UK Youth Parliament - Debatable Issue 5 - text only version |
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Contents Young people set to storm House of Lords The great sex & relationships debate |
Campaigns Update | |
Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) In December, UKYP sent a letter to The Times calling for the Government to make SRE a part of the statutory provision of Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) in schools. Signed by UKYP along with 100 leading children’s organisations, sexual health experts, politicians and celebraties, the letter became front page news and created a massive stir across the nation, putting real pressure on the Government to implement change. On the same day, an Early Day Motion (EDM) was tabled by Annette Brook MP, also calling for the Government to make SRE a statutory part of PSHE, further adding to the pressure on the Government. In Parliament, Tim Loughton MP, has been keeping the issue live, by asking Beverley Hughes, Minister of State for Children, Schools and Families, “If the Government have done so much on sex education, why did the UK Youth Parliament reveal that almost half of teenagers rate their sex education lessons as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’?” Finally, a huge congratulations to Katrina Mather, MYP for East Sussex, for winning Young Person of the Year in Brook’s Exceptional Achievement Awards for all of her relentless work on the SRE campaign. Her dedication has been outstanding, so it’s fantastic she should get this recognition. For more about the UKYP SRE campaign please turn to our special report on pages 12-14. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Votes @ 16 In Parliament, an Early Day Motion has been tabled by Julie Morgan MP, calling for the Government to reconsider the current voting age. MYPs have since been getting in touch with their local MPs to support the motion. Elsewhere, Harriet Harman, deputy leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the House of Commons, gave her backing to lowering the voting age in an interview with The Telegraph: “My concern is that there’s a generation of young people who are never going to get into the voting habit,” she said. “We’ve got citizenship classes going on in schools ... If people come straight out of the citizenship class into the polling station then there’s continuity and that might be an opportunity for them to get the habit of voting.” Whilst in Wales, a motion for lowering the voting age to 16 was passed in the Welsh Assembly. Though the Welsh Assembly currently doesn’t have the power to change its electoral systems, it adds to the pressure on the Government and is great news for our Votes@16 campaign as we wait for the announcement of the Youth Citizenship Commission. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Public Transport Thousands of young people have responded to UKYP’s survey about the state of public transport in their area. These responses will form the basis of a report, due to be launched in May. Before we have even launched any findings, Minister Jim Knight, referred to the UKYP’s work in public transport during parliamentary questions: “I am mindful, too, of the priority that the Youth Parliament places on the need to secure free transport for young people. I have some sympathy with the proposal, which is simple and clear and, I am confident, would probably improve access to education for some young people.” This sets a positive tone with big plans for the Fares Fair campaign over the next few months ahead. Further plans for the campaign include the UK’s first and only video petition! For more details on this exciting project please visit the Fares Fair website. |
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