Written questions by McMurdock.

Innovation and Technology, whether her Department holds any information on the average number of times children receive smartphone notifications per day; and what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department's policies of the campaign group Smartphone Free Childhood's finding that teenagers receive over 200 notifications per day.

Ofcom has found that 64% of all children, and 95% of 13-15 year olds, use social media.The current evidence base on the impacts of social media on children’s wellbeing and mental health is mixed. The latest review of existing literature, published on 20 January, found that evidence remains inconclusive about causal links between social media use and mental wellbeing.On 20 January, the government announced a short, swift consultation on further measures to keep children safe online, accompanied by a national conversation. It will seek views on a range of measures, including what the right minimum age for children to access social media is, as well as whether there should be curfews overnight or breaks to stops excessive use or doom scrolling.The government is clear that it will act quickly and robustly to deal with concerns that are being raised.

Innovation and Technology, what information her Department holds on the number of children under 16 who have access to social media.

Ofcom has found that 64% of all children, and 95% of 13-15 year olds, use social media.The current evidence base on the impacts of social media on children’s wellbeing and mental health is mixed. The latest review of existing literature, published on 20 January, found that evidence remains inconclusive about causal links between social media use and mental wellbeing.On 20 January, the government announced a short, swift consultation on further measures to keep children safe online, accompanied by a national conversation. It will seek views on a range of measures, including what the right minimum age for children to access social media is, as well as whether there should be curfews overnight or breaks to stops excessive use or doom scrolling.The government is clear that it will act quickly and robustly to deal with concerns that are being raised.

What data her Department holds on the proportion of children who experienced cyber bullying in 2025; and what steps her Department is taking with Cabinet colleagues to reduce this.

The department monitors the prevalence of bullying among children and young people through the National Behaviour Survey (NBS).The most recent NBS results, for the 2024/25 academic year, showed that 21% of secondary school aged pupils reported being bullied in the past 12 months. Of those pupils, 29% reported that at least some of the bullying occurred online.The department is procuring an expert and evidence-led review into best practice on behaviour and preventing and tackling bullying, including cyber-bullying. The learning from this will support leaders to develop safe, supportive school cultures.Through statutory relationships, sex and health education, pupils are taught about online relationships, the implications of sharing private or personal data (including images) online, harmful content, cyberbullying, what over-reliance on social media looks like and where to get help.

Innovation and Technology, whether her Department plans to introduce mandatory age verification measures to prevent children accessing social media applications.

The Online Safety Act requires in-scope services, including social media, to protect children from illegal, harmful content and age-inappropriate content. Services likely to be accessed by children are required to use highly effective age assurance to prevent children encountering the most harmful content such as pornography.The government has announced a short, swift consultation on further measures to keep children safe online, accompanied by a national conversation. It will seek views on a range of measures, including what the right minimum age for children to access social media is, as well as explore a ban for children under a certain age. We will also look closely at Australia and their ban on social media for under 16s.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) social media and (b) smartphone addiction on children's long-term health outcomes.

In 2019, the UK Chief Medical Officers published a commentary on a systematic review of screen-based activities, including social media, and their impact on children and young people’s mental health. They found an association between screen-based activities and mental health but could not establish causality. The Department of Health and Social Care and the Department of Education are jointly working to produce and publish new practical, evidence informed guidance on screentime for early years (zero to five) by April 2026. An expert group of child health and development specialists has been convened to shape the guidance, which will also be informed by the perspectives of parents and carers. On 20 January 2026, the Government announced a forthcoming consultation on how to ensure children have a healthy relationship with devices, introduce rapid trials on measures to reduce screentime and limit access at night, and produce evidence-informed screentime guidance for parents of children aged between five and sixteen years old. This three-month consultation will be evidence-led, with input from independent experts. It will report in the summer.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of banning phones in schools; and whether she plans to make banning phones in schools compulsory.

Mobile phones have no place in schools.The department’s new, stronger guidance on mobile phones in schools is clear that all schools should be mobile phone-free by default. Pupils should not have access to their devices during lessons, break times, lunch times, or between lessons.Research from the Children’s Commissioner, published in April 2025, shows that the overwhelming majority of schools - 99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools - already have policies in place that limit or restrict the use of mobile phones during the school day.The guidance will be implemented through behaviour management in schools, and by setting out clear expectations for teachers and school staff, while our Attendance and Behaviour Hub-lead schools will support other schools to implement and enforce a mobile phone policy where needed.For the first time, Ofsted will check school mobile phone policy on every inspection, with schools expected to be phone-free by default. Ofsted will examine both schools' mobile phone policies and how effectively they are implemented when judging behaviour during inspectionsIn addition, a consultation will identify the next steps in the government’s plan to boost children’s wellbeing online, ensuring they have a healthy relationship with mobile phones and social media.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department have made on the potential impact of social media usage on the levels of sporting activities undertaken by children since 2020.

Research by the online safety regulator Ofcom found that children aged 8-14 average 3 hours a day online. Sport England report that more than 4 in 5 children participated in sporting activities each week.On 20 January, the government announced a short, swift consultation on further measures to keep children safe online, accompanied by a national conversation. It will seek views on a range of measures, including whether there should be curfews overnight or breaks to stops excessive use or doom scrolling.

Innovation and Technology, what data her Department holds on the average number of hours per day children spend on smart phones.

Research by the online safety regulator Ofcom found that children aged 8-14 average 3 hours a day online. Sport England report that more than 4 in 5 children participated in sporting activities each week.On 20 January, the government announced a short, swift consultation on further measures to keep children safe online, accompanied by a national conversation. It will seek views on a range of measures, including whether there should be curfews overnight or breaks to stops excessive use or doom scrolling.

Innovation and Technology, what research her Department has commissioned on the potential impact of apps accessible to children which utilise microtransactions on children's financial behaviour.

The Government is committed to ensuring apps, including games with in-app purchases are enjoyed safely and responsibly and guidance on-in game transactions is followed.Industry-led guidance, to improve protections for players in relation to loot boxes, was published in 2023. A 12-month implementation period ended in July 2024 and DCMS commissioned independent research to assess its effectiveness which will be published in due course.In November 2025, Ofcom, the regulator of the Online Safety Act, launched a Call for Evidence to explore whether children’s safety online would be better protected by the greater use of age assurance or other measures at app store level. It also looks at what role app stores play in children encountering content that is harmful to them by means of regulated apps which the app stores make available.

What steps she is taking to ensure that road user charges for the Lower Thames Crossing are proportionate for local residents.

The charging regime for the Lower Thames Crossing has not yet been set. Many crossings in England, including the Dartford Crossing, already have a charge, and this will also apply to the Lower Thames Crossing. Charges are necessary to cover the costs of providing the infrastructure, whether funded publicly or privately. Under the Government's preferred financing option, the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model, it is envisaged that there would continue to be a discount for local residents once the transfer to the regulated private entity has completed.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) leaseholders and b) residential developments in England affected by ground rent clauses.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 74455 on 15 September 2025.

What steps he is taking to help reduce age-related barriers in recruitment practices.

We recognise that young people face additional barriers, with almost one million currently not in education, employment or training. At Budget 2025, the Government committed over £1.5 billion to improve youth participation, including £820 million for the Youth Guarantee and £725 million for the Growth and Skills Levy. Further details of the announcement can be found here: Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament. We have also commissioned the Right Honourable Alan Milburn to author a report that will seek to understand the drivers of the increase in the number of young people who are not in education, employment, or training and to investigate the root causes of this rise in economic inactivity We also work with employers nationally to recognise the value of older workers and promote age inclusive recruitment and retention. We encourage participation in initiatives such as the Age-Friendly Employer Pledge and provide tailored support to employers to embed flexible working, age positive hiring approaches, and accessible career development. This includes helping employers create recruitment models that attract older jobseekers by promoting flexible job design, return-to-work schemes, and targeted recruitment campaigns. Alongside our work with employers, we support jobseekers through our network of Jobcentres and contracted employment programmes. This includes specific support for eligible older workers including Additional Work Coach Time and Midlife MOTs, which provide an opportunity to review health, finances and skills and signpost to suitable support. There is also a digital Midlife MOT available to everyone

What assessment she has made of the value for money of temporary pothole repairs where defects recur frequently.

In November 2024, the Department published a report on the economic benefits of investing in local highways maintenance. The analysis found that proactive maintenance can be more cost effective. In contrast, reactive maintenance was shown to be less cost-effective and associated with higher long-term expenditure. This report can be accessed at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/economic-appraisal-for-investing-in-local-highways-maintenance The Department encourages local highway authorities to focus on long-term preventative maintenance. In November, we confirmed a record £7.3 billion of funding for local highways maintenance over the next four years. By providing long-term funding certainty, local authorities can better plan ahead and invest into preventative maintenance. This approach is also encouraged through guidance such as the Code of Practice for Well-managed highways infrastructure. Finally, to unlock their full share of the Government's £500 million funding uplift for local highways maintenance this financial year, local highway authorities had to demonstrate how they prioritise preventative maintenance. The Department has used this information to introduce a new rating system that measures how well local highway authorities maintain their roads and adopt best practice such as preventative maintenance.

Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to introduce a statutory requirement in Building Regulations for the provision of Changing Places toilets in new developments.

The Government has no plans to mandate Changing Places toilets in new developments. Statutory guidance accompanying the Building Regulations (Approved Document M Vol.2 paragraphs 5.6 and 5.7) has already been updated, in January 2021, and includes provision for Changing Places toilets in new non-dwelling developments.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of police response times to rural crime by Essex Police.

I refer the Hon. Member to UIN 101709 answered on 9th January 2026.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee on police response times to time-sensitive incidents in rural villages, such as a) Bulphan, b) Orsett and c) Horndon-on-the-Hill in South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency.

The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee set out commitments for police forces to implement, by July 2025, and by the end of Parliament. Forces are now delivering on the Guarantee across England and Wales to ensure consistent and high-quality neighbourhood policing, including in rural areas.Forces now have named, contactable officers dedicated to tackling issues in their communities. Forces are also providing a guarantee of 72-hour response times to neighbourhood queries from communities.All reports into the police, either via telephone or online, are triaged by the local force control room and response type and timeliness will be determined by the nature of the report and availability of resources. The Home Office does not hold data on response times to time-sensitive incidents in rural villages, however, should an incident be time critical and requiring rapid response, the public are advised to call 999.Based on their £4,495,599 allocation from the Neighbourhood Policing Grant, Essex are projected to grow by 74 FTE NHP police officers in 2025-26.

Whether she plans to publish data on the potential correlation between road surface conditions and road safety outcomes for vulnerable road users.

There are currently no plans to publish data beyond the statistics on factors contributing to collisions that are already available (published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/reported-road-accidents-vehicles-and-casualties-tables-for-great-britain#factors-contributing-to-collisions-and-casualties-ras07). The Government recognises that defective road surfaces, including potholes, can present significant safety risks to vulnerable road users such as cyclists and motorcyclists. Local highway authorities have a statutory duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain their road networks and must consider the needs of vulnerable groups when planning and delivering maintenance programmes.

What assessment she has made of trends in the level of a) injuries and b) fatalities where road surface defects were identified as a contributory factor in the last decade.

Statistics on reported road injuries and fatalities where a reporting police officer has assigned ‘Poor or defective road surface or deposits on road’ as a contributing road safety factor are published on gov.uk:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68d3d602e65dc716bfb1dd00/ras0701.odsNo further assessment of the trends in these figures has been made. The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing the local highway network, which is why the Government has announced a record of £7.3 billion investment for local highway maintenance over the next four years, bringing annual funding to over £2 billion annually by 2029/30. This investment to improve the condition of our roads will make journeys faster, smoother and safer. This builds on nearly £1.6 billion in capital funding that has been provided for local highways maintenance in England for the financial year 2025/26, a £500 million increase compared to the previous financial year.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the number of reported personal injury road collisions involving defective road surfaces between 2022 and 2024.

Statistics on reported road collisions where a reporting police officer has assigned ‘Poor or defective road surface or deposits on road’ as a contributing road safety factor are published on gov.uk:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68d3d602e65dc716bfb1dd00/ras0701.odsNo further assessment of the trends in these figures has been made. The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing the local highway network, which is why the Government has announced a record of £7.3 billion investment for local highway maintenance over the next four years, bringing annual funding to over £2 billion annually by 2029/30. This investment to improve the condition of our roads will make journeys faster, smoother and safer. This builds on nearly £1.6 billion in capital funding that has been provided for local highways maintenance in England for the financial year 2025/26, a £500 million increase compared to the previous financial year.

Pursuant to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office's press release published on 12 January 2026 entitled UK and Ecuador join forces to tackle cocaine trade at source, what recent assessment has she made of the potential impact of bilateral cooperation with Ecuador to reduce the export of drugs to the UK on the level of criminal activity in the UK.

The Government is concerned by the impact that drug trafficking from South America, particularly cocaine trafficking, is having in the UK and its Overseas Territories. Tackling the supply of drugs remains a priority for this Government and will play a critical role in making our streets safer, including delivering our mission to halve knife crime over the next decade.Ecuador is a key smuggling route for cocaine ending up on UK streets, making joint action essential as part of the UK’s end-to-end approach, including working with law enforcement partners internationally, and at the UK border to tackle the gangs responsible for drug trafficking. Home Office International Operations and UK law enforcement are stationed in Ecuador with officers providing training, equipment and support to enhance the capabilities of Ecuadorian law enforcement – better preventing cocaine from reaching British borders.In 2024, in Ecuador alone, Home Office International supported the seizure of nearly 95 out of the 300 tonnes seized by police. In May 2025, the UK and Ecuador signed a memorandum of understanding, cementing both countries’ commitment to dismantling and disrupting violent criminal networks, which threaten the safety of communities in Britain and South America alike.Funding for UK law enforcement activity and support in Ecuador is provided via the Integrated Security Fund, Home Office Drug Strategy funding and law enforcement agency budgets.