Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to hold discussions with Vice Chancellors on the effectiveness of disciplinary procedures in tackling antisemitism at universities.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Last month, my right hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, brought together Vice Chancellors and community leaders to hear testimonials from Jewish students and to discuss next steps to ensure safer, more inclusive campuses for all. This included productive discussion of how students’ confidence in the disciplinary processes could be improved, while ensuring that confidentiality requirements continue to be met.
The department remains deeply committed to working with universities, sector partners and stakeholder groups to effectively tackle the unacceptably high level of antisemitism on our campuses.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle expressions of support for (a) Hamas and (b) Hezbollah at universities.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer that I gave to the Rt Hon Member for Fareham and Waterlooville on 7 May in response to Question 48984.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Oral Statement of 19 May 2025 on National Security Act 2023: Charges, Official Report, columns 759-771, when she will take legislative steps to allow proscription of (a) the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and (b) other state threats.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government keeps the list of proscribed organisations under constant review, as we seek to protect the UK from the threats that we face. However, as a matter of longstanding policy we do not comment on whether or not an organisation is being considered for proscription.
The UK has a strong record of responding robustly to state threats, including through implementation of the National Security Act 2023, which makes the UK a harder target for those states which seek to conduct hostile acts. In March, we announced that the whole of the Iranian state - including the IRGC and MOIS - will be placed on the Enhanced Tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme which will go live on 1 July.
As the Home Secretary set out in her Oral Statement on 19 May 2025, we are committed to taking forward Jonathan Hall KC’s recommendations in his review of State Threats legislation, including the creation of a new State Threats Proscription-like Tool. We will bring forward legislation as soon as Parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to help increase prosecutions of cyclists who jump red traffic lights.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Enforcement of traffic offences of this sort is a matter for the police. Those who cycle have a duty, like all road users, to behave in a safe and responsible manner and to follow the rules set out in The Highway Code.
It is already an offence for cyclists to cycle without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other road users.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions she has had with the Chair of the Independent Review of the Loan Charge on the progress of that review.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Ministers have not held discussions with the independent reviewer of the Loan Charge since the review was launched. However, the review team has confirmed that they expect to conclude in the summer, and the government will respond to their report by Autumn Budget 2025.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the planning system within the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on irreplaceable habitats.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is clear that development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats should be refused, unless there are wholly exceptional reasons and a suitable compensation strategy exists.
The Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) provides an alternative mechanism for development to discharge environmental obligations relating specifically to the Habitats and Species Regulations, the Wildlife and Countryside Act, and the Protection of Badgers Act.
It does not apply to irreplaceable habitats generally, for which the strong protections in the National Planning Policy Framework will continue to apply.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the ecological vulnerability of chalk stream habitats; and whether his Department plans to develop a national strategy for their (a) protection and (b) restoration.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Cleaning up our waters, including iconic sites such as chalk streams is a top government priority. That is why on 23 October 2024, the Secretary of State announced the launch of an independent commission to fundamentally transform how our water system works.
Fixing the systemic issues in the water system is essential to address the multiple pressures facing chalk streams, namely over abstraction, phosphorous pollution and physical modifications of habitats. Restoring our chalk streams to better ecological health is part of our overall programme of reforms for the water sector.
Alongside this, we are continuing to direct investment to projects that will improve chalk streams. Through the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP), over 1000 improvement projects are planned within chalk stream catchments between 2024-2029.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference pages 19-20 of StandWithUs' report entitled StandWithUs UK Report: Voice of Students 2024/25 Report, published in May 2025, if she will have discussions with the Vice Chancellor of Brunel University of London on (a) reported comments made to a Jewish student at that University and (b) that University's subsequent actions in response.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government condemns antisemitism in the strongest possible terms and we are actively taking steps to prevent and tackle it on campus, as in all parts of society. The antisemitic incidents detailed in StandWithUs UK’s report are wholly unacceptable and the wellbeing and safety of our Jewish students remains a priority.
Universities have a duty to protect freedom of speech and academic freedom within the law, but the department has been clear that this does not extend to unlawful hate speech or incitement of hatred against any individual or group.
It is important to recognise the efforts that university Vice Chancellors and their staff are making to foster cohesion on campuses across the country. However, as the StandWithUs UK report highlights, there is still more for us to do. That is why my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education is hosting a roundtable on antisemitism to which she has invited several leading Vice Chancellors, many whose students and universities are featured in StandWithUs UK’s testimonials, including Professor Andrew Jones, Vice Chancellor of Brunel, University of London. This will be an opportunity to discuss what more can be done collectively, and at all levels, to make our universities a safe and inclusive environment for all.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to hold discussions with university vice-chancellors in relation to the report by StandWithUs UK entitled Voice of Students 2024-25, published on 7 May 2025.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government condemns antisemitism in the strongest possible terms and we are actively taking steps to prevent and tackle it on campus, as in all parts of society. The antisemitic incidents detailed in StandWithUs UK’s report are wholly unacceptable and the wellbeing and safety of our Jewish students remains a priority.
Universities have a duty to protect freedom of speech and academic freedom within the law, but the department has been clear that this does not extend to unlawful hate speech or incitement of hatred against any individual or group.
It is important to recognise the efforts that university Vice Chancellors and their staff are making to foster cohesion on campuses across the country. However, as the StandWithUs UK report highlights, there is still more for us to do. That is why my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education is hosting a roundtable on antisemitism to which she has invited several leading Vice Chancellors, many whose students and universities are featured in StandWithUs UK’s testimonials, including Professor Andrew Jones, Vice Chancellor of Brunel, University of London. This will be an opportunity to discuss what more can be done collectively, and at all levels, to make our universities a safe and inclusive environment for all.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the governance arrangements of the National Foundation for Educational Research.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The National Foundation for Educational Research is a leading provider of research and assessments in the UK. The department has no formal oversight or management relationship with them, and as such, has not made an assessment of the adequacy of their governance arrangements.