Ministers are considering introducing tougher online safety measures in order to limit the amount of time children can spend on social media.

Proposals include a two-hour limit on the use of individual apps and a 10pm curfew.

Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle was asked whether he would look at limiting the time children spend on social media to two hours per app after the Sunday People and Mirror reported the measure was being considered.

“I’ve not been able to talk publicly about what the Labour approach is because we have the legacy legislation that has to go through first,” he told host Kuenssberg.

“This year we’ve had illegal content that needs to be taken down, but in July age-appropriate material must be supplied by platforms otherwise there’ll be criminal sanctions against them.

“And in this time, I’ve been looking very carefully about what we do next.”

After he was pressed again on whether he was looking at an “app cap”, Mr Kyle said: “I’m looking at things that prevent healthy activity, I’m looking at some of the addictive nature of some of the apps and smartphones.

“I’m trying to think how we can break some of the addictive behaviour and incentivise more of the healthy developmental… and also the good communicative side of online life.”