Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance and expectations relating to political activity apply to (1) teaching unions, and (2) staff, in educational settings to ensure that they do not enable harassment or discrimination against Jews and Zionists.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There is no place for antisemitism in our society.
On 18 January, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education announced a review into antisemitism in schools and colleges. It will examine whether institutions have the right systems to identify and address antisemitism and prejudice effectively. The review will be launched as soon as possible.
The department has already committed £7 million to support programmes that build confidence and resilience in tackling antisemitism across schools, colleges and universities.
Teachers should not promote partisan political views and should present issues in a factual, balanced way so that pupils can learn how to think critically and independently. We have published guidance for schools on political impartiality, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/political-impartiality-in-schools/political-impartiality-in-schools.
Universities must have strong systems to prevent and address harassment. Under Condition E6, providers must implement clear policies for preventing, investigating and responding to harassment of all kinds. If the Office for Students finds a breach of E6, it can use a range of sanctions, including financial penalties and de-registration.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what actions they are taking to tackle the causes of antisemitism and anti-Zionist intimidation and harassment in schools and universities; and what the timetable is for those actions.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There is no place for antisemitism in our society.
On 18 January, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education announced a review into antisemitism in schools and colleges. It will examine whether institutions have the right systems to identify and address antisemitism and prejudice effectively. The review will be launched as soon as possible.
The department has already committed £7 million to support programmes that build confidence and resilience in tackling antisemitism across schools, colleges and universities.
Teachers should not promote partisan political views and should present issues in a factual, balanced way so that pupils can learn how to think critically and independently. We have published guidance for schools on political impartiality, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/political-impartiality-in-schools/political-impartiality-in-schools.
Universities must have strong systems to prevent and address harassment. Under Condition E6, providers must implement clear policies for preventing, investigating and responding to harassment of all kinds. If the Office for Students finds a breach of E6, it can use a range of sanctions, including financial penalties and de-registration.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what enforcement-related action they will take in relation to educational institutions that fail to protect Jewish and Israeli pupils, staff and students.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There is no place for antisemitism in our society.
On 18 January, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education announced a review into antisemitism in schools and colleges. It will examine whether institutions have the right systems to identify and address antisemitism and prejudice effectively. The review will be launched as soon as possible.
The department has already committed £7 million to support programmes that build confidence and resilience in tackling antisemitism across schools, colleges and universities.
Teachers should not promote partisan political views and should present issues in a factual, balanced way so that pupils can learn how to think critically and independently. We have published guidance for schools on political impartiality, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/political-impartiality-in-schools/political-impartiality-in-schools.
Universities must have strong systems to prevent and address harassment. Under Condition E6, providers must implement clear policies for preventing, investigating and responding to harassment of all kinds. If the Office for Students finds a breach of E6, it can use a range of sanctions, including financial penalties and de-registration.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following reports of death threats made against a professor at City St George's, what steps they are taking to protect university professors from intimidation and violence, and to hold students who engage in violent or intimidating behaviour to account.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The campaign against a professor at City St George’s University is unacceptable. Antisemitic abuse has no place in our lecture halls, on campus or anywhere else.
Where a student has been found to be responsible for racially motivated harassment, intimidation or incitement to violence, the department expects universities to act swiftly and use the full force of their disciplinary powers, involving the police where necessary.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has written to the professor to offer her support, and senior officials have met with the Vice Chancellor. I am pleased that the University’s Senior Leadership Team has publicly affirmed its support for the professor and has taken swift steps to protect his safety on campus.
We are supporting universities to address antisemitism on campuses through the Tackling Antisemitism in Education programme, with Government-funded training for university staff commencing soon.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to penalise universities that fail to counter antisemitism in their institutions.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As autonomous, self-governing institutions, universities should have robust policies and procedures in place to ensure that they deal with any incidents of racial and religious hatred decisively and take concerted action to prevent and tackle antisemitism on campus.
The Office for Students (OfS) introduced a new registration condition in July 2024 that will come into force on 1 August 2025 and covers incidents of harassment and sexual misconduct that affect students. It will establish regulatory requirements around training, reporting mechanisms and provision of support and will require universities to develop the capability and resource capacity to implement them. The OfS will be able to take action against providers where there is, or has been, a breach of this condition.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of the responses by the University and College Union and relevant university authorities to complaints by students of anti-Semitism and violence perpetrated by fellow students and staff.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The department is deeply concerned about the growth in antisemitic incidents on campus since the 7 October terrorist attacks against Israel and this government takes antisemitism extremely seriously. Departmental officials have assessed evidence of antisemitism and racial hatred linked to incidents at English universities. There is an online "Reporting Extremism" page from where members of the public can raise concerns to the department directly. Where concerns have arisen, officials have reached out to relevant universities to understand what actions they have taken, including reporting issues to the police where appropriate.
The department is also concerned to see antisemitic motions being passed at some universities. The department urges universities to crack down on inflammatory, politically motivated displays of support for a proscribed terrorist organisation, and on demonstrations which make Jewish staff and students feel unsafe.
My right hon. Friend, The Secretary of State for Education and my right hon. Friend, the Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education (HE), wrote to all schools, colleges and universities on 11 October, urging them to respond swiftly to hate-related incidents and actively reassure Jewish students that they can study without fear of harassment or intimidation. Minister Halfon wrote again to Vice Chancellors on 16 November, further emphasising the use of disciplinary measures and the importance of police engagement, as well as the suspension of student visas where the student is a foreign national and requested that the universities review its policies and procedures to ensure that they remain fit for purpose at this challenging time. This was one of the key actions set out in the five-point plan for tackling antisemitism in HE, which was published on 5 November. A link to more information can be found here: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/11/05/how-were-protecting-jewish-students-on-university-campuses/.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that children are not absent from school to take part in protests.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The government is clear that missing school for events such as political protests is unacceptable and should not be condoned.
The department monitors events closely and has recently written to all schools and local authorities supporting leaders and teachers in taking firm action when necessary. The department encourages schools and local authorities to set clear expectations to parents on attendance and has confirmed that absence for this kind of activity should be treated as unauthorised. The department is clear that school leaders and local authorities should be enforcing attendance policies, and they should take immediate action where these policies have been breached. In the most egregious cases this can mean fines or prosecution. The department has shared this communication with Ofsted to ensure all inspectors are clear on the position.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Rebecca Tuck KC Independent Investigation into Allegations of Antisemitism within NUS, published on 12 January; and what discussions they have had with the National Union of Students about the implementation of those recommendations.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
This is a shocking and sobering report showing that the National Union of Students (NUS) has in effect been a hostile place for Jewish students. This is not acceptable. NUS should be a place that is not just safe for Jewish students, but welcoming as well. The department expects the recommendations will be implemented in full and will be monitoring this process. Once that has occurred, the Minister will re-engage with NUS.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the speech by the Minister for Higher and Further Education on 24 February regarding their response to Dr Philip Augar's Review of Post-18 Education and Funding, published in May 2019, what assessment they have made of the impact on their (1) social mobility policy, and (2) Levelling Up policy, of (a) the decision not to restore maintenance grants for university students, and (b) the extension of the tuition fee loan repayment period.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
This government is committed to levelling up and true social mobility. Our higher education (HE) reforms will help ensure that students are doing courses that give them the skills and knowledge to move into high-value employment that benefits both them and our dynamic economy. The HE system must be supported to do this, which is why we are putting in almost £900 million of new investment into HE over the next three years, including the largest increase in government funding for the sector to support students and teaching in over a decade.
Our changes to student loans will make the system more sustainable and fairer for students and taxpayers, while continuing to enable anyone with the ability and the ambition to benefit from HE to do so. There will be up to £75 million to deliver a new national state scholarship to support high-achieving disadvantaged students. We have previously announced that maximum maintenance loans will be increased by 2.3% in academic year 2022/23, following a 3.1% increase in 2021/22, taking the support available for the lowest-income students to record levels in cash terms.
A full assessment of the impacts of the HE reform policies and proposals, including changes to student loans and their regional impacts, has been conducted and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reform-equality-impact-assessment.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish their response to the Children not in school consultation, which ran from 2 April 2019 to 24 June 2019; and whether they plan to introduce the register of children educated otherwise than at mainstream schools outlined in that consultation.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The department remains committed to a form of local authority register for children not in school. We will set out further details on this in the government response to the ‘children not in school’ consultation, which we will publish in the coming weeks.