Harassment: Calls for independent Senedd complaints body

A review of the Welsh Parliament's bullying and harassment policy has found calls among the body's staff for a more independent complaints process.

While the House of Commons has an independent body specifically set up to look at bullying and harassment by politicians, the Senedd does not.

The review was told said the existing system is "too consequential" to use.

It comes as a group of Senedd members launch a consultation into the way the policy is working.

A former Plaid Cymru politician recently said the Senedd's harassment complaints system should be urgently looked at.

Nerys Evans, who wrote a report which found a culture of bullying and harassment within Plaid Cymru, said 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".

The House of Commons has an Independent Expert Panel for looking at complaints of bullying or sexual harassment.

The Senedd only has its standards commissioner Douglas Bain to look into complaints about politicians, and then the standards committee of the Senedd decides what to do with his investigation and whether to sanction the Senedd member.

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The review - commissioned internally in the Senedd in 2021 into what the Senedd calls its "dignity and respect" policy - was published for the first time on Thursday.

It said the policy was "implemented and promoted effectively", with 81.3% of staff and politicians surveyed saying they knew how to raise a complaint.

Some 71.2% of staff who work for the Senedd Commission - the civil servants who operate the parliament's services day-to-day - said they would feel comfortable raising concerns using the existing process.

But among staff who support politicians that was lower, 61.7% said they would feel comfortable raising concerns using the existing process.

Issues can stretch from expenses and spending to whether politicians have harassed or bullied.

"A concern was expressed by some that the current formal mechanism provided by the Senedd to raise an issue involving a Member of the Senedd (to the Standards Commissioner) could be viewed as too consequential a process," the review said.

"Some member support staff suggested that it would help to have clearer reporting mechanisms and support for staff who raise concerns.

"Several suggested that the system for reporting concerns about dignity and respect should be administered and run by an independent body."

Following the Senedd review the standards committee has launched a consultation seeking views on whether people feel comfortable with making a complaint about a Senedd member, or someone who works on the Senedd estate.

It asks if there are any barriers to raising concerns.

Vikki Howells, standards committee chair, said: "Everyone has the right to feel safe and protected when interacting with the Senedd and it is essential that everyone is treated with dignity and respect in the workplace.

"If there is a need to make a complaint about a Member of the Senedd or anyone that works for the Senedd then processes should be clear and accessible for all.

"To help us get the complaints procedure right for the future, we are keen to hear views on how things can be improved."