Oral QuestionDepartment for Education

If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.

Tabled: 24 February 2026Answered: 2 March 2026

Asked by

Sir Ashley Fox

ConservativeBridgwater

Answering Minister

the Secretary of State for Education

Answer from Hansard

Bridget Phillipson

Yes, we intend to do that shortly. To be clear, universities should be places of open discussion, where academics can operate freely and everyone is exposed to views that they may sometimes find challenging and with which they may disagree. We have commenced many of the provisions within the Act that are upholding and safeguarding free speech and academic freedom in our universities.