Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance her Department provides to Arts Council England regarding the political neutrality of National Portfolio Organisations.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government is committed to freedom of speech, including in the cultural sector, and the Secretary of State has expressed an unequivocal ambition that the era of the government stoking “culture wars” should be over. The government is clear that whilst it is right that protections from discrimination exist, this does not prohibit people from expressing their views, opinions or beliefs which are also protected. However, it is important to protect people from illegal discrimination, harassment, and hate speech.
Arts Council England (ACE) makes decisions about which organisations and projects to fund independently of government and Ministers, which means there is no question of any political involvement in arts funding decisions. ACE supports freedom of speech within the limits of the law and recognises the expression of different beliefs as protected under the Equality Act 2010. ACE staff receive training on these matters and are guided by their Dignity at Work policy.
DCMS expects all ACE staff to uphold the Nolan principles, which includes objectivity. That principle notes that holders of public office must act and make decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias. ACE also supports the rights of artists and cultural organisations to express themselves freely, including through work that is challenging, provocative, or political. They have also published guidance aimed at supporting cultural organisations in managing complex situations that might arise from presenting challenging work, which is available on their website.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that arts organisations receiving public funding do not discriminate against events based on the political or philosophical viewpoints of the speakers.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government is committed to freedom of speech, including in the cultural sector, and the Secretary of State has expressed an unequivocal ambition that the era of the government stoking “culture wars” should be over. The government is clear that whilst it is right that protections from discrimination exist, this does not prohibit people from expressing their views, opinions or beliefs which are also protected. However, it is important to protect people from illegal discrimination, harassment, and hate speech.
Arts Council England (ACE) makes decisions about which organisations and projects to fund independently of government and Ministers, which means there is no question of any political involvement in arts funding decisions. ACE supports freedom of speech within the limits of the law and recognises the expression of different beliefs as protected under the Equality Act 2010. ACE staff receive training on these matters and are guided by their Dignity at Work policy.
DCMS expects all ACE staff to uphold the Nolan principles, which includes objectivity. That principle notes that holders of public office must act and make decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias. ACE also supports the rights of artists and cultural organisations to express themselves freely, including through work that is challenging, provocative, or political. They have also published guidance aimed at supporting cultural organisations in managing complex situations that might arise from presenting challenging work, which is available on their website.
Asked by: Lord Kempsell (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to the speech by the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister on 20 January, whether external recruitment will take place for the new taskforces modelled on the Vaccine Taskforce.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Taskforces focus on Prime Ministerial priorities and will remove obstacles to delivery, drawing on lessons from the Vaccine Taskforce and other relevant examples.
They will have the freedom to hire the best talent from within the civil service at pace and expedited approvals for short-term appointments of external expertise.
Departmental Ministers will be accountable for their policy areas as now and will have a direct line to the top of government in Number 10, the Cabinet Office, and the Treasury to help support delivery.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the absence of a statutory complaints scheme on enforcement of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is seeking a suitable legislative vehicle to amend and repeal elements of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 at the earliest opportunity, including in relation to the complaints scheme.
The department cannot comment on what might or might not be considered for future legislation, but we will act to protect freedom of speech and academic freedom, and we are considering options.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department issues guidance on membership of the Chinese Communist Party being a declarable interest for university senior staff and trustees.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Education is a devolved matter, and this response outlines the information for England only.
Higher education (HE) providers are independent and autonomous bodies, and as such are responsible for designing and implementing their own policies.
As the independent regulator, it is the role of the Office for Students to monitor and assess registered universities’ compliance with its conditions of registration, including those relating to good governance, and to take regulatory action where they have been breached. This includes that higher education providers must uphold public interest governance principles, which encompasses management of conflicts of interest.
We are clear that foreign interference in the HE sector is unacceptable, and whilst there are a range of existing requirements on universities to protect against it, we believe more should be done to support providers to proportionately mitigate risk. We set out our considerations in the ‘Future of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act’ policy paper published in June 2025, and are taking steps to share good practice, raise awareness and develop new responses where necessary.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to her Department's press release entitled Technology Secretary statement on xAI's Grok image generation and editing tool published on 9 January 2026, what official communications has her Department received from X regarding image manipulation by its xAI Grok tool.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government is clear that no one should have to go through the ordeal of these horrendous images online.
Ofcom is the independent regulator for online safety and has confirmed that they have opened an investigation into X and have made relevant contact with representatives at X. They have our full backing to take any necessary enforcement action.
This is not about restricting freedom of speech but upholding the law.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent progress her Department has made on implementing the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
On 28 April, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, signed commencement regulations, bringing the following provisions into force on 1 August 2025:
We are seeking a suitable legislative vehicle to amend and repeal other elements of the Act in due course, including in relation to the complaints scheme.
In the meantime, the OfS published its regulatory guidance on free speech on 19 June 2025. The OfS Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom continues to work with the sector to offer advice and share best practice, so providers themselves are more effectively protecting free speech and academic freedom.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions she has had with Ofcom regarding xAI’s Grok creating intimate and sexually explicit images of people, including minors, without their consent.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government is clear that no one should have to go through the ordeal of these horrendous images online.
Ofcom has confirmed that they have opened an investigation into X and have our full backing to take necessary enforcement action.
The commencement order for the offence of the creation, or requested creation, of intimate images will be signed this week meaning that individuals are committing a criminal offence if they create – or seek to create – such abhorrent content. This will also be made a priority offence, meaning platforms must take proactive action.
This is not about restricting freedom of speech but upholding the law.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with X over reported sexualised deepfake content on its platform.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government is clear that no one should have to go through the ordeal of these horrendous images online.
Ofcom has confirmed that they have opened an investigation into X and have our full backing to take necessary enforcement action.
The commencement order for the offence of the creation, or requested creation, of intimate images will be signed this week meaning that individuals are committing a criminal offence if they create – or seek to create – such abhorrent content. This will also be made a priority offence, meaning platforms must take proactive action.
This is not about restricting freedom of speech but upholding the law.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with Ofcom over reported sexualised deepfake content on X.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government is clear that no one should have to go through the ordeal of these horrendous images online.
Ofcom has confirmed that they have opened an investigation into X and have our full backing to take necessary enforcement action.
The commencement order for the offence of the creation, or requested creation, of intimate images will be signed this week meaning that individuals are committing a criminal offence if they create – or seek to create – such abhorrent content. This will also be made a priority offence, meaning platforms must take proactive action.
This is not about restricting freedom of speech but upholding the law.