Asked by: Baroness Jenkin of Kennington (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government who is conducting their study on the effects of smartphone and social media use on children, announced on 20 November, and what are its terms of reference.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The study is being conducted by the University of Cambridge but includes a wider consortium of experts from a range of universities. The project team will be led by Dr Amy Orben, a Programme Leader at the University of Cambridge.
The study’s objectives are to review existing research on the impact of social media and smartphones on children’s developmental outcomes, evaluate methodologies to develop causal evidence on the topic and to recommend an approach to produce causal evidence in the next 2-3 years.
Asked by: Baroness Jenkin of Kennington (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to avoid any conflicts of interest arising for individuals or organisations involved in their study on the effects of smartphone and social media use on children, announced on 20 November.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The procurement was run through a fair and open competition with pre-agreed terms and conditions. Suppliers were required to declare any conflict of interest during the procurement and give a full account how they would avoid any future conflict of interest. All supplier responses were thoroughly reviewed by the evaluation panel, with no concerns raised.
Asked by: Baroness Jenkin of Kennington (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Vallance of Balham on 22 October (HL1416), what involvement (1) officials, and (2) Ministers have had in the drafting and content of the review of data, statistics and research on sex and gender, commissioned by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, since the general election; and whether they will list the additional stakeholders who have been consulted since the general election.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This is an independent review, and Professor Sullivan is fully responsible for the report’s contents and for engaging with relevant stakeholders. Where stakeholders have been engaged since the general election, the decision was made by Professor Sullivan.
As per the Terms of Reference, a draft version of the report was submitted to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and to the Cabinet Office ahead of the final version of the report. Ministers have not been involved in the drafting of the report. As per usual practice, officials have provided light-touch, optional feedback on matters of drafting.