Senedd harassment complaint system poor - report author

The Senedd says its processes are continually reviewed to ensure they are "fit for purpose"

The Senedd's harassment complaints system should be urgently looked at, a former Plaid Cymru politician has said.

Nerys Evans, who wrote a report which found a culture of bullying and harassment within Plaid Cymru, said the system was "not good enough".

The Senedd said its processes were continually reviewed to ensure they were "fit for purpose".

It comes after a man who gave evidence in an investigation of an MS said he faced months of harassment.

Ms Evans told BBC Politics Wales the Senedd standards commissioner system was the same "if you misuse your office resources as if you sexually harass a member of the public or a member of staff working in politics".

"It's just not good enough," she added.

Westminster's creation of an independent investigation process to look at cases of sexual harassment, bullying and misconduct in Parliament meant it had "leapfrogged [the Senedd] in terms of the systems," according to Ms Evans.

• Former Plaid worker 'harassed' after speaking out

• Probe finds bullying and misogyny culture in Plaid

She said a similar system should be set up in Cardiff Bay.

At the moment, any complaint against a Member of the Senedd (MS) can be made to the commissioner, who then decides whether to investigate.

The commissioner is an independent person appointed by the Senedd to safeguard standards, uphold reputations and address the public's concerns.

Ms Evans said under the current system, the nature of a complaint against an MS is not published while they are under investigation, which she described as "ludicrous".

"We're not even told if that member is under investigation for sexual harassment," she said.

"In Westminster when there's serious misconduct alleged against a politician they are not allowed to be on the Westminster estate, for example."

The Senedd Reform Bill currently making its way through the Senedd means "the door is open" for the system to be improved, according to Ms Evans.

"We can't recall politicians and it's very difficult for us to get rid of politicians. That needs to be looked at urgently."

What happened in Plaid Cymru?

Ms Evans was speaking on Politics Wales for the first time since her report into the culture of Plaid Cymru was published in May.

She said she had "no doubt" Plaid was taking the report seriously and that her 82 recommendations were being worked on, though she conceded that change "doesn't happen overnight".

"Misconduct does happen. Sexual harassment will continue to happen. And we need to make sure the systems and processes are in place," she said.

A Senedd Commission spokesperson said it wanted everyone to feel that they could challenge behaviours "without fear or prejudice".

"There are processes in place for reporting grievances and complaints. We continually review our policies to ensure they are up to date, and fit for purpose, and we welcome feedback," the spokesperson added.

Vikki Howells, chair of the Senedd's Standards of Conduct Committee, said the committee's recent work had "highlighted the need for a review of the avenues available to members' support staff to raise grievances and complaints".

"The committee welcomes views on the issue and is already preparing to investigate further," Ms Howells added.

You can catch up with Politics Wales on BBC iPlayer.