Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Johnson of Marylebone and Martyn Day

Monday 6th November 2017 Commons Chamber

[Martyn Day (Linlithgow and East Falkirk) (SNP)]

T7. Universities were shocked when a member of the Government took it upon himself to write to them seeking details of the professionals teaching Brexit-related courses. Is the Secretary of State comfortable with that sort of McCarthyite behaviour? If not, what will she do about it?

[The Minister for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation (Joseph Johnson)]

That letter was sent not by the Government, but by an MP acting in an individual capacity. The Government have made it clear that they fully support academic freedom and have recently entrenched that further in law through the Higher Education and Research Act 2017.