Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of school policies that restrict mobile‑phone use on pupil's health and safety.

The department’s new, stronger guidance on mobile phones in schools is clear that all schools should be mobile phone-free by default. Pupils should not have access to their devices during lessons, break times, lunch times, or between lessons.

The guidance is clear that exceptions to a mobile phones policy may be required for children with specific special educational needs, disabilities or medical conditions. This includes users of health tech or assistive technology.

Where school leaders need to make additional exceptions or flexibilities to their policies based on a child’s individual needs, we trust them to do so.