Lords Strengthen Online Safeguards, Impose School Phone Ban

High-Level Summary

The House of Lords held oral questions on small boat deaths, media freedom, equality of opportunity, and fuel security, then undertook significant legislative business. Peers strengthened the Crime and Policing Bill’s new 48‑hour duty on platforms to remove non‑consensual intimate images, added enforcement and reporting provisions, and sent the Bill to the Commons; a regret amendment relating to abortion impact assessment was withdrawn. On the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the House secured statutory sibling‑contact rights, insisted on a mobile‑phone ban in schools, a review of uniform costs, and protections against lowering admissions at popular schools, while rejecting wider consent checks before elective home education. The Lords also declined to insist on amendments to the National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill after the Commons cited financial privilege.

Detailed Summary

Small Boat Deaths: Cranston Inquiry Report – Oral Question

Lord Dubs asked what action the Government will take following the Cranston Inquiry. Minister Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill called it a “sobering report” and said the Government plans “an interim response by the end of May”. He highlighted increased capability in the Channel, noting “five dedicated Border Security Command vessels” and that they “successfully conduct approximately 93% of the rescues” while paying tribute to RNLI volunteers.

Peers pressed on cross‑Channel cooperation and lessons learned. The Minister said collaboration with France and Belgium is being pursued “very seriously” to close “any gaps”. Asked the key lesson, he replied: “Fundamentally, there were insufficient resources, and insufficient process was followed in the right way, which contributed to this tragedy”. On Alexander Downer’s recommendation to shift search‑and‑rescue lead to the coastguard, he declined to pre‑empt the Government’s response, saying he would not “mention any one particular action at this moment in time”. Next steps: an interim Government response is due by end‑May; Ministers indicated ongoing engagement with French and Belgian counterparts.

Media Freedom Coalition – Oral Question

Answering for the Government, Baroness Chapman of Darlington set out co‑chair priorities to “raise its profile and expand its reach as a truly global partnership” and to “address the challenges faced by women journalists”. She confirmed support to keep journalists safe domestically and in conflict zones, noting Sudan’s situation is “incredibly precarious”.

Ministers aimed to grow membership “particularly into global South voices”, announced “an uplift in our grant funding to the World Service of an additional 12%”, and highlighted a focus on “women journalists and the persecution that they face”. On Hong Kong, she reiterated: “Jimmy Lai should not be imprisoned and should be released immediately”. Next steps: the UK will use its co‑chair role to expand the coalition and pursue case‑specific advocacy.

Equality Mission: Break Down Barriers to Opportunity – Oral Question

Baroness Blake of Leeds said the mission is “to break the link between background and success” and to halve the disadvantaged attainment gap at the end of secondary school. She described cross‑departmental working with Health, DWP, local government, DCMS and the Treasury across early years, inclusive schooling and post‑16 skills.

On delivery, she undertook to write with detail on Best Start Family Hubs rollout, cited “preparedness for school” as a leading indicator and said a curriculum review will look “at attainment data”. She stressed the role of health visitors, whose numbers “has gone down in recent years”, and noted investment of “£39 billion in affordable housing and £13.2 billion in the warm homes plan”. Next steps: further guidance and reviews to track progress; written responses promised on specific points.

Fuel Supplies and the War in Iran – Oral Question

Lord Whitehead said the UK has “a strong and diverse fuel supply” and rejected as “categorically untrue” reports of only four weeks’ reserves; he added that “just 1%” of crude used for UK production comes from the Middle East. He assessed current pressures as “a price crisis and not a supply crisis” and pointed to IEA‑coordinated actions to help ensure jet fuel availability.

He also highlighted alternative routes bypassing the Strait of Hormuz: “pipelines across Arabia are already beginning to take some of the oil … out to port”. Next steps: continued monitoring; emphasis on accelerating home‑grown clean power.

Statutory Instruments – Motions to Approve

The House approved the Train Driving Licences and Certificates (Amendment) Regulations 2026 and the Warm Home Discount (England and Wales) Regulations 2026.

Crime and Policing Bill – Third Reading and Amendments

Moving Third Reading, Lord Hanson of Flint reported that Northern Ireland and Scotland had granted legislative consent while the Welsh Senedd had not supported its consent motion; he said the Government would set out their position when the Bill returns to the Commons after Recess.

On non‑consensual intimate images, the Government introduced a statutory duty requiring platforms to remove reported content “within a maximum of 48 hours”, with Ofcom enforcement and planned consultation on a hash‑matching regime to detect re‑uploads. Baroness Owen of Alderley Edge argued that without “real enforcement it risks creating false hope” and tabled amendments to add public reporting of takedown times, proactive duplicate removal, per‑violation daily fines, direct reporting to Ofcom, clearer notices and good‑faith declarations. The House agreed: her Amendment 2 passed by 306–145, and Amendments 3–13 were also agreed.

Government tidying‑up amendments on depictions of step‑incest in pornography were accepted. A regret amendment concerning the lack of an impact assessment for Clause 246 (decriminalisation by the mother) was debated; Ministers reiterated neutrality and a commitment to implementation, and the amendment was withdrawn. Outcome: Bill passed Third Reading and returned to the Commons with Lords amendments. Next steps: Commons consideration after Recess.

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill – Consideration of Commons Reasons

Ministers resisted delaying the rollout of multi‑agency child protection teams, saying interim findings will be published this summer and guidance on ending child protection plans will be strengthened. The House accepted a Government amendment in lieu to put sibling contact into primary legislation by adding siblings to section 34 of the Children Act 1989, which Baroness Tyler welcomed as a “major step forward”.

Peers proposed widening local‑authority consent requirements before elective home education for children who were ever the subject of care or supervision proceedings (with an adoption carve‑out). The Government argued most such cases are “almost always” covered by existing protections. The House rejected the widening proposal (Ayes 163, Noes 195). On deprivation of liberty, Ministers pointed to a cross‑government programme and confirmed £15.5 million to test integrated approaches.

Online Safety and Schools – Lords insist on changes

On online harms, the Government proposed broad regulation‑making powers to restrict children’s access to internet services and to set age‑verification rules, pledging to “respond by the end of the summer” following consultation. Critics said the powers lacked obligation or limits; Lord Pannick warned Ministers could thereafter “do absolutely nothing whatsoever”. The Lords insisted on Lord Nash’s amendments for an under‑16 restriction on harmful social media and rejected the Government’s replacement powers (Ayes 266, Noes 141).

Separately, the House insisted on a statutory ban on pupil possession/use of mobile phones during the school day (Ayes 205, Noes 147), despite the Government’s view that strengthened guidance and Ofsted oversight suffice. Next steps: Measures return to the Commons for further consideration.

School Uniform Costs, Admissions, and Allergy Safety

Peers required a government review of whether a monetary cap on the total cost of branded uniform items could reduce costs more than a numeric limit; the House agreed (Ayes 200, Noes 150), although Ministers argued parents back a numeric limit, citing “78% agree with such a limit”.

The House also insisted on limiting the schools adjudicator’s ability to force reductions in published admission numbers at high‑performing schools (Ayes 207, Noes 148), notwithstanding Ministers’ plan to make such reductions a “last resort” via an updated School Admissions Code. Separately, the Government’s “Benedict’s law” was agreed, requiring schools to have and annually review an allergy safety policy, with regulation‑making powers on training, stocking adrenaline devices and incident reporting.

National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill – Commons Reasons

The Commons rejected Lords amendments on grounds of financial privilege. Ministers said the £2,000 cap on salary‑sacrifice NIC relief leaves “74% of basic rate taxpayers who use salary sacrifice … entirely unaffected” and that “90% of graduates under the age of 30 … are completely unaffected”. They cited a long lead‑in to April 2029 to minimise burdens.

A proposal to condition commencement on impact assessments for basic‑rate taxpayers, student‑loan repayers and SMEs was defeated (Ayes 95, Noes 137), and the House did not insist on further changes. Outcome: Bill proceeds on the basis of the Commons position.