Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to improve young peoples’ understanding of political processes, ability to identify false or misleading information and capacity to make informed choices.

The Government is committed to encouraging broader and more inclusive participation in our democracy, particularly among young people. Through the £2.5 million Democratic Engagement Fund, we are supporting politically neutral, place-based projects that help people understand, engage with and participate in democracy, while building evidence of what works to increase democratic participation.

Democratic engagement helps young people develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to understand democratic processes.

Furthermore, enabling young people to vote from the age of 16 will create transformative links between education and democracy. We are working closely with the Department for Education on reforms to the curriculum and assessment system, including strengthening democracy education and complementary media literacy skills.