Thank you for writing to me following the University staff strike this November. 

I absolutely share your passion for education and the importance a good education has on our children.  I believe it should be at the heart of our ambition for Britain, but I am concerned Ministers have no vision of what education is for and what growing up in our country should involve.

In March, UCU released its report, UK higher education: A workforce in crisis, which makes for shocking reading. It found that 60% of staff said that the lack of progress over pay and working conditions meant that they were likely to leave the sector in the next five years, reaching 81% for staff aged between 18 to 29.

When asked about the current strikes, the Government has responded to say that universities are autonomous and responsible for the pay and pension provision of their staff, and that it plays no role in such disputes. I am aware that the meeting between UCU and the University and College Employers Association on 13 December ended without agreement.

I of course support the right for people to strike and withdraw their labour. It is an action of last resort but it is of paramount importance that it is protected as a fundamental human right. The Government should be seeking to moderate and help facilitate some sort of resolution. Instead they resort to threats to the right to strike.

I know that people feel angry at the Government failing to acknowledge the incredibly tough years that workers have gone through. In addition, the sector for early career teaching staff is much more uncertain, with terms and conditions of employment often much more precarious. They are vital for institutions to prosper and I would like to see much greater security around their contracts.

I believe that universities must be treated as a public good, whose success and resilience depends on the hard work and commitment of the fantastic staff. 

The simple truth is that this Government has created a crisis at every stage of our education system. This is why I believe fair pay, secure contracts, reasonable workloads and decent, affordable pensions should come as standard for all those working in education, including in our universities. 

Thank you once again for writing to me about this important issue. I can assure you that I will continue to push the Government to provide the HE sector with the funding it needs.