TWELVE year-old Ben Walshe from Bere Alston will be one of three 'MPs' representing Devon at the first UK Youth Parliament in London this weekend.

Ben, a pupil at Tavistock College, expects to be the youngest MP at the assembly of 250 from around the country — they will discuss political issues that affect young people and present a manifesto to Paul Boateng, the Home Office Minister for Young People and Hilary Armstrong, Minister for the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

The Youth Parliament has been set up to influence MPs in their creation of laws that affect young people.

Its first meeting takes place at the Cumberland Hotel, Marble Arch, from tomorrow (Friday) until Sunday.

Ben will travel to London with the other two area MPs, both of whom come from South Devon. Before leaving Ben said he was 'daunted' by the prospect, but hoped to be able to speak at the general forum. Most of the others there will be aged 16-18. 'I've been practising my public speaking at local Rotary Club sessions,' said Ben.

A number of politicians are expected to visit the parliament, but they have been invited to listen, not to speak.

Most of the weekend will be spent in informal groups focusing on particular issues of interest to the MPs on a non-party political basis. 'It won't be like the House of Commons,' insisted project co-ordinator Kate Parish.

It is intended that the young MPs will meet ministers in the summer to find out if any action has been taken on the recommendations in their manifesto. When the youth parliament meets again next year it should be up to full strength with around 415 MPs.

Ben now has a page of his own on the college's website and can receive e-mails from people who want him to represent their views. He hopes to visit other schools and colleges in West Devon to find out what issues the pupils are interested in.

He was elected last year to the college council then by an open meeting in Newton Abbot to the UKYP.

In the autumn Ben will have to decide if he will stand for re-election — he expects to do so, but said he was unsure about a choice of career.

Everyone is telling me I should go into politics, but it's all a bit boring,' he said.

Interest in the event has been greatly boosted by coverage in local papers, according to Kate Parish, but up to now the national media has been 'surprisingly indifferent'.

The idea was hatched in 1996 at a conference in Coventry Cathedral. It has been sponsored mainly by the Department for Education, with smaller amounts contributed by the Home Office, Comic Relief and the Carnegie Trust.