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Higher Education: Freedom of Speech

Asked by Suella BravermanReform UKDepartment for EducationTabled Answered 1 April 2026UIN 113310

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many whistleblowing complaints relating to (a) free speech, (b) academic freedom and (c) political discrimination have been reported to her Department since 2020.

Answered by Josh MacAlister

This government is absolutely committed to freedom of speech and academic freedom. Under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, the department is not the prescribed person for whistleblowing concerns in higher education (HE) and does not receive whistleblowing complaints related to HE.

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