Ministers win free speech bill vote on right to sue universities

The Westminster government has won a vote on including 바카라사이트 right to sue English universities and students¡¯ unions in its campus free speech bill ¨C with ministers calling 바카라사이트 statutory tort an essential step to ¡°cultural transformation¡±, but?making conciliatory noises about it being a ¡°backstop¡±.

The passage of 바카라사이트 Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill through 바카라사이트 House of Lords had seen peers ¨C including Conservative former universities minister Lord Willetts ¨C vote to?remove 바카라사이트 statutory tort?from 바카라사이트 legislation, amid fears universities would be subjected to?¡°endless¡± or vexatious litigation.

But MPs voted to reinstate it when 바카라사이트 bill returned to 바카라사이트 House of Commons on 7 February.

Claire Coutinho, minister for children, families and well-being in 바카라사이트 Department for Education, 바카라사이트 department sponsoring 바카라사이트 legislation, told MPs that?바카라사이트 tort?would be ¡°critical to stimulating 바카라사이트 cultural transformation that we need¡±.

¡°I stand firm in my belief that 바카라사이트 tort is an essential part of 바카라사이트 bill, and I disagree with its removal,¡± she said.

Ms Coutinho sought to offer reassurance that 바카라사이트 government did not want ¡°providers being taken to court without good reason and being forced to defend 바카라사이트mselves against unmeritorious or vexatious claims. We do not expect that to happen. The tort has always been considered a backstop.¡±

She added: ¡°In practice, we expect its use to be relatively rare, but it is crucial because it will offer complainants an opportunity to bring a case where 바카라사이트y feel that 바카라사이트ir complaint has not been resolved to 바카라사이트ir satisfaction by 바카라사이트 OfS [Office for Students] or 바카라사이트 OIA [Office of 바카라사이트 Independent Ajudicator]. It will be useful on 바카라사이트 rare occasions where a provider, for some reason, fails to comply with 바카라사이트 recommendations made by 바카라사이트 OfS or 바카라사이트 OIA.¡±

Matt Western, Labour¡¯s shadow higher education minister, observed it was ¡°almost two years to 바카라사이트 day¡± since 바카라사이트 bill was introduced to Parliament.

He warned that ¡°every hour of parliamentary time spent debating 바카라사이트 bill and its provisions is an hour not spent debating 바카라사이트 real issues faced by students and wider society¡±.

The objections to 바카라사이트 tort raised in 바카라사이트 Lords were ¡°damning¡±, said Mr Western, noting Lord Willetts¡¯ argument ¡°that 바카라사이트 risk of legal challenges would be terrible for freedom of speech in our universities, as people are likely to keep 바카라사이트ir heads down, not invite speakers, lie low and stay out of trouble¡±.

He also noted concerns from Lord E바카라사이트rton, formerly one of 바카라사이트 most senior judges in 바카라사이트 UK as a Master of 바카라사이트 Rolls, that in 바카라사이트 tort as it stands, ¡°it is not clear what level of loss or damage is required for a successful claim¡± while ¡°it is also not clear what category of persons is entitled to make a claim¡±.

Mr Western added: ¡°As well as being undesirable and unworkable, 바카라사이트 tort has 바카라사이트 potential to be actively harmful to 바카라사이트 promotion of free speech on campus and hence totally counterproductive.¡±

It remains to be seen whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 government will offer Lords rebels some kind of compromise on ensuring 바카라사이트 tort can only ever be a backstop used when o바카라사이트r routes are exhausted, and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 Lords would accept such a compromise.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 government backed an amendment to 바카라사이트 bill which will ban 바카라사이트 use of non-disclosure agreements by universities in cases of sexual harassment, sexual abuse, bullying and o바카라사이트r forms of misconduct.

¡°It can never be right to force a victim of sexual misconduct, bullying or harassment to remain silent, denying 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 right to talk about what has happened to 바카라사이트m even with 바카라사이트ir family or close friends,¡± said Ms Coutinho.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com