Early Years Education

Baroness Barran Excerpts

Wednesday 14th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)]

The noble Lord raises a complex issue about evidence. We need to look at cohorts of young people to understand why some of them are failing to move forward. We know, for example, that Covid has had a huge impact on mental health and has sapped confidence. It is fundamental that everything we do is evidence-based. Gathering that information and evidence is fundamental in helping to develop our policies going forward.

[Baroness Barran (Con)]

My Lords, following on from my noble friend Lady Penn’s question, can the Minister say when the Government plan to produce guidance specifically for early year settings on the use of screens, both by children themselves and, as my noble friend rightly said, by their parents?

[Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)]

I am becoming used to the noble Baroness asking quite specific questions. I do not know the answer to that; I am sure that it is being worked on and looked at. We are happy to share our thinking on that in the appropriate way.