Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if his Department will take steps to encourage higher education institutions in Scotland adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism.
Answered by Lord Jack of Courance
There is no place in our society, including within higher education (HE), for antisemitism. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition is an important tool in tackling antisemitism. Adopting the widely recognised definition sends a strong signal that HE providers take these issues seriously.
HE in Scotland is devolved and responsibility for policy, for the most part, rests with the Scottish Government. The decision on adoption of the definition rests with individual providers. However, the UK Government has urged HE providers in England to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism and ensure the HE is a genuinely fulfilling and welcoming experience. I am sure that many HE providers in Scotland will also choose to adopt the definition and I would support them in doing that.