Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they intend to take to ensure that free speech is maintained in university settings following guidance issued to universities by the Higher Education Funding Council for England under their Prevent counter-extremism strategy.

Universities and certain other higher education providers are required by the Education (No.2) Act 1986, to take reasonable steps to secure freedom of speech within the law for staff, students and visiting speakers. The Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, specifically requires providers that are subject to the statutory freedom of speech duty, to have particular regard to that duty when carrying out their responsibilities under Prevent. The Higher Education Funding Council for England monitors the implementation of the Prevent duty in relevant higher education bodies and issues relevant guidance.

The Higher Education and Research Act extends the freedom of speech duty to all higher education providers registered with the Office for Students (OfS). The current OfS consultation is seeking views on proposals around institutions’ freedom of speech responsibilities.