§ Mr. Don FosterTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to require universities to conduct research in respect of their compliance with Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights and relevant sections of the Human Rights Act 1998; and if he will make a statement. [98524]
§ Mr. WicksAs bodies receiving public funding, universities must ensure that they operate in a manner which adheres to the Human Rights Act 1998. As autonomous organisations, universities are responsible for monitoring their own admission and operating policies and as such should ensure their own compliance with the Human Rights Act. The Government and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, do not, at present, have any plans to investigate this issue.