Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many respondents to their consultation paper Growing up in the online world, published on 2 March, said that they either (1) strongly agree, or (2) somewhat agree, that “social media services should have a minimum age of access of at least 16 and should not be accessible to any children under that age”; and how many otherwise expressed support for restricting access to social media services for children under 16.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

We have always been clear that we will build on the protections for children in the Online Safety Act. This is why we published a consultation and began a national conversation which sought views and evidence from across the UK on measures that could further protect children online and enhance their wellbeing.

The government published a progress report on the consultation on 15 June. In response to the full-length consultation, 82% of respondents agreed with proposals to ban under 16s from social media. In response to the parents' consultation, 90% of parents also agreed with a ban. Support was lower among children who responded to the consultation, but two in three (66%) of children and young people supported a minimum age of 16 for at least some social media sites, with 19% supporting it for all social media sites.

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of children in the UK accessing pornography websites through virtual private network services.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

Government-commissioned research found that 7% of 13- to 17-year- olds reported using a VPN and seeing explicit sexual content online in a three-month period. The research also found that VPNs are not the most common method by which children bypass age restrictions online.

The Government has announced a package of measures to address the circumvention of online safety protections, and is prepared to take further action if future evidence shows that circumvention is becoming a more significant problem and is not being adequately addressed.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what data they collect on the extent to which pupils at schools in England are using a personal screen-based device during lessons or for homework activities.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department collects a wide range of information on technology use in schools through the biennial Technology in Schools Survey, which provides information on the availability and use of devices by pupils in primary and secondary schools. This does not include specific information about use of devices during lessons or for homework activities.

The government recognises that we must get the balance right when it comes to technology use. The department’s expert advisory group on screen time is assessing a range of evidence and responses to the department’s call for evidence, which will inform guidance and policy on the use of technology in schools.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recently published data indicating that more than 950,000 school children in the UK are using personal screen-based devices for nearly every lesson in the school day.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The government recognises that we must get the balance right when it comes to technology use for teaching and learning. The department’s expert advisory group on screen time is assessing a range of evidence and responses to the department’s call for evidence, which will inform guidance and policy on the use of technology in schools.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what independent evaluation they have commissioned into the educational effectiveness of (1) one-to-one screen-based devices, and (2) educational technology applications, currently used in schools in England.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department supports schools to make evidence-informed decisions about technology and trends in technology use in schools and colleges through the Technology in Schools Survey.

To consider the effectiveness of these technologies the department has a series of programmes underway, including the £24 million EdTech Testbed programme, which will generate stronger evidence on the impact of educational technology in real-world school and college settings. A pilot EdTech Evidence Board has also been established and uses independent expert panels to review evidence of the quality and impact of EdTech tools. Finally, artificial intelligence benchmarks are being developed as an independent way to assess the effective development of generative AI tools for education.

The department also works with the Education Endowment Foundation to support independent evaluations of EdTech use. Decisions about one-to-one devices and specific applications remain for schools and trusts, based on their pupils’ needs, infrastructure and teaching priorities.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what evidence they hold on the impact of the use of one-to-one screen-based devices and educational technology applications on educational attainment in (1) primary, and (2) secondary, schools.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department recognises the growing use of education technology in schools and the importance of understanding its impact on pupil outcomes. Through the Technology in Schools Survey, we track the types of devices made available to pupils and the extent to which these are used in lessons. The department is currently launching programmes such as the National EdTech Testbed programme to build the evidence base on the impact of technology. We announced in January 2026 that the Testbed Programme has expanded, and we have now partnered with the Education Endowment Foundation to deliver the £24 million multi-year programme which will build an evidence pipeline, evaluating the impact of education technology and artificial intelligence in schools and colleges, and how it can be used effectively to support teachers, improve inclusion and strengthen educational outcomes. The department will continue to support schools to make evidence-informed decisions about the use of technology.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how they assess the educational efficacy of educational technology products before recommending or encouraging their use in schools in England.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

All schools and multi-academy trusts are responsible for selecting technology that meets their own educational needs, context and supports them in meeting statutory responsibilities.

Those choices should be informed, evidence-based decisions. To support schools, our EdTech Evidence Board programme set out a framework of advice and questions schools can ask EdTech suppliers to support evidence-based decisions. We are also in the process of setting up EdTech Testbed Programme to assess and generate evidence on the effectiveness and impact of technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), in real education settings. Lastly, we are developing AI benchmarks as a way to test the effective product development of AI tools.

The department does not currently recommend, endorse or encourage any specific educational technology products for use in schools.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how they consult health professionals on the health implications for pupils of the use of screen-based devices and educational technology applications in schools in England; and which committees, working groups or advisory bodies they maintain for that purpose.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department works closely with the Department of Health and Social Care, including on regular policy and evidence exchanges on the implications of screen-based devices and education technology for pupils. This includes drawing on medical and child development expertise, and wider evidence on children’s health, wellbeing and learning.

The department established expert arrangements to inform its work on screen use, including an expert group co-chaired by the Children’s Commissioner for England and Professor Russell Viner to support evidence-based guidance for children and families.

The department has also launched a Call for Evidence on screen use for children aged 5 to 18 and exploring how to support schools and families to make informed, evidence-based decisions about technology use.

Schools are expected to use technology in a safe, proportionate and purposeful way, alongside statutory safeguarding duties, filtering and monitoring requirements, and statutory guidance that schools should be mobile phone-free environments by default.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what advice they have sought from the Chief Medical Officer on the use of screen-based devices by children in schools in England.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The government has launched work to develop practical, evidence-based guidance on screen use for parents of young people aged 5 to 18, to be published this autumn.

The guidance will cover screen use across different aspects of young people's lives, including at home and in schools. It is being informed by a recent Call for Evidence and an independent expert group chaired by Professor Russell Viner and Dame Rachel de Souza, the Children’s Commissioner. The expert group’s membership includes a broad range of academics and sector expertise, including Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the compatibility of one-to-one screen-based device use in primary schools in England with NHS guidance on daily screen time for young children.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Decisions about the use of digital devices in classrooms are for schools to make. However, the government’s guidance for younger children advises limiting screen time and prioritising sleep, play, physical activity and interaction with adults. The government is considering the evidence base, following a Call for Evidence, on screen use for children aged 5 to 18 and how to support schools and families to make informed, evidence-based decisions about technology use.

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