Whitehaven school pupils have been given an insight into the Houses of Parliament, ahead of a trip to Westminster next month.

Trudy was invited to St Begh’s Junior School to meet with pupils from Years 3, 4 and 5 – followed by a second session with the School Council – in advance of the pupils’ upcoming trip to the Houses of Parliament.

Trudy spoke about her own journey into politics and her role as a Minister in the Department for Transport, before answering questions ranging from climate change and electric vehicles to catering arrangements in Parliament.

The follow-up session with the School Council focused on the role and responsibilities of MPs and the democratic process.

Trudy said: “I’d like to thank St Begh’s School for the invitation and it was a pleasure to help the pupils understand how MPs and Parliament work.

“The pupils’ questions were excellent, and I was extremely impressed by their level of knowledge and interest in the Government and current affairs.

“I know they will enjoy their visit to Westminster and I look forward to seeing their photos and hearing all about it.”

Headteacher Catherine Mallard said: “Both staff and pupils were really interested to find out about life at Westminster and the work of an MP.

“It was a very useful experience for our School Council, who are shortly to be visiting the Houses of Parliament.

“The visit supported our aim to equip our pupils to be active citizens, both now and in the future.”