Contributions
1,478 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Twelfth sitting)Further to that point of order, Mrs Cummins. I will just add my thanks to you and to Sir Christopher Chope for your sterling work as Chairs of this Committee. I also express…22 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eleventh sitting)I beg to move amendment 38, in clause 7, page 9, line 27, at end insert— “(e) A free speech complaint is not to be referred to the OfS under the scheme if a complaint relating to…22 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eleventh sitting)It is a pleasure to see you back in the Chair, Sir Christopher. The amendments collectively address the issues of duplication and confusion we see in the complaints process and…22 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eleventh sitting)I think it is important that there are references to other legislation in the Bill. Such elements are critical to the foundation of a freedom of speech Bill. Amendment 40 would…22 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eleventh sitting)It is indeed surprising and disappointing, if not a failure of the process, that the further education colleges were not consulted. That point has been made clear and loud by the…22 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eleventh sitting)So much of what is being promised will be guidance or provided in due course by the OfS, but it is far from concrete in the way the witnesses asked for. I am surprised and…22 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eleventh sitting)My right hon. Friend expresses the nature of the problem: it is as clear as mud. It will be impossible for most students to navigate their way through this, and that may be a…22 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eleventh sitting)I beg to move amendment 78, in clause 8, page 11, line 22, after “OfS” insert “and an advisory board consisting of sector bodies”. This amendment would ensure that there is the…22 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eleventh sitting)We come to the responsibilities of the director for freedom of speech. Amendment 78 simply seeks to ensure that one of the director’s roles is to report on the OfS’s free speech…22 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eleventh sitting)This is a common-sense suggestion about engaging and involving the various sector bodies to assist the director. The director’s role will be a fairly lonely one, sat in a swanky…22 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eleventh sitting)I beg to move amendment 79, in clause 8, page 11, line 23, at end insert— “(d) providing an annual update made available to students’ unions and higher education institutions on—…22 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eleventh sitting)I thank the Minister for her remarks, which I accept at face value. I look forward to seeing what form the reporting will take. We would be very open to having some input on how…22 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eleventh sitting)I beg to move amendment 85, in clause 8, page 11, line 23, at end insert— “(1A) A person may not be appointed as the Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom if the…22 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eleventh sitting)It is pretty obvious what little faith we have in the potential appointment of a director of free speech. Often in life, it is not a case of what is said but who says it. We can…22 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eleventh sitting)I thank my hon. Friend, who has mentioned points that I was just about to come to.22 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eleventh sitting)Of course, we all want to believe in those processes, but when the processes end up consistently with mates of the Prime Minister being appointed, it is pretty disturbing.22 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eleventh sitting)My right hon. Friend makes a very important point. That is one of the failings of our process in this country. I came across that when looking at international trade and the trade…22 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eleventh sitting)I was not aware of the case of Amanda Spielman, but we are increasingly seeing this sort of interference across the board. I have mentioned the case of the museum, and there is…22 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eleventh sitting)I am not saying that the US has a perfect system; far from it. I am saying that the parliamentary process, or the process that involves bodies from within the democratic systems…22 Sept 2021HANSARDWorking People’s Finances: Government PolicyMy hon. Friend makes a very important point. We all have to understand that it is easy to talk about numbers and statistics in the abstract, but the reality for so many people, as…21 Sept 2021