Written Question
Thursday 5th February 2026
Asked by:
Baroness Penn (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what the membership is of the early years screen time advisory group.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern
- Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The early years screen time advisory group is comprised of the following members:
- Professor Russell Viner (co-chair) – Professor in Adolescent Health, University College London, and former Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department for Education.
- Dame Rachel de Souza (co-chair) – Children’s Commissioner for England.
- Professor Catherine Davies – Professor of Language Development, University of Leeds.
- Professor Pasco Fearon – Professor of Family Research, University of Cambridge.
- Professor Rosie Flewitt – Emeritus Professor of Early Childhood Communication, Manchester Metropolitan University.
- Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy – Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England.
- Professor Sonia Livingstone – Professor of Social Psychology, London School of Economics and Political Science.
- Professor Amy Orben – Programme Leader of the Digital Mental Health Research Programme, University of Cambridge.
- Professor Paul Ramchandani – LEGO Professor of Play in Education, Development and Learning, University of Cambridge.
- Professor Kathy Sylva – Honorary Research Fellow and Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Oxford.
All members of the group attended the first meeting of the early years screen time advisory group on 22 January, alongside officials from the Department for Education, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Office of the Children’s Commissioner for England.
This introductory meeting focused on agreeing ways of working, including delivery timelines and approaches to evidence gathering, and the scope of the early years screen time guidance. The group also discussed the dissemination of the guidance.
Minutes of the meeting will be published in due course.
Written Question
Thursday 5th February 2026
Asked by:
Baroness Penn (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government who attended the first meeting of the early years screen time advisory group on 22 January; and what was discussed in that meeting.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern
- Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The early years screen time advisory group is comprised of the following members:
- Professor Russell Viner (co-chair) – Professor in Adolescent Health, University College London, and former Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department for Education.
- Dame Rachel de Souza (co-chair) – Children’s Commissioner for England.
- Professor Catherine Davies – Professor of Language Development, University of Leeds.
- Professor Pasco Fearon – Professor of Family Research, University of Cambridge.
- Professor Rosie Flewitt – Emeritus Professor of Early Childhood Communication, Manchester Metropolitan University.
- Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy – Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England.
- Professor Sonia Livingstone – Professor of Social Psychology, London School of Economics and Political Science.
- Professor Amy Orben – Programme Leader of the Digital Mental Health Research Programme, University of Cambridge.
- Professor Paul Ramchandani – LEGO Professor of Play in Education, Development and Learning, University of Cambridge.
- Professor Kathy Sylva – Honorary Research Fellow and Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Oxford.
All members of the group attended the first meeting of the early years screen time advisory group on 22 January, alongside officials from the Department for Education, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Office of the Children’s Commissioner for England.
This introductory meeting focused on agreeing ways of working, including delivery timelines and approaches to evidence gathering, and the scope of the early years screen time guidance. The group also discussed the dissemination of the guidance.
Minutes of the meeting will be published in due course.
Division Vote (Lords)
3 Feb 2026 - Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill -
View Vote Context
Baroness Penn (Con) voted Aye
- in line with the party majority
and in line with the House
One of
133 Conservative Aye votes vs
0 Conservative No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 176 Noes - 132
Division Vote (Lords)
3 Feb 2026 - Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill -
View Vote Context
Baroness Penn (Con) voted Aye
- in line with the party majority
and in line with the House
One of
140 Conservative Aye votes vs
0 Conservative No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 178 Noes - 140
Division Vote (Lords)
3 Feb 2026 - Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill -
View Vote Context
Baroness Penn (Con) voted Aye
- in line with the party majority
and in line with the House
One of
186 Conservative Aye votes vs
0 Conservative No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 295 Noes - 180
Division Vote (Lords)
28 Jan 2026 - Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill -
View Vote Context
Baroness Penn (Con) voted Aye
- in line with the party majority
and in line with the House
One of
154 Conservative Aye votes vs
0 Conservative No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 231 Noes - 147
Speech in Grand Committee - Mon 26 Jan 2026
Pension Schemes Bill
"My Lords, I will speak briefly in support of Amendments 112, 114 and 117 in the names of my noble friends Lady Coffey and Lady McIntosh of Pickering, which aim to set a cap on asset allocation.
In response to our debate on the previous group, the Minister consistently described …..."Baroness Penn - View Speech
View all Baroness Penn (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Pension Schemes Bill
Speech in Grand Committee - Mon 26 Jan 2026
Pension Schemes Bill
"My Lords, my noble friend Lord Younger has asked many of the questions that my Amendments 116A and 130A seek to probe on the rationale for the Government’s timescales in the Bill. They are also intended to shorten those timescales and implement an absolute sunset; I want to be clear …..."Baroness Penn - View Speech
View all Baroness Penn (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Pension Schemes Bill
Division Vote (Lords)
21 Jan 2026 - Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill -
View Vote Context
Baroness Penn (Con) voted Aye
- in line with the party majority
and in line with the House
One of
170 Conservative Aye votes vs
0 Conservative No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 261 Noes - 150
Division Vote (Lords)
21 Jan 2026 - Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill -
View Vote Context
Baroness Penn (Con) voted Aye
- in line with the party majority
and in line with the House
One of
175 Conservative Aye votes vs
0 Conservative No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 207 Noes - 159