It was Question Time at Tonyrefail Comprehensive School for the House of Lords last week as year 12 students raised the issues that matter most to them.
Baroness Pitkeithley OBE who is a Labour Member of the House of Lords and a champion for Carers in the UK visited the school to answer their questions and inform young people all about the work that takes place in the UK’s most influential buildings.
The young people certainly got to the heart of matters raising all manners of issues that face them and their families, including the rise in tuition fees, the economic situation, the war in Iraq, defence budget cuts, the effect of the MPs allowance scandal and lots more.
Baroness Pitkeithley OBE, answered all questions openly and honestly and offered advice to young people on how to get in to politics.
In relation to the rise in tuition fees, Baroness Pitkeithley indicated that she is against this and feels obliged to defend it both on a personal level, for her grandchildren and as a member of the House of Lords, she said: “It will happen because the coalition is supporting it, the best we can hope for is that it can be modified and capped at a certain level, we will fight for this.”
Baroness Pitkeithley also offered her views on the economic situation and whether the government is doing enough to tackle this, she said: “We would not have gone so far so fast and I worry that we are going to go into a double dip recession. The new plans make no allowances for people in differing circumstances. However I understand that difficult decisions need to be made to recover some of the country’s deficit.”
Councillor Eudine Hanagan, Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Lifelong learning and Ward Member for Tonyrefail West, who attended the special visit, said: “It is important that young people understand how decisions are made and how laws are created in our country and I must thank Baroness Pitkeithley for attending the school and helping young people gain a clear understanding of the democratic process that makes our country what it is.
“It was very pleasing to see so many young people getting involved in the question and answer session and it seems we may have a few budding politicians in our midst.”
Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and Ward Member for Tonyrefail East, Councillor Russell Roberts, who also attended the event, said: “I was very pleased to see so many young people attending the session. The young people certainly got to grips with many issues and cut straight to the heart of those that are affecting them. I would also like to thank Baroness PitKeithley for taking time out of her busy schedule to visit Tonyrefail Comprehensive. It was a very informative session and I’m sure the young people went away with a much clearer understanding of the work that takes place at the House of Lords.
