HC Deb 16 December 1965 vol 722 cc1444-5
24. Mr. Raphael Tuck

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will initiate legislation for the establishment of a tribunal to hear appeals from university students against decisions of their college to send them down for offences which they have committed.

Mr. Crosland

No, Sir. It is for universities to make their own arrangements for student discipline, and I do not consider this an appropriate subject for legislation. I am sure that universities take great care in cases of this kind, and in many instances there are specific procedures laid down for the exercise of a right of hearing.

Mr. Tuck

Most universities do not have this. Without making any comment on the justice or otherwise of sending the men down from Sidney Sussex College recently, I ask my right hon. Friend to accept that, in cases of this kind, a right of appeal is desirable for students as the consequences may affect the whole of their future lives.

Mr. Crosland

No, Sir; the internal government of the universities is not a matter on which it would be proper for the Government to intervene. I am sure that it is right to leave questions of this kind to the universities to decide, but I can say, as I implied in my original Answer, that when charters for new universities or new charters come to us for approval, we try to make sure that they include some provision for a formal hearing by the senate or by a sub-committee of the senate before a final decision is taken to suspend or expel any student.