PUPILS have visited the Houses of Parliament and met the Speaker as part of a trip to London.

The pupils from St Barnabas First and Middle School in Drakes Broughton took part in a workshop on Making Laws during their visit to the Houses of Parliament.

The youngsters debated the proposal of Free University Education firstly as if they were in the Commons and then again as if they were sitting in the Lords.

Students also enjoyed a tour of the Houses of Parliament followed by a visit to the Speaker's House as part of the event, organised by First News, a newspaper for children aged seven to 14.

Speaker John Bercow chaired the debate with a panel that also included Mike Crockart, Liberal Democrat MP, Dr Therese Coffey, Conservative MP, Nic Daikin, Labour MP, and author Anthony Horowitz.

The question debated was, 'If smoking causes cancer, organ failure and many other unnecessary problems for the smoker as well as the people around them, why hasn’t the government outlawed it?'

During the debate, the divisions bell rang calling MPsto vote while Mr Horowitz and Mr Bercow signed autographs for the children.

The pupils won the trip to the Houses of Parliament after entering a competition run by First News.

Afterwards, Mr Horowitz tweeted “@StBarnabasDB I loved it. And your students were brilliant.”