The government is planning to introduce laws which would give ministers the power to see academic papers before they are published and suppress them.

It could also prevent the sending of emails to foreign colleagues.

The Department of Trade and Industry's Export Control Bill, which is currently in the House of Lords, could also mean foreign students working in British laboratories would need "licences".

Forum Response: Universities UK

A spokesman for Universities UK told ePolitix.com: "Universities UK welcomed, in broad terms, the Export Control Bill when it was published last year. But we believe that there should be some direct reference to the protection of routine academic activity in the text of the bill. This view was backed by the House of Commons' Quadripartite Committee when they looked at a draft of this bill in 2001.

"We see the option of guaranteeing academic freedom in secondary legislation, although helpful, as a second best option. We would also want to see such secondary legislation backed up by a statement in the House that the government intended to protect academic freedom in such a way. But Universities UK, nevertheless, still views the primary legislation as the best place to enshrine these freedoms."