Young People: Government Policy

Baroness Smith of Llanfaes Excerpts

Thursday 31st October 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

My noble friend makes a valid point. From my own experience, my first formal political engagement was through the democratic process when I voted for the first time as an 18 year-old. But we had had a youth election at the school. I am not sure I won it, but it is a really important way and I pay tribute to everybody, including schools, who managed to put together mock elections at such short notice.

[Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (PC)]

My Lords, in recent months I have visited a number of schools and colleges and young people have told me that they fear that they are not going to be able to afford to buy their own home in the future and will not have a job after they leave education. What are the Government going to do to ensure that they meaningfully engage with young people to find out what priorities they care about and to involve them in the solution?

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

Going back to the report the Question relates to, housing did come up as one of the key issues, and the cost of being able to afford somewhere to live. Obviously, it is not just an issue of people needing to stay at home; they cannot envisage getting out of house shares or flat shares. I hope they will recognise that the Government’s planned investment in housing for first-time buyers and social housing reflects their need and desire to have their own home.