Sixth form students quiz Newbury MP Laura Farris in Q&A session at Trinity School

Students were given the opportunity to quiz Newbury's MP at a Q&A session at their school.

The sixth formers at Trinity School had a talk from Laura Farris, before they were able to ask her questions themselves.

The Conservative MP, who joined Parliament in December 2019, spoke about her time in Westminster and said it was an "extraordinary privilege" to represent the constituency where she grew up.

Just one in four MPs have that connection, she told the hall of students.

Mrs Farris said it had been a "really good" morning and that she enjoyed engaging with sixth form students because they were beginning to get interested in politics as they reach the age of political participation.

The young people's questions sparked some interesting answers – nobody mentioned Matt Hancock's trip to the Australian jungle or the age of voting in the UK, which Mrs Farris said she was usually quizzed about.

Emily asked about what plans were in place to help people through the cost-of-living crisis and Mrs Farris highlighted the national, as well as local, support available to those in need.

Milly spoke about fracking, while Eric brought up the issues of knife crime and asked if Mrs Farris thought that prisons were 'too easy' on offenders so didn't deter them from returning to crime on release.

Mrs Farris answered that she was always moved to hear from her colleagues in the House of Commons whose constituents were victims of knife crime regularly.

"We are not doing enough at the end of a prison sentence to equip them for life outside and get a job, and a house, and new partner," she added.

Other questions touched on issues such as Covid and the government's response and gender reassignment surgery.

Finnley Dove, head student, said he found the event last week "really interesting".

Samantha Bishop, deputy head student, added: "It gave everyone a chance to ask questions about Covid and other things."