Contributions
1,168 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Third sitting)Q You have raised three interesting points at the margins. The entire point of the legislation is that there are things that are not in these extreme examples that are currently…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fourth sitting)Q One of the issues that has been raised, rather than this direct cancelling of events, which Mr Stone has spoken to, is also the self-censorship: people not inviting people, and…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fourth sitting)Q Miss Gyebi-Ababio, we had evidence from Kathleen Stock, from the University of Sussex, about her concerns around academic freedom. One of the things that you mentioned earlier…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fourth sitting)Q He raised a particular concern around academic freedom and the lack of voices from certain points of the political establishment. Do you find that that is also an issue that…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fourth sitting)Q Did you study under Professor Matthew Goodwin when you were at Birkbeck for your master’s programme? Danny Stone: No, I did not.13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fourth sitting)Q My first question is to Mr Stone. I just wanted to pick up on something that we got evidence on earlier, which was that about 20% of students are apparently feeling unable to…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fourth sitting)I declare an interest as the vice-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Durham University.13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fourth sitting)Q So at the moment your view on the legislation is a wait-and-see approach—perhaps slightly moved from being opposed to it? Professor Grant: Yes. As I said at the outset, I would…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fourth sitting)Q But you do accept that legislation can help to lead that values change? Many academics have told us already today that the fact that this is being talked about in an open…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fourth sitting)Q Professor Grant, I agree with your analysis that the bigger concern seems to be self-censorship, but we are a little unclear on the levels of evidence around this. Could you…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fourth sitting)Q Your emphasis has been on the student and their feeling of academic freedom, which is something that we have not discussed in as much depth as we have for the academics…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Third sitting)Q Perhaps that is a reason, given the extra pressure facing the universities at the moment, to allow the legislation to come forward and for a Government body to help them in that…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Third sitting)Q Finally, one of the things that Mr Jones and I tend to agree on is the concern around foreign states and foreign state actors. Although you are not an academic yourself, do you…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Third sitting)Q Do you accept that there are risks from the other side at the moment of not pushing on with what we are doing? Sunder Katwala: Yes.13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Third sitting)Q I understand. You are ambivalent in a way about whether the legislation is the best way to go. Sunder Katwala: I think there are risks about having a set of mechanisms that tie…13 Sept 2021HANSARDEducation (Careers Guidance in Schools) BillOne of the great things about the kickstart scheme is that it not only guarantees a job for six months but it guarantees on-the-job training. We are all interested in ensuring…10 Sept 2021HANSARDEducation (Careers Guidance in Schools) BillMy hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent North (Jonathan Gullis) has in the past few days introduced a Bill to ensure that MATs are looked at by Ofsted. Will the Official…10 Sept 2021HANSARD Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Safeguarding and Road Safety) BillAs my hon. Friend knows, in County Durham we have a lot of cross-border travel, particularly involving my constituency—with Newcastle and Gateshead—with drivers travelling on both…10 Sept 2021HANSARDHealth and Social Care Levyrose —08 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Second sitting)Q You are sort of saying, Professor Whittle, that you have essentially accepted a curtailment of your career in some aspects because you have been prepared to be outspoken and not…07 Sept 2021