Question
I have been inundated with hundreds of messages from parents and my local Smartphone Free Childhood group, who are deeply concerned about the impact of their children’s smartphone use. Many have felt that the missing piece has been a decisive intervention—the hard stop that a complete ban in schools can provide. Does the Minister agree that this clearer, stronger guidance can provide parents with the confidence that they need that a phone-free school is just that?
Answer
Absolutely. The action that we are taking today, building on action that the Government have announced in recent months, is all about trying to make this a common effort across parents, schools, Government and society. We do want to draw a line and recognise that it has gone too far and that we did not get ahead of this issue as a society. We want to get children their childhood back. [ Interruption. ] Members on the Conservative Benches who are heckling me on this point will know that we are only able to do that because we have prioritised legislative time to focus on children—not something that could be said of the Conservatives in their final few years in government.14% point-scoring 29% vibes
Verdict: GREEN (76/100)
The Minister answered the question's central point directly, replying "Absolutely" to the request for agreement and linking this to action being taken that day. The reply does not describe what the new guidance will actually contain, so a member of the public may still want more detail. Overall, the question was clearly answered, though briefly.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether the Minister agrees that clearer, stronger guidance on phone-free schools can give parents the confidence that a phone-free school is genuinely phone-free. | Addressed | Direct | The Minister directly answers the question's 'whether you agree' framing with 'Absolutely' (seq 1), and the surrounding reference to 'the action that we are taking today' (seq 2) ties that agreement to the guidance being introduced, though the reply does not spell out what the guidance will contain. |