Foundation Skills students at Stockton Riverside College will join forces with a cross-party group of peers scrutinising government policies on climate change and the environment.

The House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Select Committee invited schools and colleges to bid to join a one-year pilot programme to let youngsters express their views and offer ideas about its work.

Stockton Riverside College is one of six colleges and schools in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, selected from more than 100 which applied to take part.

Committee chair Baroness Parminter plans to visit the college when possible.

Students will join face-to-face virtual meetings with peers to discuss the committee’s work and inquiries, with the opportunity to say what they think the committee should ask government ministers and other witnesses in question-and-answer sessions or should consider as it prepares reports.

Pupils will learn about the work of the committee and the House of Lords with the help of special briefings from Parliament.

Baroness Kate Parminter said: “It’s great to see so many young people keen to get involved with efforts to combat climate change and protect the natural world.

“We look forward to hearing from and working with the students who’ll help us to do our job of holding the government to account and ensuring that policies meet climate targets.”

Stockton's Foundation Skills course leader, Leanne Nixon, said: "Our students are delighted to be accepted to be part of the Youth Engagement Panel. This will involve taking part in sessions to discuss, share their views and experiences on a number of topics to help inform the Committee’s work.

"We are so excited to be involved in this pilot panel, it will be a fantastic learning experience, an opportunity to be involved in the democratic process and have our students' voices heard, We can't wait to get started!"