Question

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 16 September (HL693), on what grounds responses to the call for input on incorrect guidance on single-sex spaces and gender self-identification have been categorised as 'invalid'.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Responses to the call for input were deemed invalid where they did not meet the criteria set out on the call for input Gov.uk page under ‘how to respond’.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial risk to universities as a result of volatility in international student numbers.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)

The Office for Students (OfS) is the independent regulator of higher education (HE) in England. The OfS is responsible for monitoring and reporting on the financial sustainability of HE providers in England to ensure they have an up to date understanding of the sustainability of the sector.

The OfS’ most recent report, which was published in May 2024, is available in the attached document. In the report, the OfS stated that the HE financial model had become reliant on fee income from international students, with a particular vulnerability where recruitment is predominantly from a single country.

The department continues to work with the OfS and other relevant parties to understand the ongoing impacts and changing landscape of financial sustainability in the sector.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 7 August (HL344), how many staff (1) in the Ministry of Justice, (2) in the Crown Prosecution Service, and (3) supporting the Law Officers, are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours; what is the percentage of overall working time they are permitted to spend on such network activity; how many hours are allocated in total; what are the names of each of the networks being funded; and whether they have any plans to increase or reduce such funding.

Answered by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

With regards to the Ministry of Justice, the delivery of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Staff Network activity is agreed between networks and departments as the employer. This includes permitted time allocation and any funding arrangements. The majority of staff time spent on diversity staff networks is voluntary and unpaid and there is no immediate plan to change this.

The 16 recognised Staff Networks currently operating in Ministry of Justice are:

• ABLE

• Carers

• Christians in MoJ

• Frontline

• Gender Equality

• Hindu

• Humanists

• Jobshare

• International and EU Nationals

• Muslim

• Parents

• Proud

• Safe Space

• Sikhs in MoJ

• Spirit

• Supporting the Workplace in Menopause (SWIM)

The Executive Board of the Attorney General’s Office appoints two volunteer members of staff to act as Diversity and Inclusion leads. With volunteer colleagues, they organise events (such as lunchtime talks) and circulate relevant information and materials around the Office. No maximum percentage of overall working time is specified for such activity and the time spent on such activity is not recorded.

As for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), it has 27 staff who are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours across its eight staff networks who are allocated ‘network time’. There is no specified maximum percentage of overall working time permitted to spend on such network activity, but the maximum allocated to any one individual in this financial year is 177.6 hours. For 2024/25, there are 3426.5 hours allocated in total.

There are no current plans in the CPS to increase or reduce funding in this financial year, however requests for funding are submitted and reviewed annually.

The names of the networks for the CPS are:

• National Black Crown Prosecution Association (NBCPA)

• Carers Association

• Sikh Society

• Muslim Network

• Christian Fellowship

• LGBTI

• Social Mobility

• Disabled Staff Network (DSN)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 7 August (HL344), how many staff in (1) the Department for Business and Trade, and (2) UK Export Finance, are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours; what is the percentage of overall working time they are permitted to spend on such network activity; how many hours are allocated in total; what are the names of each of the networks being funded; and whether they have any plans to increase or reduce such funding.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The majority of staff time spent on diversity staff networks is voluntary and unpaid. A maximum of two chairs from each of the 5 networks aligned to DBT’s evidence-led areas of focus are allocated up to 10% of their working hours as protected time for network activity. This applies to REACH (race); DisNET (disability); Gender Equality Network; Social Mobility Network; and LGBTQ+ Network. There are no plans to increase or reduce this.

UKEF does not hold the data requested. The majority of staff time spent on diversity staff networks is voluntary and unpaid.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the likely impact of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 on the prevalence of hate speech in universities.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)

The government fully supports peaceful protest and lawful free speech in universities. However, that does not extend to unlawful free speech, including that which incites hatred and violence, or which causes harassment.

One of the reasons the government has paused further implementation of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 is because the higher education (HE) sector, minority groups and unions representing staff on campus have raised concerns about the Act, believing it to be disproportionate, burdensome and damaging to the welfare of students, and that fears of sanction could push providers to overlook minority groups’ safety. All students, regardless of race or religion, should be free to focus on their studies rather than worry about their safety. By pausing further commencement of the Act in order to consider all options, the government is ensuring that HE remains a space for constructive dialogue and diverse opinions, rather than a battleground for ideological clashes.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the letter signed by over 600 academics and seven British Nobel laureates to the Secretary of State for Education calling for the implementation of the remaining provisions of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)

I, as Minister for Skills, can confirm that I have considered the letter and the concerns raised in it. Officials and I have met with over 40 individuals to discuss the future of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023, including academics with concerns about constraints on freedom of speech and academic freedom. A number of these academics were signatories to the open letter sent to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education on 15 August 2024. This includes representatives from Academics for Academic Freedom, Committee for Academic Freedom and the London Universities Council for Academic Freedom. Officials have also met with representatives of nine sector mission groups, unions and representatives of minority groups.

This stakeholder engagement will feed into decision making on the future of the Act and this government’s longer-term policy on protecting freedom of speech across the higher education sector.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 7 August (HL344), how many staff in the Department for Education are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours; what is the percentage of overall working time they are permitted to spend on such network activity; how many hours are allocated in total; what are the names of each of the networks being funded; and whether they have any plans to increase or reduce such funding.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)

The department does not hold the data requested. The majority of staff time spent on diversity staff networks is voluntary and unpaid.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 7 August (HL344), how many staff in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours; what is the percentage of overall working time they are permitted to spend on such network activity; how many hours are allocated in total; what are the names of each of the networks being funded; and whether they have any plans to increase or reduce such funding.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The delivery of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Staff Network activity is agreed between networks and departments as the employer. This includes permitted time allocation and any funding arrangements. The majority of staff time spent on diversity staff networks is voluntary and unpaid.

Currently 6 Diversity Networks are given pro-rata time allocation to support respective network activity. We have 11 FTE Network Chairs in total.

Time allocation

Diversity-related network time ranges between 10% minimum - 20% maximum (based on business need) protected time during core hours

1x10% time allocation 37 – hour week contract equates to 3.7 per chair member.

1x 20% time allocation 37 – hour week contract equates to 7.4 per chair member.

Across all 6 Networks:

• 11 people support network activity as “Chairs” with their allocated time ranging between 10% - 20%

• 80% - 90% of their time focused on their contracted job role.

Diversity Networks

• Ability Network

• Ethnic Diversity Network

• EU & International Network

• Faith & Belief Network

• LGBT+ Network

• Social Mobility Network

Funding

When approaching EDI activity, the default must be to use internal resources and best practice in departments and across government, as outlined in the May 2024 Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance. All external EDI spends are cleared and authorised by the Permanent Secretary.

Since the Machinery of Government (MOG) in February 2023, DCMS has typically spent <£1k per year, on Network activity, with no plans to to increase or reduce such funding.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 7 August (HL344), how many staff in the Department for Health and Social Care are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours; what is the percentage of overall working time they are permitted to spend on such network activity; how many hours are allocated in total; what are the names of each of the networks being funded; and whether they have any plans to increase or reduce such funding.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Diversity staff network chairs and committee members are permitted to use up to 10% of their work time for network activity, this was introduced as part of the Network Deal which was published internally in October 2023. Currently, the Department has 22 networks which fall within the diversity category, with 41 colleagues acting as chair or committee member. In addition, the chairs and committee members of those networks related to disability, race and ethnicity, and social mobility can request up to 15% of their working time for these activities. This is in recognition of these areas' alignment with the Civil Service Diversity & Inclusion Strategy and is subject to line manager discretion.

Because the Department offers working time for diversity staff network activity as a percentage of overall work time for each individual, the number of hours allocated in total will depend on an individual’s working pattern, such as part time or full time, alongside line manager discretion.

The Department does not currently offer funding for diversity staff network activity, except for those networks related to disability. This is in line with the recent Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance published on 14 May 2024 in an online-only format. The Department’s disability network is named EnABLE.

The Department does not currently plan to increase or reduce funding for diversity staff networks.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 16 September (HL694), which arms-length bodies are currently affiliated to Stonewall at public expense, according to records held by the Government.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Information on how issued funding is spent by arms length bodies, including payments to third party organisations, is not gathered centrally.