Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she plans to take to tackle the (a) algorithmic and (b) design features that maximise children's engagement.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Protecting children online is a priority for the Secretary of State and this government. The Online Safety Act provides strong foundations for protecting children across the UK. We have always been clear that we will build on that foundation and published a consultation and national conversation which sought views and evidence from people across the UK on measures that could further protect children online and enhance their wellbeing. As part of this, we sought views on how platform design features such as personal recommender systems may encourage children to stay online for longer. The consultation closed on 26 May 2026, and the government will respond by summer.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the report 'Deaths of unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people in the care of, or supported by, local authorities' by Da’aro Youth Project.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
We welcome the report of the Da’aro Youth Project. The Home Secretary engages regularly with ministerial colleagues across government on a range of issues relating to asylum, including safeguarding and the welfare of vulnerable individuals.
Last month, the Department for Education (DfE) launched a review into care leaver deaths, and deaths of young people who were unaccompanied asylum seeking children are being considered as part of this. Insights from the review will be shared later this year and will inform how DfE improve the support provided to care experienced young people across all aspects of their lives – including those who were unaccompanied asylum-seeking children
The Home Office works closely with the Department for Education at both ministerial and official level to support effective safeguarding arrangements and share information on risks affecting asylum seekers.
Where an individual is in the care of a local authority as a looked after child under its statutory duties in the Children Act 1989, that authority is responsible for considering and addressing all relevant matters linked to those duties, including risk assessment and safeguarding.