Extract from public bill committee stage of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill - Sep 22
Thursday, 23 September 2021 07:28
Amendment 39, in clause 7, page 9, line 37, at end insert— “(1A) In
reaching a decision under subsection (1)(a), the OfS must consider
the other legal duties of governing bodies and students’ unions,
such as but not limited to those under the Equalities Act 2010 and
section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015.” This
amendment would require the OfS to consider other legal duties
incumbent on higher education providers and students’ unions when
reaching a decision as to...Request free
trial
Amendment 39, in clause 7, page 9, line 37, at end
insert—
“(1A) In reaching a decision under subsection (1)(a), the OfS
must consider the other legal duties of governing bodies and
students’ unions, such as but not limited to those under the
Equalities Act 2010 and section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and
Security Act 2015.”
This amendment would require the OfS to consider other legal
duties incumbent on higher education providers and students’ unions
when reaching a decision as to the extent to which a free speech
complaint is justified.
(Warwick and Leamington) (Lab):...Amendment 39
would require institutions to balance out other legal duties in the
assessment of free speech complaints. Danny Stone of the Antisemitism Policy Trust told
us:
“The Prevent guidance that followed talked about freedom of speech
and moral obligations to address harms. We have seen it in
Government guidance from 2008 about free speech, which said that
everyone can be safe and not intimidated at university. In fact,
the human rights memorandum for this Bill says that there will be
competing freedoms, but it suggests leaving it to the end point:
the universities. You have heard from people today who say, “Well,
the universities aren’t getting it right.” My view is that it
should be on the face of the Bill”.––[Official Report, Higher
Education (Freedom of Speech) Public Bill Committee, 13 September
2021; c. 129, Q283.]
To read the whole debate, CLICK
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