Teenager invited to the Commons

Tom Averre, 17, who attends Harrogate’s Ashville College, is meeting MP Adrian Foley, the Chair of the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee.

The invitation comes only months after he launched the Lenthall Policy Forum (LFP), named after politician William Lenthall – the Speaker of the House of Commons who challenged King Charles I – which is designed to allow young people to share suggestions and ideas and submit them formally to Government Ministers.

“It is primarily an opportunity for me to discuss the report with him, get a feeling for what he thinks about our suggestions and proposals and a plan for moving forward if indeed it does come of something,” he said.

“I don’t expect to achieve huge changes and shifts in policy – quite frankly I don’t want that either. We aim to achieve small but meaningful results.”

He has already funded a website and hopes to involve a number of other schools in the area.