Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Stephen Morgan and Laura Trott(1 month ago)
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Laura Trott (Sevenoaks) (Con)
In the other place, Baroness Smith of Malvern, a Minister in the Department for Education, said:
“There is no clear scientific consensus on a negative impact from screen time and social media use on the mental health and neurological or functional development of children and young people.”—[Official Report, House of Lords, 23 June 2025; Vol. 847, c. 55.]
I fundamentally disagree. There is overwhelming and extensive evidence of the harm caused, so I want to know the Government’s position. Does the Minister agree with his ministerial colleague or with me on this issue?
Stephen Morgan
Last year, the right hon. Lady’s Government claimed that action on mobile phones was prohibiting their use in schools and that guidance meant
“a consistent approach across all schools.”
Those are their words. In backing the Tory Government’s measures, was she wrong then, or is she wrong now?
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Stephen Morgan and Laura Trott(2 months, 1 week ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Laura Trott (Sevenoaks) (Con)
The Secretary of State may dismiss banning smartphones in schools as a gimmick, but teachers, health professionals and parents are all calling for action to reduce children’s screen time. Every day we have new evidence of the harm that screens are doing, so why is the Education Secretary ignoring that and pressing ahead with screen-based assessments for children as young as four from September? Does she accept that that is normalising screen time for young people, which is the opposite of what we should be doing?
Stephen Morgan
Is that all that the right hon. Lady can go on? After 14 years, the Conservatives broke the education system. As I said, guidance is already in place for schools, and the majority of schools already have a ban on mobile phone use.