HC Deb 17 October 1989 vol 158 cc4-5
3. Mr. Nicholas Bennett

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the working of section 43 of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986.

Mr. Jackson

The Government continue to be concerned by events which from time to time demonstrate that the principle of freedom of speech is challenged in some of our universities and polytechnics. My right hon. Friend plans to discuss this matter with the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals and the Committee of Directors of Polytechnics.

Mr. Bennett

Will my hon. Friend point out to the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals and the polytechnic directors that the spirit of the Act means that they should not be charging local college Conservative associations £400 or £500 for organising meetings on the spurious grounds of security?

Mr. Jackson

The Government are worried, as is my hon. Friend, by the continued criticism of the codes of practice that are applied in universities and polytechnics, and the concerns expressed by the critics of those codes of practice have not been allayed. That is why the Government share my hon. Friend's anxiety, and it is one of the issues that we shall take up when we discuss these matters.

Mr. Devlin

Is my hon. Friend aware that it is less than a month since my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry was banned from Longlands college in Middlesbrough by the chairman of the Cleveland county education authority on the spurious grounds that as he was going there to open a joint DTI-Department of Education and Science initiative he would be making a party political statement on behalf of the Government? What will my hon. Friend do about that?

Mr. Jackson

I was not aware of that: it sounds deplorable to judge by my hon. Friend's account. I shall have to look into it.

Mr. Andrew Smith

Will the Minister be more positive and join me in commending the efforts of universities, polytechnics, colleges—and students—to uphold freedom of speech within the law, and will he accept our full support for this important democratic principle?

Mr. Jackson

I am glad to hear the hon. Gentleman supporting the principle of freedom of speech. I wish that it was consistently supported by some of his political sympathisers in the universities and polytechnics.

Mr. Hind

Will my hon. Friend continue to be vigilant about the operation of section 43? Has he, for example, recently examined the behaviour of Liverpool university, which actively prevented free speech in a public meeting proposed by the local Conservative student association?

Mr. Jackson

I am well aware of the situation in Liverpool, I know that it has been difficult and complex.

As I believe that litigation may be pending in the case, I prefer not to comment, but we have made plain our views on the matter to the vice-chancellor of that university.