Growing Push for School Mobile Phone Restrictions
The Scottish Government supports head teachers who opt to ban mobile phones in schools, while leaving final decisions to their discretion. Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth recently highlighted a “growing consensus” for stronger measures during a member’s debate in the Scottish Parliament, signaling that the incoming government may pursue legislative changes.
Conservatives Propose Nationwide Ban Bill
Scottish Conservative MSP Pam Gosal sponsored the debate and announced plans to introduce a bill in the next parliamentary session to prohibit mobile phones in schools. She emphasized: “Children’s brains are still developing, which is why we have age limits on alcohol consumption, driving and consent. They are now being raised in a world that is more demanding than the one that we grew up in, and a lot of that involves the excessive use of technology and social media.”
Gosal noted that Conservatives were the first UK party to back a social media ban for under-16s and have consistently advocated for a full school phone ban to eliminate varying policies across regions and help pupils focus on learning.
Public Health Concerns and Successful Pilots
Lothian Conservative MSP Miles Briggs labeled excessive phone use among youth as “a growing public health emergency.” He commended pilot bans at Edinburgh’s Portobello and Queensferry High Schools, which deliver strong benefits for school communities. Briggs added that students appreciate recognizing the wasted time and negative effects of social media.
Lib Dems Call for Legislative Cultural Shift
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and Edinburgh Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton welcomed the emerging agreement on curbing phone use. He stressed: “An act of this parliament is sometimes required to create the kind of cultural shift that we are talking about, as it was for the ban on smoking in public places.”
Gilruth Outlines Government Stance
Gilruth addressed MSPs directly: “We all share concerns about the impact of mobile phones and screentime on our children and young people. We know it’s causing them harm—it’s causing them anxiety, it’s causing some real mental health challenges, and others are groomed and abused sexually online and also physically.”
She referenced updated 2024 national guidance that fully backs head teachers implementing bans. Gilruth observed that the policy environment has evolved, necessitating further steps. When pressed by Gosal on committing to legislation, Gilruth replied: “I do not want to prejudge the outcome of any political manifestos that may be coming forward, but I hope she hears from me that I am considering very seriously wider action in this space.”
She warned that a standalone national ban might fall short, urging any future legislation to adopt a more comprehensive approach to school education challenges.
