Britain must act to protect children from social media and smartphones, digital and data minister tells MPs

Sir Chris Bryant said he was "not going to make any arguments today against action", adding: "Everybody accepts that action is inevitable in this sphere."

MPs were debating a new bill brought forward by the Labour MP Josh MacAlister.

It originally wanted to ban smartphones in schools, but this was watered down in a bid to get support from the Government.

Now it aims to push ministers to look in detail at the effects of social media and smartphones on children.

He said he would be "amazed" if there's not further legislation in this area and insisted "there is no option for inaction".

And Sir Chris Whitty should be tasked with looking at whether to raise the digital age of consent from 13 to 16 - which would ban social media for kids.

Read more: Social media does 'more harm than good' - as majority support stricter rules to protect mental health

Read more: UK's terror watchdog says calls to ban social media for under-16s 'have merit'

Sir Chris revealed today that the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is running a feasibility study into the impact of smartphones and social media, due to report in May so ministers "have all the information that we need to make a considered view".

And he said the bill "chimes with what we intend to do, and is helpful in that direction".

The minister said: "Of course, this is not the end of the matter. I'd be amazed if there is not further legislation in this area in the coming years."

MPs agreed to adjourn the debate, which will be listed to resume on July 11 - but no vote took place.

Sir Chris said the Government was working to implement the already-passed Online Safety Act "as fast as we possibly can", adding that illegal content codes will come into force this month, with new duties on social media companies to detect and remove some content including child sexual abuse and terrorism material.

The Online Safety Act, which will kick in later this month, was "far too delayed" and has frustrated ministers with how slow it's been to implement, Sir Chris told MPs.

But he added that the new laws specifically say they will be reviewed in time to see if they're working.

"That is not the way we deal with children's toys, it is not the way we deal with children's food, it is not the way we deal with children's medicines."

Former minister, Tory MP Kit Malthouse, hit out at the bill being watered down.

Mr Malthouse said he told MPs he lamented "the gutting of what could have been a landmark Bill" and the Government "has dithered, diluted and capitulated".

He said: "We should all be furious about this. We should all be furious about the delay and the prevarication that is being injected into what could have been a huge step forward for parents and children.

"I cannot then understand why the Government has pressured (Labour MP Josh MacAlister) to produce what is, frankly, a cosmetic plug, betraying our children and capitulating to big tech.

"I'm afraid this Bill is a shell of what it could have been, and as a result, is yet another missed opportunity to improve the lives of our young people."

Mr MacAlister - a former teacher - told MPs that the average 12-year-old spends 21 hours a week on their smartphone, adding: "This is a fundamental rewiring of childhood itself and it's happened in little over a decade."

He said: "We must act on excessive screen time today in the same way we acted on smoking back then, and like debates that were had on smoking and car seatbelts, it took a process of legislation rather than one 'big bang' event.

"That's why starting today with these initial steps and then following them through with major action soon will be so important."

In her contribution, Labour MP for Darlington, Lola McEvoy said "there's no case for children to have their smartphones in schools" and urged the Government to "to get on with it and take as much action as we can".

Conservative MP Damian Hinds, who like Mr Malthouse previously served as education secretary, said a lack of evidence around digital harms is no reason not to legislate, instead calling on the Government and researchers to prove online spaces are safe for children before they can be used.

"It seems odd that we allow something to happen to our children because we cannot 100% prove it causes harm, rather than because we can prove that it is safe," he told MPs.