It has taken far too long to reach the point where Parliament has an independent complaints process

The House of Commons Commission has backed the creation of an independent expert panel for determining bullying or sexual harassment complaints against MPs.

 

This will provide House of Commons staff, including Prospect members, with far more confidence in the process than they have now.

Garry Graham, Prospect deputy general secretary, said:

“It was always unsustainable to have MPs sitting in judgement on each other, so this step towards an independent system will be welcomed by parliamentary staff.

“Clearly the composition of the panel and its powers to determine and enforce sanctions will be critical. The  recognised trade unions as the voice of the workforce have an important role in ensuring staff can have confidence in its operation.

“It has taken far too long to reach this point but, this progress is certainly better late than never.”