Higher Education Regulatory Approach

Debate between Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent and Baroness Smith of Malvern

Tuesday 21st January 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

I appreciate those clarifications, but I remind your Lordships’ House that this is questions on a Statement, not additional statements.

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

The noble Baroness probably identified the issue in her statement. The engagement of the EHRC in the legal case legitimately made it much more difficult for us to meet during the course of that process. However, as she identified, I have ensured that we can meet as soon as possible afterwards to discuss some of the substantive issues she raised.

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

The Minister has to answer the question.

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

I am looking forward to coming to the noble Baroness, but I will answer this question first.

I thank my noble friend and strongly agree that there is an appropriate role for legislation, as we have identified, and an enormously important role for culture, serious thinking and engagement. That perhaps needs to be focused on as well, particularly by those in leadership positions in higher education such as my noble friend. On the decisions around where the focus for the OfS should be, I put on record my admiration for the work of Dr Arif Ahmed as director of free speech, who will remain in his position. He will be able to work with higher education on some of the positive ways in which institutions can respond through best practice and discussions around identifying where the balance lies in the issues my noble friend raises.

I reiterate that I will come back with the policy paper on some of the other questions my noble friend raises. I very much welcome the fact that universities have begun to take action on developing the codes of practice and on putting in place the academic bodies and committees that will consider some of these very difficult issues around challenges to academic freedom. On the point from the noble Baroness, Lady Barran, about what people should be doing, they should be continuing in a spirit of engagement with those areas of the legislation that we have been clear we are going to commence, and continuing the important work that has started.

Freedom of Speech in Universities

Debate between Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent and Baroness Smith of Malvern

Thursday 10th October 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

My Lords, I remind the House that this is a repeat of an Urgent Question and is therefore time limited to 10 minutes.

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for his appreciation of our considered approach. I absolutely reiterate that I and the Government believe that there is an issue about freedom of speech and academic freedom on our campuses. It is of fundamental importance, which is why we need to get it right.