Arrangement of Business

Debate between Baroness Royall of Blaisdon and Baroness Fox of Buckley

Friday 27th February 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Royall of Blaisdon (Lab)]

May I suggest we heed the very wise advice of the noble Lord, Lord Lansley, and proceed today, as the noble Baroness said, and get through as many groups as possible, making amendments as we see fit as a Chamber? We should do our job of scrutiny, which is exactly why we are here.

[Baroness Fox of Buckley (Non-Afl)]

My Lords, I rise because as this discussion started somebody in my vicinity said, “If this isn’t filibustering, I don’t know what is”. I want to point out that it is demoralising to have one’s reputation impugned and defamed with the suggestion that somehow all people are doing is playing parliamentary games, when actually we are acting in good faith. I have not spoken on amendments I put my name to, for example. I have cut speeches that I have written.

I want to refer to writing speeches. I do write speeches, and I read them out. Why is that? I am trying to be disciplined and keep to time and not just ramble on. This is a very important Bill with important issues that affect the lives of many people. I want to be sensitive to that, so I write down every word trying to make it count for something. I do not think that is filibustering.

Higher Education Regulatory Approach

Debate between Baroness Royall of Blaisdon and Baroness Fox of Buckley

Tuesday 21st January 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Royall of Blaisdon (Lab)]

My Lords, I remind noble Lords of my interests in the register and warmly welcome the proportionate way in which the Government are acting and my noble friend’s Statement. Free speech is the lifeblood of a university. This reconsideration of the Act certainly recognises that, but all universities also recognise that they have a duty to instil a culture in which free speech flourishes.

I have two swift questions. First, on the OfS power to consider complaints, how will it ensure that its actions are proportionate? Secondly, on the conditions of regulation, the Statement says:

“The OfS should have room to determine the best way to regulate on a case-by-case basis”.


Will Parliament be consulted in any way on how it regulates?

Finally, I say to the noble Baroness opposite that universities are already putting in place codes of conduct—for example, on freedom of speech—so they are acting already.

[Baroness Fox of Buckley (Non-Afl)]

My Lords—

Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill

Debate between Baroness Royall of Blaisdon and Baroness Fox of Buckley

Report stage
Wednesday 7th December 2022 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Royall of Blaisdon (Lab)]

My Lords, the Faculty of Music at Oxford University does excellent research. Earlier on, the noble Baroness, Lady Fox, said:

“When the University of Oxford’s Faculty of Music decolonised its curriculum in response to student pressure, the university itself sought to forbid criticism of the new curriculum.”


I have checked with the head of humanities at Oxford University, Professor Dan Grimley. There were indeed some articles in the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail suggesting that that might have been the case, but I have it from the professor—from the horse’s mouth, as it were—that the music curriculum at Oxford has not been decolonised and there has been absolutely no attempt to stifle debate.

[Baroness Fox of Buckley (Non-Afl)]

Briefly, on the horse’s mouth, I did not get my information from the Telegraph; I got it from music academics at Oxford University.