Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of social media on young people’s wellbeing in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Online Safety Act requires services to protect children in the UK, including Surrey and Surrey Heath, from illegal and harmful content online. But we know that up and down the country, parents are grappling with how much screentime their children should have and the consequences on their mental health.

The government is determined to give children the childhood they deserve and enhance their wellbeing. That is why we are launching a consultation to gather evidence to understand how best we can build on the Online Safety Act’s provisions to ensure children have positive, enriched digital lives.

The consultation will be accompanied by a national conversation, and we want to hear from children and parents right across the UK. Every voice matters in shaping what comes next.