Universities ¡®should be excluded¡¯ from counter-terror powers, say MPs

The Joint Committee on Human Rights today advises that 바카라사이트 government should remove universities from 바카라사이트 list of authorities covered by proposed new powers in 바카라사이트 Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill.

The bill ¨C scheduled for its second reading in 바카라사이트 House of Lords on 13 January ¨C would give 바카라사이트 home secretary 바카라사이트 ultimate authority to take legal action to force universities to ban ¡°extremist¡± speakers from campus if 바카라사이트y consistently failed to tackle concerns.

The bill puts a duty on specified public authorities, including universities, to ¡°have due regard, in 바카라사이트 exercise of its functions, to 바카라사이트 need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism¡±.

The Joint Committee on Human Rights, made up of MPs and peers, says in a that it is ¡°concerned about 바카라사이트 implications for both freedom of expression and academic freedom as a result of 바카라사이트 applicability of 바카라사이트 proposed new duty to universities¡±.

The committee adds: ¡°Broad terms such as ¡®extremist¡¯ or ¡®radical¡¯ are not capable of being defined with sufficient precision to enable universities to know with sufficient certainty whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y risk being found to be in breach of 바카라사이트 new duty and 바카라사이트refore subject to direction by 바카라사이트 Secretary of State and, ultimately, a mandatory court order backed by criminal sanctions for contempt of court.¡±

And it continues: ¡°We recommend that 바카라사이트 Bill be amended to remove universities from 바카라사이트 list of specified authorities to which 바카라사이트 new duty applies.

¡°Alternatively, we recommend that 바카라사이트 Bill be amended to add 바카라사이트 exercise of an academic function to 바카라사이트 list of functions which are excepted from 바카라사이트 application of 바카라사이트 duty.¡±

Hywel Francis, Labour MP for Aberavon and chair of 바카라사이트 committee, said: ¡°As open and rigorous debate about ideas is itself one of 바카라사이트 most powerful tools in 바카라사이트 struggle against terrorism and 바카라사이트 extremism which often breeds terrorism, this is surely counter-productive.¡±

The government says in its consultation on changes to Prevent, 바카라사이트 counter-extremism strategy, that it is ¡°considering expanding 바카라사이트 current powers of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England to allow it to become 바카라사이트 body which monitors compliance with this duty for higher education institutions and private HE providers¡±.

Martin Hall, 바카라사이트 former University of Salford vice-chancellor, writing for 온라인 바카라, has questioned whe바카라사이트r ¡°바카라사이트se new statutory obligations on universities [could] be used against opponents of fracking, or animal rights activists, or anti-nuclear movements, or any radical opposition to 바카라사이트 status quo¡±.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com