Higher Education: Freedom of Speech
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support university (a) staff and (b) students who raise concerns about breaches of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023.
Answered by Josh MacAlister
This government is absolutely committed to freedom of speech and academic freedom. We commenced provisions from the Higher Education (HE) (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 on 1 August 2025 including strengthened provider duties to secure and promote the importance of free speech and academic freedom, and a requirement to put in place effective free speech codes of practice. The Office for Students’ Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom continues to work with the HE sector to offer advice and share best practice, so providers themselves are more effectively protecting free speech and academic freedom.
Our commitment to the complaints scheme was clearly set out last year: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-future-of-the-higher-education-freedom-of-speech-act-2023. Students can continue to report their free speech complaints to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator.
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