United Front Work Department Debate

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Department: Home Office

United Front Work Department

Andrew Murrison Excerpts
Monday 16th December 2024

(2 days, 9 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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Dan Jarvis Portrait Dan Jarvis
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The right hon. Gentleman makes a very sensible point, as always. I have not yet looked at the US Treasury Department’s website, but I give him an undertaking that I will look at it and report back later today. He is right about the sophisticated relationship, as he describes it. As he knows government well, I can tell him that we take these matters incredibly seriously, and that the National Security Council provides the forum for decision making on these issues across Government. A lot of work, effort and political leadership goes into ensuring that that is an appropriate forum for making decisions collectively, across Government. Some of those decisions are not easy—some are more challenging —but we will always seek to do what is in the best interests of our country.

Andrew Murrison Portrait Dr Andrew Murrison (South West Wiltshire) (Con)
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The Government recently put on hold the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act, passed last year. Does he feel that that has helped or hindered the work of United Front in our universities, particularly our elite institutions?

Dan Jarvis Portrait Dan Jarvis
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The right hon. Gentleman makes a fair point, which I am very happy to discuss with him offline. I will look carefully at the suggestion he has made; I know that it is being considered by colleagues across Government, but let me take it away and I will come back to him.