Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department has taken to ensure UK educational institutions avoid relationships with non-UK organisations that (a) hold or (b) host items taken from Ukrainian territory.

Alongside our allies, we are united in support for Ukraine. I, alongside my hon. Friend, the Minister for Science, Research and Innovation, have recently written to the higher education sector to outline our expectation that universities review their partnerships with Russia and take appropriate action.

This includes taking action on research partnerships as well as asking universities to review their broader investments arrangements. The department is pleased that the sector appears to already be taking a proactive approach when it comes to reviewing their financial arrangements connected to Russia. Institutions will be bound by new rules restricting Russian investment in line with other British businesses.

I am continuing to ask that all universities conduct due diligence when entering into all international partnerships and accepting foreign investment, in line with Universities UK guidance on ‘Managing risks in Internationalisation’.