Two teenagers are set to represent Wolverhampton's young people at the House of Commons next week.

They will be among 300 members of the UK Youth Parliament who will be experiencing life on the famous green leather benches of the House of Commons Chamber on Friday 14 November.

Wolverhampton Youth MPs Kashmire Hawker and Arnold Majecha will have the opportunity to discuss the issues that matter the most to them in a debate chaired by the Speaker of the House of Commons Rt Hon John Bercow MP.

The Youth MPs work all year round to represent the views of young people in their area, and were elected to the UK Youth Parliament earlier this year.

Kashmire, 17, said: "It's a huge honour and privilege to take part in this debate at the House of Commons. We will do our best to represent the young people of Wolverhampton and the West Midlands on the day."

Arnold, 16, added: "It's so exciting to actually get to visit the House of Commons, never mind hold our debate in the room where crucial decisions about the country are frequently made."

Councillor Val Gibson, Wolverhampton City Council's Cabinet Member for Children and Families, said: "I am sure that Kashmire and Arnold will do a tremendous job representing the young people of our city in the House of Commons.

"This is a great opportunity for them to have their say on the issues that matter most to young people today."

A record 876,488 young people across the UK took part in the Make Your Mark ballot to decide which issues will be debated. A total of 5,032 votes were cast in Wolverhampton, 21.6% of the youth population in the city.

The issues to be debated by the Youth MPs are as follows:

  • Everyone should be paid at least the Living Wage of £7.65 per hour. Anyone who works, regardless of age, should have a decent standard of living
  • Bring back exam resits in Maths and English and help us achieve our potential
  • Work Experience. We should have the chance to do at least a week's placement, at a place of our choosing. We should have access to professionals who inspire us
  • Votes at 16. Give 16 and 17 year olds the right to vote in elections and referendums
  • Mental health services should be improved with our help. We should all learn about common mental health issues at school and negative stereotypes should be challenged

Next week's event forms part of Parliament Week, an annual event which aims to build greater awareness, understanding and engagement with parliamentary democracy in the UK. The debates will be broadcast live on the BBC Parliament channel.

  • released: Thursday 6 November, 2014