PART A1

Protection of Freedom of Speech

Duties of students’ unions

Code of practice
A6
1
A students’ union to which section A5 applies must, with a view to facilitating the discharge of its duties under that section, maintain a code of practice setting out the matters referred to in subsection (2).
2
Those matters are—
a
the students’ union’s values relating to freedom of speech and an explanation of how those values uphold freedom of speech,
b
the procedures to be followed by its staff and its members who are students of the registered higher education provider referred to in section A5(1) in connection with the organisation of—
i
meetings which are to be held on the premises occupied by the students’ union and which fall within any class of meeting specified in the code, and
ii
other activities which are to take place on those premises and which fall within any class of activity so specified,
c
the conduct required of such persons in connection with any such meeting or activity, and
d
the criteria to be used by the students’ union in making decisions about—
i
the union’s support and funding for events and activities to which the duties in section A5 are relevant, and
ii
whether to allow the use of premises and on what terms (which must include its criteria for determining whether there are exceptional circumstances for the purposes of section A5(5)).
3
The code of practice may deal with such other matters as the students’ union considers appropriate.
4
A students’ union to which section A5 applies must take the steps that are reasonably practicable for it to take (including where appropriate the initiation of disciplinary measures) in order to secure compliance with its code of practice.
5
A students’ union to which section A5 applies must, at least once a year, bring—
a
the provisions of section A5, and
b
its code of practice under this section,
to the attention of all of its members who are students of the provider.
Pt. A1 inserted (1.8.2025) by Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 (c. 16), ss. 1, 13(3); S.I. 2025/528, reg. 2(a)
Ss. A5, A6 and cross-heading inserted (1.8.2025 for specified purposes) by Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 (c. 16), ss. 3, 13(3); S.I. 2025/528, reg. 2(c)