City, University of London: Freedom of Expression

Department for Education written question – answered at on 20 December 2018.

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To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with City, University of London about the cancellation of a planned speech by the Israeli Ambassador on 21 November; and whether they have received any representations from the Office for Students about freedom of speech at that University.

Photo of Viscount Younger of Leckie Viscount Younger of Leckie Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

​​Both the Department for Education (DfE) and Office for Students (OfS) were made aware of the decision to defer the planned speech by the Israeli Ambassador. The DfE’s Further Education/Higher Education coordinator has been in contact with the institution.

​Freedom of speech is a crucial element of higher education and government and OfS are committed to championing it and to promoting open debate and challenge. Universities are autonomous bodies and are responsible for taking their own decisions around how to manage events and mitigate risks; handling of individual cases is not dictated by government or by the OfS. The OfS has powers to intervene if providers are not following their own free speech codes of practice

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