European Union Referendum Bill

Baroness Crawley Excerpts

Wednesday 18th November 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord Faulks]

I said at the beginning of my remarks that I did not think it was appropriate to try to guess how 16 and 17 year-olds would vote. In fact, it would probably be a mistake even to begin to speculate—we would probably be wrong about it. Although I am grateful for the interruption, that is not the issue that I am trying to engage upon.

[Baroness Crawley (Lab)]

Does the noble Lord accept as fact that this cohort of 16 and 17 year-olds is extremely mature and culturally aware? More than 45% of young people in this cohort will go to university or on to further education, whereas 60 years ago 5% of them did so. We have an extremely developed and mature 16 and 17 year-old cohort.

[Lord Faulks]

I am afraid that I cannot accept facts baldly stated—engagingly stated though they are. The answer is that many more people than before are being educated, and it is a different debate as to whether this is appropriate—

[Baroness Crawley]

My Lords—

[Lord Faulks]

Perhaps I could have a chance to answer the question first.

[Baroness Crawley]

Would the noble Lord accept the facts from the House of Commons Library?

[Lord Faulks]

I am not sure that it is going to enlighten the House very much if we try to decide how well educated or not well educated these young people are. One of the arguments was that young people spend a great deal of time on the internet or go travelling. The answer is that some 16 and 17 year-olds are extremely intelligent and well informed; others are not. The bigger point is whether, looking at them as a cohort, they have changed radically since, for example, Parliament considered this matter in the round in debating the Representation of the People Bill.