Pupils hand over arms trade petition (From Basingstoke Gazette)
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Basingstoke school youngsters petition MP
11:00am Thursday 16th August 2012 in Local
Bronwyn Edwards presents MP Maria Miller with her version of the Dove of Peace
PUPILS at a Basingstoke school impressed the town’s MP Maria Miller when she saw their presentation about an arms trade campaign.
Mrs Miller, who is Minister for Disabled People in the Department for Work and Pensions, observed a presentation given by students from Fort Hill Community School ’s Amnesty Interna-tional Group about an international Arms Trade Treaty, being discussed in the United Nations.
The group handed over a petition with more than 200 signatures, calling on the British Government to support the Arms Trade Treaty.
Mrs Miller told The Gazette : “It is really important for young people to take an interest in these matters, and I was very pleased to be able to meet them.
“I was able to tell them that the UK Government is very supportive of the Arms Trade Treaty and has worked hard to make sure that Amnesty Interna- tional’s views are taken into account.”
Mrs Miller added: “I will be passing on the petition from the students at Fort Hill, so that the Government understands the strength of feeling about this issue among Basingstoke’s young people.”
While Mrs Miller was at the Winklebury school, which has recently been awarded the Arts Council’s Artsmark Gold award for excellent arts education, she also met some of the cast of the school’s production of The Wizard of Oz.
