Jo Swinson welcomes Douglas Academy pupils to Westminster

5.06.00pm GMT Tue 9th Sep 2008

The visit to Parliament was part of a packed 3-day itinerary for the Douglas Academy pupils

S4 Modern Studies and History pupils from Douglas Academy in Milngavie were welcomed to Westminster by local MP Jo Swinson today.

After taking a tour of the Houses of Parliament, the 35 pupils held a question and answer session with Jo.

Commenting, Jo said:

"It was a pleasure to welcome pupils from Douglas Academy to Westminster. It's great that, as part of a trip to the capital, they are able to see the centre of British politics and learn some of the history behind it.

"Taking a tour of the Parliament had obviously given the pupils lots of questions because when it came to holding a question and answer session, there was plenty that they wanted to know about what the job of an MP involves. The pupils were keen to talk about lowering the voting age to 16 and what my favourite part of being an MP is.

"For me, the Houses of Parliament are an inspirational place and it is a privilege to work there, so I hope some of that rubbed off on the pupils today."

Douglas Academy teacher Stephen Sinclair added:

"I was grateful to Jo Swinson for arranging to be at Westminster during the summer recess to take a Q&A session with the pupils. Visiting the Houses of Parliament will have fired their interest in politics in a way that isn't possible to do in the classroom."

The visit to Westminster was part of a three day trip during which pupils visited places of curricular interest such as Parliament, the Cabinet War Rooms and the Imperial War Museum. Pupils also visited the London Eye and took in a West End theatre show.