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933 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fourth sitting)As I mentioned in the previous sitting, I am a trustee at the University of Bradford union, I receive money from the University of Sussex to provide educational opportunities to…13 Sept 2021HANSARDDissolution and Calling of Parliament BillDoes my hon. Friend agree that the new clause is a much more effective way of keeping the courts out? The ouster clause is a bit like a red flag or saying to someone, “Don’t think…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Third sitting)Q Thank you very much for your evidence. I should declare my interests, as I have done in previous sessions—Sussex University, the University of Bradford and the University and…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Third sitting)Q Our last witness, Matthew Goodwin, said that he wants the Bill to stop people making a mockery of academics. Last week, Dr Ahmed said that he wanted the Bill to allow him and…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Third sitting)Q Exactly. Finally, I want to talk about self-censorship. According to Facebook, 71% of its users self-censor. The UCU study says that only 35% of academics self-censor, and the…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Third sitting)Q Finally, what you have just explained seems laudable and admirable, and what I want every university to be doing. Just so we are clear: are you saying that providing a legal…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Third sitting)Q The Bill would allow a complainant to bypass the Office for Students and go straight to the courts. Is that something you welcome—that there is an ability to run rings around…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Third sitting)Q Currently, there is no requirement in the Bill to go through any internal or external process before you go to the courts. Nicola Dandridge: But the Bill allows for that.13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Third sitting)Q Is that something that you think should be more explicit in the Bill—to require someone to have sought other dispute mechanisms first, like you do with other requirements, such…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Third sitting)Q Do you think it is right that the outcome and annual report made by the Office for Students would be privileged and, therefore, not open for judicial review or oversight? Nicola…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Third sitting)Q But my understanding is that the report being privileged means that a complainant who might feel that it has not fairly reflected their views would not have recourse to judicial…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Third sitting)That is very helpful—thank you very much.13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fourth sitting)Q Jonathan Grant, I am interested in this chilling effect. Did you do any baseline studies on what the chilling effect was in other areas? I ask that because I have done some…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fourth sitting)Q Thank you, and I totally agree with your point. I went to a comprehensive school, but we had a compulsory debating society every lunchtime, and we were required to take points…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fourth sitting)Q Jonathan Grant mentioned the joint committee that has been set up at King’s. Would something in the Act requiring institutions and student unions to create joint committees to…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fourth sitting)Q I have worked at both Sussex and Bradford in the past, so I understand that. Sometimes it seems that universities can be over-cautious, and act as small “c” conservatives about…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fourth sitting)Q To follow up on that, I remember that when I was a student at the University of Bradford, I hosted a speaking tour of Zionist refuseniks—people who were proud Israelis and…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fourth sitting)Q Hillary, you always get—and it is fantastic—some contrary students in student unions, who want to rock the boat. That is basically the point of a student union, under the…13 Sept 2021HANSARDHealth and Social Care LevyBecause then, wages were growing and the economy and working people were doing better, and now they are not. We are coming out of a pandemic. Everyone has suffered and suddenly…08 Sept 2021HANSARDHealth and Social Care LevyThere are many ways in which this policy could have been made progressive, one of which would have been to look at the upper threshold for national insurance, which has not been…08 Sept 2021