Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Reading for Pleasure

Monday 10 March 2025 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Tulip Siddiq raised concerns about a decline in children reading for pleasure due to mobile phone usage.
  • Alison Bennett congratulated West Sussex library service on its 100th anniversary and the importance of libraries in encouraging reading.
  • Neil O'Brien highlighted that smartphones and social media are displacing reading for pleasure among children, citing a Department for Education behaviour survey.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Tulip Siddiq Lab Hampstead and Highgate
Education Children & Families
Context

The MP references a decline in the number of children reading for pleasure, noting that nine out of ten children have mobile phones by age 11. She mentions the importance of books like those by Roald Dahl and Jacqueline Wilson.

Question

When I was growing up in the 1980s, my nose was always buried in a book, and I let my imagination run wild. Nowadays, nine out of ten children have a mobile phone by the time they reach the age of 11, and statistics show that there has been a steep decline in the number of children reading for pleasure. Does the Minister agree that the likes of Roald Dahl and Jacqueline Wilson should not be replaced by a smartphone, and will she prioritise children’s reading for pleasure in the school curriculum?

Answer from The Minister for School Standards (Catherine McKinnell)

I am sure all Members joined in celebrating World Book Day in their schools. I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend, and recognise how important it is to encourage children to read for pleasure. We know that reading for pleasure does happen in schools; teachers already encourage their students to listen to, discuss and read a wide range of stories, poems, books and plays. Importantly, this can also start at home, where parents can show how much they love reading. That is why I commend the LBC campaign, Kids Who Read Succeed, an excellent initiative to encourage reading and ensure that all children, parents and teachers get that message.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific plans or commitments for prioritising reading for pleasure in the curriculum

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Q2 Alison Bennett Lib Dem Mid Sussex
Culture, Media & Sport Children & Families Local Government
Context

The MP references local libraries in her constituency celebrating rhyme time activities for babies and toddlers. She highlights the 100th anniversary of the West Sussex library service.

Question

In all four libraries in my constituency this week, Mid Sussex babies and toddlers will be enjoying themselves at rhyme time; I hope that will be the start of many happy years of reading for my youngest constituents. Will the Minister join me in congratulating West Sussex library service on its 100th birthday last month, and will she commit to lobbying the Chancellor and the Deputy Prime Minister to ensure that my county council is sufficiently well funded to enable West Sussex to keep its 36 libraries open to the public for another 100 years?

Answer from The Minister for School Standards (Catherine McKinnell)

I absolutely join the hon. Lady in congratulating the library service on its success. We all know how valuable our local libraries are in supporting and encouraging children and families to read. This is obviously a priority; we encourage reading for pleasure as much as reading for study, and it is something we clearly need more of—as is longevity, as she rightly says.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not commit to lobbying the Chancellor or Deputy Prime Minister for funding

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Q3 Neil O’Brien Con Harborough, Oadby and Wigston
Education
Context

The MP references the Department for Education’s own behaviour survey showing nearly half of pupils in years 10 and 11 report using mobile phones during lessons when they should not be. He criticizes the government's guidance.

Question

I completely agree with the hon. Member for Hampstead and Highgate (Tulip Siddiq). What is displacing reading for pleasure among children is smartphones and social media, including in schools. The Department for Education’s own behaviour survey found that nearly half of pupils in years 10 and 11 report that in most or all lessons, mobile phones are being used when they should not be. The guidance is not working, so why are the Government continuing to block our proposals for a proper ban on smartphones in schools?

Answer from The Minister for School Standards (Catherine McKinnell)

Last year, under the previous Government, we saw the steepest year-on-year drop in the number of children and young people enjoying reading. The hon. Member should look at the record of his Government before pointing the finger. Phones should not be out in schools; it is a simple as that. Heads have the power to impose rules that suit their school community. Just a year ago, his Government claimed that they were “prohibiting” mobile phones in schools, and that their guidance meant a “consistent approach” across schools. Those were their words. The then Secretary of State said: <br/><br/>“We are giving our hard-working teachers the tools to take action”. Was that Secretary of State right back then, when they backed the Tory Government’s measures, or is the hon. Member?

Not addressed: Shifts focus to criticise previous government's record and guidance on mobile phones in schools

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