Teenagers represent Bolton in Lords

8:38pm Wednesday 7th May 2008

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TWO teenagers have spoken of their pride at representing Bolton in the House of Lords.

Niall McGloin, aged 17, and 14-year-old Kirsty Corbally were among 300 young people to attend the historic first sitting of the UK Youth Parliament in the upper chamber.

They were standing in for Bolton's Youth MPs Zuhayr Adia and Nafisah Atcha were unable to go to the event.

Topics discussed included lowering the voting age to 16, abolishing university fees and the environment, as the delegates debated the Youth Parliament's priorities for the coming year.

Niall said: "I am proud to have attended the event to represent the young people of Bolton."

The Thornleigh Salesian College pupil is a deputy Youth MP this year, having been elected into the full post last year.

"It was a historic occasion held in response to the fact the UK's MPs are a growing authority as the voice of young people," he added.

Kirsty, who stood as a Youth MP candidate this year, also went to the Parliament.

She said: "I was interested to see how many young people cared about the issues. I was also intrigued that many of them thought the same way as me about them."

Friday's debate was chaired by the Lord Speaker Baroness Helene Hayman and, after a vote, the Parliament decided its priorities would be fighting to improve the environment, get concessionary public transport for under 18s and abolish tuition fees.

The three-hour event was only the second time, following a school debating competition last year, that the Lords had been used for a non-parliamentary event.

It will be shown on the BBC Parliament Channel at a later date.

Usually, peers range in age from 36 to 95, none have been elected and men must wear jackets and ties in the chamber.

In contrast, the members of the Youth Parliament, some wearing jeans, are aged 11 to 18 and have been voted for by 400,000 of their contemporaries.

Baroness Hayman told the Youth MPs it was "an absolute thrill" to see them in the chamber.

"The quality of the debate that has gone on has been absolutely fantastic," she added.

Andy Hamflett, Youth Parliament Chief Executive, added: "We are doing a very important job of changing the view of young people in society."