Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she had discussions with relevant stakeholders on the potential impact of pausing the implementation of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 on income from China for UK universities as part of discussions relating to that decision.

Departmental officials and my noble Friend, the Minister for Skills have engaged with a wide range of stakeholders on the future of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023. This includes representatives of higher education providers and academics, including from the Committee for Academic Freedom, Academics for Academic Freedom and the London Universities’ Council for Academic Freedom, who jointly set up the open letter.