Tuesday saw the end of parliamentary recess and the resolution of customs and proceedings in Westminster. However, Thursday marked a break with tradition, as the pupils from Frant Church of England Primary School took over and scrutinised the rule books in Parliament.
The group of astute schoolchildren were met by Nusrat Ghani who introduced them to life in Westminster and her everyday duties as a Member of Parliament.
The children then attended a 15-minute Q&A session at the Parliamentary Education Centre. They posed pertinent questions, which would make any minister responding from the despatch box tremble. The daily life of MPs was scrutinised at a level befitting the scrutiny of bills, as they pass through Parliament.
Following this swift discovery session, the group moved on to seeing where the action takes place, visiting both House of Parliament.
Nusrat Ghani said of the meeting with the young visitors:
‘The pupils from Frant CofE Primary School were an absolute delight. Their questions were insightful and their willingness to learn inspiring. I hope that this visit will stay with them and maybe even motivate some of them to take a more active role in our democracy. They are all very well equipped to do so.’
‘I am always pleased to welcome schools from all across Wealden to Parliament. Getting children interested in our democracy and the workings of Parliament is a paramount part of my work as an MP.’
‘Every year for the past 5 years, I have written to every primary school in Wealden inviting them to Parliament. This is so that I honour the pledge I have made at every election, to open up Parliament to the next generation of leaders and inspire our students to never hold back in achieving their dream job. I must place on record my thanks to Wealden teaching staff & volunteers who make these House of Commons trips possible. The way to a bright future is through making sure that our children feel engaged with and appreciated by our democratic institutions.’
