EAST Lancashire schools have been reminded that grants are available to subsidise their pupils visiting the Houses of Parliament.

Those wishing to organise an educational trip to Westminster to see democracy at work can get 75 per cent of travel costs up to a maximum of £1,600 paid for.

Bookings for the summer term are open until January 27 with some short notice opportunities in the coming weeks listed on the Parliament website.

Pendle Tory MP Andrew Stephenson is calling on local schools to take advantage of the chance to visit Parliament and the cash support available in the coming year.

In the academic year 2017/2018 over 70,000 pupils from 2,300 different schools across the UK made visits to Westminster arranged through Parliament's dedicated Education Team

They included171 pupils from seven schools in Pendle - The Alternative School; Colne Park High; Park Primary; Laneshaw Bridge Primary; Marsden Heights Community College; Colne Lord Street School; and Pendle Vale College.

Mr Stephenson said, “2019 will see the UK Parliament become more important than it has been in most people’s adult lifetimes, including my own, as control over a large number of laws is returned from Europe.

"Our youngest generation will be affected by this and should know about how their future vote can affect the way this country is governed."