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<p>My right hon. Friend, the Member for East Sussex, and former Minister for Children,
Families and Wellbeing with responsibility for freedom of speech in the department,
met with Professor Arif Ahmed in 2023 following his appointment, and discussed plans
for implementation of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act (the Act) over
the next two years. I also met with Arif Ahmed on 16 January 2024. The intention has
always been for the Office for Students (OfS) to publish any guidance within good
time of the Act coming into force to allow the sector sufficient time to consider
it. The expectation expressed was that any guidance pertaining to the provisions that
come into force on 1 August 2024 would be published by summer 2024, giving the sector
the summer period to implement it into their practices.</p><p> </p><p>The department
understands that the OfS continues to work towards these timelines as set out on their
website here: <a href="https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/quality-and-standards/freedom-of-speech/changes-to-regulation/"
target="_blank">https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/quality-and-standards/freedom-of-speech/changes-to-regulation/</a>,
although precise timings are a matter for the OfS.</p><p> </p><p>A draft version of
the guidance that the OfS intend to issue following consultation has already been
published for the sector to consider here: <a href="https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/fsvjdljh/regulatory-advice-24-guidance-related-to-freedom-of-speech.pdf"
target="_blank">https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/fsvjdljh/regulatory-advice-24-guidance-related-to-freedom-of-speech.pdf</a>.</p><p>
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