Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Freedom of Speech: University Campuses

Monday 31 January 2022 · 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 2 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Freedom of speech is a fundamental principle in higher education.
  • The Government's Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill aims to prevent self-censorship on campuses.
  • The Minister welcomes support for the Bill from the University of Buckingham constituency MP.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Mark Logan
Education
Context

The MP is concerned about the self-censorship and negative repercussions faced by individuals expressing lawful views on university campuses.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to protect freedom of speech on university campuses. The MP notes concerns about self-censorship and negative repercussions for lawfully expressed views on campus.

Answer from Michelle Donelan

Freedom of speech is a fundamental principle of higher education. The Government's Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill will strengthen existing freedom of speech duties and prevent continued self-censorship by individuals facing negative repercussions for expressing lawful views.

Answered
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Q2 Greg Smith Con Mid Buckinghamshire
Education
Context

The University of Buckingham has twice topped the charts for least restrictions on free speech and its vice-chancellor, Professor James Tooley, proposes new laws to protect academics from harassment related to academic freedom.

Question

The University of Buckingham in my constituency has twice topped the charts for the university with the least restrictions on free speech. Proposals have been drawn up calling for new laws to ensure that academics can sue an institution or use the complaints scheme if it fails to protect them from targeted campaigns of harassment related to their academic freedom. Will my right hon. Friend the Minister work with the University of Buckingham to make that new protection a reality?

Answer from Michelle Donelan

I welcome the University of Buckingham's continued championing of free speech. Our Bill contains measures to further strengthen protection for individuals who are being harassed for expressing their lawful views, and I am sure my hon. Friend will support it when it returns to this House.

Answered
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Q3 Mark Logan
Culture, Media & Sport Religion & Faith
Context

The MP wants to ensure a balance between freedom of speech in universities, political impartiality in schools, and respect for religious values.

Question

Will the Minister agree to visit my constituency to see the efforts of some of our schools, including Eden Boys School, which is a feeder school into the University of Bolton, to make sure we get the balance right between freedom of speech and respect for religious values?

Answer from Michelle Donelan

Of course I will be delighted to visit Bolton North East. Maintaining free speech in our universities, political impartiality in our schools while also respecting religious values is imperative as tomorrow's generation shape their views.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The MP asked for a specific commitment to visit Bolton North East, but the answer did not explicitly confirm this.

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