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Select Committee · Education Committee

Screen Time: Impacts on education and wellbeing

Status: Closed Opened: 8 Sep 2023 Closed: 27 May 2024 17 recommendations 15 conclusions 1 report

The Education Committee will assess how screentime can support and impact children’s development, wellbeing and educational outcomes. The Committee will also examine the effectiveness of digital safety education in schools and the ways in which schools and parents can be better supported to manage children’s screen usage. The inquiry will also focus on how screen … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fourth Report - Screen time: impacts on education and wellb… HC 118 25 May 2024 32 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 items
26 Recommendation Fourth Report - Screen time: impacts on… Not Addressed

Promote children's phones with mobile companies, restricting internet access and app downloads

The next Government should work with mobile phone companies and network operators to promote children’s phones, a class of phone which can be used for contact and GPS location but not access to the internet or downloading apps.

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the market is considering 'children's phones' and is monitoring developments, but states its current focus is on the effective implementation of the Online Safety Act to ensure children's online safety regardless of device.
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Department for Education
31 Recommendation Fourth Report - Screen time: impacts on… Not Addressed

Ensure government-provided education devices receive regular software updates for security and reduced e-waste

Since the pandemic, the Government has provided over 1.35 million laptops and tablets to schools, trusts, local authorities and further education providers for disadvantaged children and young people. Edtech has more malware than all other sectors combined, and therefore it is essential that these devices receive software updates and renewals … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government details its strategy to support schools with technology, including published digital and technology standards and a "get help buying for schools" service. However, it does not explicitly commit to ensuring that the devices it provided or other EdTech devices receive regular software updates …
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Department for Education
32 Recommendation Fourth Report - Screen time: impacts on… Not Addressed

Set out funding, renewal, and disposal strategies for government-provided school digital devices.

Digital devices provided to schools by the Government must be maintained and kept secure through regular renewals and software updates. The Department for Education must set out a funding and renewal strategy for device management alongside a strategy for disposing of digital hardware that is no longer fit for purpose … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government's response details existing support for schools, including digital standards, procurement services, and past device provision during the pandemic. However, it does not commit to setting out a new specific DfE funding and renewal strategy for device management or a strategy for disposing of …
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Department for Education

Oral evidence sessions

4 sessions
Date Witnesses
12 Mar 2024 Charlotte Briscall · Department for Education, Kate Dixon · Department for Education, Mark Bunting · Ofcom, Rt Hon Damian Hinds MP · Department for Education, Yih-Choung Teh · Ofcom View ↗
20 Feb 2024 Dame Rachel de Souza · Office of the Children's Commissioner for England, David Wright · The UK Safer Internet Centre (UKSIC), Ian Critchley · National Police Chiefs’ Council, Jessica Edwards · Barnardo’s View ↗
9 Jan 2024 Darren Northcott · NASUWT The Teachers' Union, Elizabeth Anderson · Learning Foundation and the Digital Poverty Alliance, John McGee · BBC Education, Jonathan Baggaley · PSHE Association, The Baroness Kidron OBE · 5Rights Foundation View ↗
21 Nov 2023 Carolyn Bunting MBE · Internet Matters, Dr Amy Orben · University of Cambridge, Dr Bernadka Dubicka · Hull and York Medical School, University of York, Rafe Clayton · University of Leeds, Vicki Shotbolt · Parent Zone View ↗

Who gave evidence

19 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Carolyn Bunting MBE · CEO Internet Matters 1
Charlotte Briscall · Director, Chief Digital Officer Department for Education 1
Dame Rachel de Souza · Children’s Commissioner for England Office of the Children's Commissioner for England 1
Darren Northcott · National Official NASUWT The Teachers' Union 1
David Wright · Director The UK Safer Internet Centre (UKSIC) 1
Dr Amy Orben · Founder of the Digital Mental Health Research Gro… University of Cambridge 1
Dr Bernadka Dubicka · Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Hull and York Medical School, University of York 1
Elizabeth Anderson · Chief Executive Learning Foundation and the Digital Poverty Alliance 1
Ian Critchley · Lead on Child Protection National Police Chiefs’ Council 1
Jessica Edwards · Senior Policy Advisor on Childhood Harms Barnardo’s 1
John McGee · Senior Policy Advisor BBC Education 1
Jonathan Baggaley · Chief Executive PSHE Association 1
Kate Dixon · Director of Pupil Wellbeing and Safety Department for Education 1
Mark Bunting · Director of Online Safety Strategy Delivery Ofcom 1
Rafe Clayton · Principal Investigator, New Uses of Screens in Po… University of Leeds 1
Rt Hon Damian Hinds MP · Minister of State for Schools Department for Education 1
The Baroness Kidron OBE · Founder and Chair 5Rights Foundation 1
Vicki Shotbolt · Founder and CEO Parent Zone 1
Yih-Choung Teh · Group Director for Strategy and Research Ofcom 1