Clause 3 - Civil claims

Part of Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 3:45 pm on 20 September 2021.

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Photo of Emma Hardy Emma Hardy Labour, Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle 3:45, 20 September 2021

In its evidence, the OIA gave an example where a group of students may have the same complaint regarding freedom of speech, but go down different routes: one down the OfS route, one down the OIA route, and one down the court route—maybe because they have enough finances behind them. Each of them ends up with a slightly different solution to exactly the same problem. That is the reality of the Bill. I fail to see how enough guidance could provide clarity for each individual student. We could have a very varied system, where individual students do not know where to go and complaints are not upheld properly. Alternatively, in the case of the OfS, students make a number of complaints and only the freedom of speech issue is dealt with, not the other, resulting issues that could be to do with the way that the course is being taught. It is as confusing as anything.