DRUGS and education will be high on the agenda when junior MPs from across the North West gather in East Lancashire for a United Kingdom Youth Parliament regional meeting.
It is a national project, supported by the Government, to give young people a voice.
The regional meeting, hosted by Blackburn with Darwen Council, will give Youth MPs from around the North-West the chance to discuss a new national manifesto.
The main issues up for discussion are law and society, drugs, health, education, citizenship and equal opportunities.
A council spokesman said it was committed to the principle of involving young people in local decision-making and offered to host the meeting as its contribution to the project.
Coun Mahfooz Hussain, executive member for education and lifelong learning, said: "It is a fairly new concept.
"It gives young people an opportunity to experience the democratic process first-hand.
"We have now held two Youth MP elections and Rahima Patel, our current Youth MP and her deputy, Mark Cosby, have had a busy year, including meeting Prime Minister Tony Blair."
Kate Clements, the council's youth service manager, added: "By hosting this meeting we are opening the forum for young people to discuss local and national issues."
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