Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Prime Minister, whether the hon. Member for Daventry was acting on behalf of the Government when he wrote to university vice-chancellors requesting the names of academic staff who teach European affairs with a particular focus on the UK leaving the EU.

Free speech is one of the foundations on which our universities are built and this should be protected. This government respects the freedom and independence of universities, and the role they play in creating open and stimulating debate. The hon. Member for Daventry (Mr Heaton-Harris) was acting in his capacity as a member of parliament.