Contributions
1,478 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Seventh sitting)I will address these amendments in turn. While I appreciate the three of them being grouped together, the essence of the amendments is about ensuring the retention of democracy…16 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eighth sitting)I beg to move amendment 44, in clause 1, page 3, line 28, after “education” insert— “and in the conduct of research” This amendment would ensure that higher education providers…16 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Seventh sitting)I thank my right hon. Friend for giving way, and for how he has articulated his argument. I remember the Blair Peach death and the events that led to it. I mentioned the Red Lion…16 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Seventh sitting)I beg to move amendment 75, in clause 1, page 3, line 9, at end insert— “(e) the procedures to be adopted for consulting by ballot staff and students of the provider in making…16 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Seventh sitting)My hon. Friend is right, and her experience is appreciated and valued. I think we have a problem, in that the OfS is a bit of a misnomer. I am not entirely sure that its interests…16 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Seventh sitting)I agree entirely with my right hon. Friend. I am just not sure where this reporting will end. Will we end up with universities having to report about whether people are tweeting…16 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Seventh sitting)Does the right hon. Gentleman agree with the point made by my right hon. Friend the Member for North Durham about criteria and sanction? We have to be very careful, because there…16 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eighth sitting)My hon. Friend is absolutely right. To that we can add all sorts of institutions—Warwickshire College Group in my constituency and many others up and down the country. That is the…16 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eighth sitting)I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his intervention. I am not seeking for them to be elevated in any way. I just believe there should be direct relevancy to the MCRs and JCRs as…16 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eighth sitting)My right hon. Friend hits the nail on the head. It is an absurdity and, as I keep saying, an inconsistency. All legislation should be fair and consistent, and the public and, in…16 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eighth sitting)My hon. Friend is right: there is an issue about how this will work across diverse organisations in the sector. It is problematic because it means that yet again there is one rule…16 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Eighth sitting)The debate on these particular points has been really healthy and robust, and my Labour colleagues’ contributions have been extremely important—I particularly note those of my…16 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Seventh sitting)Not entirely, but on the point about tractor production—this is serious—if we think about the number of students arriving on campus this autumn, if there was some understanding or…16 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Seventh sitting)Well, it is just—16 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Seventh sitting)I actually agree. What is the new role? What is the remit of the director of free speech and academic freedom? It is not clear just how powerful that individual will be, what size…16 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Sixth sitting)I will give way to my hon. Friend first.15 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fifth sitting)I may be bloodied, but I am unbowed. We press on. I wish to speak in favour of all the amendments in the group. They seek to expand the free speech duty to online platforms, if…15 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fifth sitting)I very much welcome the right hon. Gentleman’s tone, too, and I thank him for it. This is absolutely about trying to do the best. I described the Bill as a bit of a dog’s…15 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fifth sitting)I thank those on both sides of the Committee who contributed to the debate. I think where we are coming from is increasingly being understood as constructive. If we were working…15 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fifth sitting)I take the Minister at her word and look forward to being able to work with her. At this point, I do not wish to move the amendment.15 Sept 2021