Lords Back Children’s Social Media Curbs, Expand Free School Meals

High-Level Summary

The House of Lords undertook oral questions and significant legislative business covering rail resilience on Great Western Railway, the age of criminal responsibility, implementation of the violence against women and girls strategy, motorway speed camera errors, and possible postponement of local elections. Peers agreed Government amendments to the Sentencing Bill to give all victims free access to Crown Court sentencing remarks. During Report on the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the House voted to prohibit provision of VPNs to children and to require highly‑effective age assurance to prevent under‑16s using regulated social media, while Ministers announced a three‑month consultation on children’s social media use. An amendment mandating post‑removal parental support was defeated; other measures included commitments on early‑years screen guidance, nursery milk, and expanding free school meals. The House also accepted ministerial assurances on the Holocaust Memorial learning centre’s purpose, allowing that Bill to progress.

Detailed Summary

Great Western Railway: infrastructure resilience (Oral Question)

Ministers said Network Rail has plans and funding to strengthen resilience in the Wales and Western region: “Network Rail has robust plans in place to deal with resilience because of climate change”, including “a £2.6 billion spend on asset renewals and £1.6 billion invested to maintain assets from 2024 to 2029”. On Chipping Sodbury tunnel flooding, mitigation has reduced delays but, “I cannot guarantee that the tunnel will never flood”.

On rolling stock, the Minister acknowledged fuel‑supply faults: “some 110 of them were not functioning” with the number “now down to 38”. He rejected underfunding claims: “Nobody said that there was too little money”. On the Dawlish coastal route, since 2014 “about £140 million has been spent on resilience” and “there is no practicable, affordable alternative route” at present.

Age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales (Oral Question)

Asked about reviewing the age of criminal responsibility (currently 10), the Minister argued it allows early intervention: “Setting the age of criminal responsibility at 10 allows the justice system to intervene early with some children”. She stressed diversion and review: “The Government are always concerned about the position of children and keep all these matters constantly under review”.

Usage data were cited: “In 2024, only 13% of all children sentenced were aged 10 to 14”, and of 1,687 sentences for that age group, “only 23 resulted in custody”. International comparisons, including Scotland’s higher age, were discussed; Ministers noted some countries are considering reductions and reiterated ongoing review.

Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy implementation (Oral Question)

The Government outlined cross‑government delivery structures for the 10‑year strategy, aiming at “halving VAWG within a decade”. On education for boys and young men, Ministers announced “a £20 million funding package” so “every secondary school has a credible package to offer”.

On honour‑based abuse, the Government will continue funding helplines and “have committed, as the noble Baroness identified, to a statutory definition of honour-based abuse”. Asked about children’s exposure to harmful content, Ministers confirmed a consultation on restricting social media access by age: “we will consult, we will be led by the evidence, and we will report back to this House”. Further steps include an FGM round table in March and annual reporting “with measurable metrics”.

Motorway speed cameras and enforcement anomaly (Oral Question)

Following reports of erroneous activations linked to variable speed limit signage, the Government said the Department for Transport “has announced an independent review” into the anomaly’s causes and handling. Approximately “2,650 incorrect activations took place between 2021 and now”; police will contact those affected and provide routes to claim costs.

On local 20 mph limits, Ministers reiterated that “it is for local highway authorities to make judgments” for road safety. The review will also cover how long authorities knew about defects and the limited scope of affected sites.

Business of the House – timing of debates

The House agreed to suspend Standing Order 38(1) on Tuesday 27 January to allow the Committee stage of the Crime and Policing Bill to begin before Oral Questions (“Motion agreed.”).

Local elections: potential postponement amid local government reorganisation (Commons UQ Answer repeated; Lords questions)

Peers queried possible postponement of some May elections during a “once‑in‑a‑generation reorganisation” of local government. Ministers cited precedent and statutory delegation: “There is clear precedent for postponing local elections where local government reorganisations are in progress” and “This responsibility has been delegated by Parliament to the Secretary of State”.

The Electoral Commission’s contrary view was quoted in debate (“we do not think that capacity constraints are a legitimate reason”). On timing, Ministers said decisions would be made “as quickly as possible”, with consultations on wider reorganisation areas “in February”.

Sentencing Bill – victims’ access to sentencing remarks (Motion A)

The House agreed to accept Commons Amendments 7A and 7B in lieu of Lords Amendment 7. The change “expands the provision of Crown Court sentencing transcripts, free of charge, to all victims who request them”. Ministers intend regulations to specify that “transcripts will be provided within 14 days of a request being made”, with definitions, limited exceptions and safeguards set by affirmative regulations. Motion A was agreed.

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill – support for parents of critically ill children (Amendment 90)

Baroness Grey‑Thompson sought a statutory report on barriers preventing parents of critically ill children staying by their bedside. The Government committed to “commission a report on the mental health impact on the families of children with a terminal diagnosis” and that “Ministers from the Department of Health and Social Care will meet with stakeholders” to discuss its scope. The amendment was withdrawn following these assurances.

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill – early years screen use guidance (Amendment 91)

Peers pressed for EYFS statutory guidance on screen use and digital technology. Ministers said they “will publish new practical, evidence‑informed guidance for parents on early years screen time” in April, update practitioner guidance, and make substantial EYFS changes “as soon as possible and no later than April 2027”. The amendment was withdrawn.

Children’s online safety – VPNs, social media access and Government consultation (Amendments 92, 94A, 94B)

Ministers announced: “We will launch a short, sharp consultation on how to improve children’s relationship with social media”, reporting back “in the summer”. The House then voted to prohibit provision of VPN services to children (Amendment 92), Ayes 207, Noes 159 (“Amendment 92 agreed”).

Peers rejected an exemptions‑based alternative (Amendment 94B), Ayes 65, Noes 162, and agreed Amendment 94A requiring “highly‑effective age assurance measures to prevent children under the age of 16 from becoming or being users” of regulated user‑to‑user services and directing the UK CMOs to issue parental advice. The vote was Ayes 261, Noes 150.

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill – nursery milk, free school meals, Healthy Start, and school food (Amendments 98, 111–113)

On nursery milk, Ministers agreed to extend eligibility to children cared for by childminders registered with childminder agencies, aiming to do so “within six months if parliamentary time allows”. The proposing amendment was withdrawn.

Government Amendments 111 and 112 will expand free school meals so that, from September 2026, “every child in a household receiving universal credit will be entitled to free school meals”. A new “expanded free school meals” category will require schools to provide lunches “on request”, and parents and schools will be able to “check… eligibility” via the national system. On Healthy Start, Ministers said issuing prepaid cards requires applicants to accept terms, so “auto-enrolment is not possible”. The Government will consult on updated school food standards later this year and consider compliance arrangements.

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill – post‑removal parental support (Amendments 99 & 101)

An amendment to require local authorities to provide evidence‑informed support to parents after a child’s removal to reduce recurrent removals was defeated (Ayes 53, Noes 116). Ministers argued for practice‑led reform and funding via the Families First Partnership programme rather than mandating specific interventions, including updating guidance so that “birth parents are offered support”.

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill – Child Protection Authority and thresholds (Amendments 102–104)

A proposal to establish a Child Protection Authority within six months and set national thresholds for ‘children in need’ was withdrawn/not moved. The Government confirmed a consultation has been published on establishing the Authority and its powers (“we published a consultation on the child protection authority”). Ministers resisted prescriptive thresholds, noting that mandating criteria “would remove this flexibility and would ultimately narrow the cohort of children who would be eligible for support”.

Holocaust Memorial Bill – learning centre purpose and governance (Motion A and Motion A1)

Ministers reaffirmed that the learning centre’s purpose will be focused: “There must be no question of the learning centre deviating from this purpose”. They will provide “governing documents that are clear and specific” and consult parties and stakeholders on governance.

An alternative purpose clause was withdrawn (“Motion A1 withdrawn.”) and Motion A agreeing with the Commons was carried (“Motion A agreed.”).

Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

The Bill was returned from the Commons with a Lords amendment agreed to and reasons (procedural).