Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of allegations that Sheffield Hallam University halted the research of Professor Laura Murphy in 2025 and that University College London removed Professor Michelle Shipworth from teaching a course in 2024, what action they have taken to protect academic freedom and free speech on university campuses.

This government is absolutely committed to freedom of speech and academic freedom. The department commenced provisions from the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 on 1 August 2025 that strengthen provider duties on free speech, including a requirement to put in place free speech codes of practice, and a requirement for the Office for Students (OfS) to promote free speech. The OfS has issued extensive guidance to higher education providers on commencement of their duties, which makes it explicitly clear that universities should not tolerate attempts by foreign states to suppress academic freedom.

We are collaborating with universities, including vice chancellors, through a series of events to discuss risks and work together on plans to develop the sector’s resilience. We have also announced a £3 million investment package and a new Academic Interference Reporting Route to support the sector to access expert advice to help institutions identify vulnerabilities.