Dear Constituent,
Thank you for contacting me about Israel Apartheid Week campaigns and anti-Semitism on campus in Scotland.
Free speech is vital to the independence and innovation that embodies higher education, but no student should face discrimination, harassment or racism, including anti-Semitism. I am committed to addressing anti-Semitism wherever it occurs, and I am encouraged that the UK Government became the first to formally adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism.
I am aware that the Scottish Government published a programme of work to tackle hate crime in 2017. As part of that, it also adopted the IHRA's definition of anti-Semitism.
I call on all higher education institutions in Scotland to accept the IHRA working definition of anti-Semitism, which is a tool to help front-line services better understand and recognise instances of anti-Semitism. I believe this would send a clear message that anti-Semitic behaviour will not be tolerated and will be taken seriously by higher education providers.
All universities and higher education institutions have a responsibility to provide a safe and inclusive environment and have a responsibility to ensure students do not face discrimination, harassment, abuse or violence. Universities are expected to have robust policies and procedures in place to comply with the law, and to investigate and swiftly address any hate crime and anti-Semitic incidents that are reported.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
Kind Regards, Alister