CSE Sector Update – January 2023

In this article we have set out some brief updates of interest to the charity and social economy sector.

Students' unions – freedom of speech

As a firm, we act for a large number of students' unions, so have been watching the progress of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill through the parliamentary approval process with interest. In a significant development the House of Lords have voted in favour of an amendment which bans universities from using non-disclosure agreements to settle complaints on campus which relate to sexual abuse, sexual harassment or sexual misconduct and other forms of bullying and harassment. The government had previously encouraged universities to make a voluntary pledge not to use NDAs in such circumstance, but this new amendment will prohibit them by law, in what many will see as a positive step towards transparency and accountability on campus and which others may view as unfairly singling out universities where the abuse of