took his responsibilities as a constituency Member of Parliament 11 am and a scrutineer of the Executive, as well as a one-time Mr Speaker: Parliamentary colleagues here present, Minister, very seriously indeed. but, more importantly, Members of the United Kingdom The second thing I say to you is that the reason I am Youth Parliament, welcome to the Chamber of the here year after year after year is partly that I enjoy the House of Commons. occasion, but also because I believe fundamentally and Less than an hour ago, I was talking to the debate deeply in the United Kingdom YouthParliament. Before leads and to a number of the Magna Carta speakers, I was elected Speaker I was one of the people who voted and I asked which of them had been present here last for your right to stage your annual debates here, and I year. A small smattering had been—about a third, I remember one fairly crusty individual who is no longer would guess—but the great majority had not participated. a Member of Parliament—he has retired—and who Perhaps I may just ask: hands up, which of you were was profoundly opposed to the YouthParliament coming here last year? I see that it was a very small proportion, here. I did not share his dire prophecy of what would probably not even one eighth, if that. The vast majority happen—he thought that at the very least if you were of you are new, and you could not be more welcome. allowed to come here chewing gum would be left all This is the seventh meeting of the UK YouthParliament over the Chamber and, at worst, penknives would be in the House of Commons Chamber. We began what is used and great damage inflicted on the Benches that he now a very established and revered tradition in 2009, loved. I said that I thought that was stuff and nonsense, and I hope it will continue year after year, decade after and I predicted that Members of the Youth Parliament decade. would be proud to come here, would speak well and The issues to be debated today were chosen by the would behave much better than we do day to day. annual Make Your Mark ballot of 11 to 18-year-olds, I say in vindication of you as Members of the Youth as you know. Last year, the number of votes cast almost Parliament that over the past six years I have been doubled from the previous year. The British Youth proved right on all three counts. There is no reason why Council reports that this year the number has increased today should be any different. I sense your feeling of again, with 968,091 young people casting a vote— pride in being here, I am confident that you will speak congratulations to all of you. You do not need me to tell well, and I am sure that you will behave impeccably. Just you what your target is for next year—it is that million remember, from Thérèse and Chris, to all the other mark, and I am quite sure you will attain it. Today, you Members who are observing proceedings, and to teachers, will choose the issues that you wish to have as the support workers, representatives of the British Youth subjects of your priority campaigns for 2016. Council, staff of the House and me, we are all on your Friends, this year’s Youth Parliament also marks the side. We wish you well—we are proud of the fact that second year of the Paul Boskett memorial award. The you are here—and I hope that you have a great day. award was set up last year in the wake of the passing of I will not be able to call everybody to speak, but I will Paul Boskett MBE, who was one of the driving forces try to call people from the different parts of the UK behind the UK Youth Parliament and a very prominent proportionately, and to ensure that there is a proper figure indeed at the British Youth Council. I remember gender balance. I will do everything that I can to Paul fondly and with great respect. maximise participation. Thank you for coming—it is British Youth Council support workers and going to be a special day. Will you please give a warm parliamentary staff will have the opportunity today to and enthusiastic welcome to the Deputy Leader of the vote for a speech from a debate lead and a speech from House, Dr Thérèse Coffey? [Applause.] another MYP, and the presentation of awards will take place at a reception in January next year. Today’s proceedings will be broadcast live on the The Deputy Leader of the House of Commons (Dr Thérèse internet. Members of the Youth Parliament who wish Coffey): I thank you Mr Speaker, and I thank the Youth to speak should stand in their place. It is helpful if you Parliament. In the 800th year of Magna Carta, and the state your name and region at the beginning of your seventh year in which the UK Youth Parliament has speech, just to be sure that the Hansard writers—those met in the Chamber of the House of Commons, on who compile the Official Report—knowwhoyouare.It behalf of the Government I would like to extend a is also probably advisable when you are called to pause warm welcome to all Members of the YouthParliament. for a moment—a matter of a couple of seconds— before My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has written a starting, to enable your microphone to be activated. letter to you, which will be read out by one of your colleagues shortly. There are just two other things I want to say, and then I will have the great pleasure of calling the Deputy I have represented the constituents of Suffolk Coastal Leader of the House, Dr Thérèse Coffey, to make some since 2010, and more recently I have served as a member opening remarks to you, and thereafter the shadow of the Government. Together with the Leader of the House, Leader of the House, Chris Bryant. I am responsible for representing Government in Parliament First, on a sombre note, the funeral of Michael Meacher and representing Parliament in Government. is taking place today in London. Michael served in this I hope that all Members of the Youth Parliament House as Labour Member of Parliament for Oldham will cherish the opportunity to be here and treasure West and Royton for 45 years. I mention Michael because the memories of sitting in the Chamber. This is a very 3 Youth ParliamentHOUSE OF COMMONS Youth Parliament 4 special chamber. It is an honour to sit on the Benches Chris Bryant: There is more rejoicing in heaven when and I expect all Members of the Youth Parliament to one sinner repenteth, so I accept your apology, Thérèse. make the most of this during today’s debate, using the The single most important thing in politics—the one opportunity with an appropriate consciousness of the piece of advice I can give—is never let your ambition be history, traditions and conventions of their surroundings. determined by other people. Always campaign for what One such tradition is the saying of Prayers at the start you believe in. Always believe in what you campaign of every sitting day. This is a special time in the Chamber. for—of course, those two things have to go together, All business in the Chamber, including your debates but I remember the debate on allowing the Youth today, takes place in public, and is recorded on television Parliament to sit here. We had the Great High Crustiness and in Hansard. I should advise you that, in comparison himself—well, several of them—arguing that if we allowed with previous years, there are some new camera angles young people in here, it would be a fundamental that will be used. Daily Prayers are the only time when undermining of the whole history of Parliament, and the Chamber is attended exclusively by Members, along all the rest of it. We were right to change the rules then, with the Speaker’s Chaplain and the Serjeant at Arms. and I am delighted that you are able to be here and I get There are several daily Prayers, but the one that I find to speak, because I always like that. special asks that Members I say never let other people determine your ambition, “keep in mind their responsibility to seek to improve the condition because I am slightly homosexual. Well, in fact I am of all”. completely homosexual. I just thought I would break it I invite Members of the Youth Parliament to look you gently. Mind you, with this tie I am not sure what around at the walls of the Chamber, where they will see else I could be—sorry, that is a terrible stereotype. The the shields that commemorate Members of the House point I am making is that in my lifetime the opportunities who were killed in the two world wars and in terrorist for lesbian, gay, transsexual and bisexual people have attacks.

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