Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of potential foreign state ideological influence operating through student networks affiliated to UK universities.

This government is committed to freedom of speech and academic freedom within the law, but those freedoms do not extend to behaviour that constitutes extremist intimidation, harassment and incitement to hatred.

The National Security Act 2023 introduced offences of foreign interference which target malign activity carried out for, on behalf of, or intended to benefit, a foreign power.

In addition, the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, applies to UK universities and students. Any person conducting political influence activity at the direction of any foreign country, or being directed by the Russian or Iranian states to conduct activity in the UK, must register.

We are committed to ensuring our universities remain free from interference. We announced a new Academic Interference Reporting Route and issued guidance at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/protecting-uk-higher-education-from-foreign-interference to help students and staff identify and escalate issues.

We will be investing £3 million to bolster support and advice on foreign interference for the sector.