Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are seeking ethical approval for their pilot study on social media bans, time limits and curfews.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

DSIT sought academic advice in designing the pilot study. The Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Dame Angela McLean, convened a roundtable of senior academics, alongside Chief Scientific Advisers from FCDO, DfE and College of Policing.

This advice included consideration of sample size. The pilots, by design, form a social research, qualitative study which is thorough, but not statistically representative. With 300 interviews with teenagers, and their parents, from varied perspectives, we aim to gather first-hand insights into their experience of social media.

DSIT worked closely with our delivery partner, Savanta, to design the study to established ethical standards, including securing informed consent from participants, the right of withdrawal, appropriate safeguarding arrangements, and data protection and confidentiality measures throughout.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have sought academic advice on their pilot study on social media bans, time limits and curfews, including on the number of participants needed for meaningful results.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

DSIT sought academic advice in designing the pilot study. The Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Dame Angela McLean, convened a roundtable of senior academics, alongside Chief Scientific Advisers from FCDO, DfE and College of Policing.

This advice included consideration of sample size. The pilots, by design, form a social research, qualitative study which is thorough, but not statistically representative. With 300 interviews with teenagers, and their parents, from varied perspectives, we aim to gather first-hand insights into their experience of social media.

DSIT worked closely with our delivery partner, Savanta, to design the study to established ethical standards, including securing informed consent from participants, the right of withdrawal, appropriate safeguarding arrangements, and data protection and confidentiality measures throughout.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what procedures are in place to respond to and safeguard any children making serious disclosures within the Growing Up in the Online World consultation.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

It is vital that any serious disclosures to the Growing Up in the Online World consultation are treated with care.

The provider of the children's survey has trained staff which routinely screen responses for safeguarding risks, including references to abuse, harm, or immediate danger. Where the provider of the children’s consultation receives an identifiable response from a child at risk of significant harm, this is referred to the relevant authority, including emergency services or local children’s social services if required, in accordance with statutory safeguarding responsibilities.

For anonymous disclosures, the incident is securely recorded and escalated to the organisation’s safeguarding lead. In line with NSPCC guidance, the safeguarding lead reviews the circumstances and may contact the NSPCC Helpline.

Found: meeting Members present: Baroness Walmsley (The Chair); Baroness Andrews; Baroness Browning; Baroness Cass

Found: Baroness Cass: That is a very good point. Dr Bower, do you want to add anything to that?

Found: meeting Members present: Baroness Walmsley (The Chair); Baroness Andrews; Baroness Browning; Baroness Cass

Found: Monday 13 April 2026 3.25 pm Watch the meeting Members present: Baroness Walmsley (The Chair); Baroness Cass

Found: Monday 13 April 2026 2.25 pm Watch the meeting Members present: Baroness Walmsley (The Chair); Baroness Cass

Found: 3.15 pm Watch the meeting Members present: Baroness Walmsley (The Chair); Baroness Browning; Baroness Cass

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 10 March (HL14740), how the Cass Review recommendations will be implemented and monitored across NHS children and young people gender services.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

On 1 April 2026, NHS England published a final service specification for National Health Service children and young people's gender services, which incorporates the findings and recommendations of the final report of the Cass Review, including adoption of the new Holistic Assessment Framework.

NHS England continues to have oversight of implementation of the various Cass Review recommendations in 2026/27, in line with the implementation plan published in August 2024. NHS England chairs a National Portfolio Board for NHS Children and Young People’s Gender Services, which is the vehicle for monitoring progress for implementing recommendations from the Cass Review. Membership of the board includes officials from the Department of Health and Social Care, Baroness Cass, the independent Chair of the National Provider Network, representatives of the royal colleges of medicine, senior clinicians, the NHS National Medical Director for Specialised Services, and the NHS National Director for Specialised Services.