MPs to hear calls for a statutory duty of care towards higher education students in Commons evidence session

On Tuesday 16 May, MPs will hear from petitioners about their call for a statutory duty of care towards higher education students, as well as hearing from charities and universities and student service providers. 

The evidence session will help the Petitions Committee to understand the context behind e-petition 622847, which will be debated on 5 June. 

Petitioners are asking the Government to introduce a legal duty of care for higher education students. The petition states:

“The mental health, safety and well-being of [higher education] students should be a Government priority. Student engagement, retention and success should be another. Both are indisputably linked to the duty of care students receive.”

Tuesday’s evidence session will begin at 15:30. It will be broadcast on ParliamentLive.TV and is open to the public. 

Non-inquiry session

Panel 1 (15:30)

• Lee Fryatt (creator of e-petition 622847)
• Ben West (supporter of the petition)
• Hilary Grime (supporter of the petition)
• Mark Shanahan (supporter of the petition)

Panel 2 (16:00)

• Ged Flynn (Chief Executive at PAPYRUS)
• Dominic Smithies (Influencing and advocacy Lead at Student Minds)

Panel 3 (16:30)

• Jill Stevenson (Chair at AMOSSHE)
• Professor Steve West CBE (President at Universities UK)