India, March 18 -- The Government has blocked an attempt by the Conservative Party to ban children from having mobile phones in school. Labour MPs defeated a Conservative amendment which would have forced headteachers to introduce a policy that stopped the use and carrying of phones by pupils in schools.

The UK's chief medical officers would also have had to publish advice for parents on the use of smart phones and social media. If successful it would have forced a change to Labour's flagship Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill. It was also backed in the Commons by Liberal Democrat, Green Party and Reform UK MPs.

However, Labour dismissed the move as Conservatives "jumping on a bandwagon", and said measures were already in place to al...