Question reference: S6W-26168
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 14 March 2024
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Current status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 26 March 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing guidance in schools on prohibiting the use of mobile phones throughout the school day, which is equivalent to the UK Government's Mobile Phones in Schools guidance, and, if it is the case that it plans to introduce such an initiative, what the timescale is for doing so.
Answer
In December I announced plans to provide refreshed guidance to schools on the use of mobile phones, as part of the joint action plan to respond to the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research. The existing guidance was produced in 2013 and it is right that this is reviewed in light of the evidence provided by the Behaviour In Scotland's Schools Research 2023 and PISA. I have committed that the refreshed guidance will be developed in consultation with the Scottish Advisory Group on Relationships and Behaviour in Schools. The updated guidance will be published in Spring 2024.