Conduct in Parliament

Parliament is committed to ensuring everyone working here feels supported, safe and positive. Parliament's Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) is underpinned by the Behaviour Code (pdf, 2MB) and the Policy Framework. (pdf, 286KB)

Our Behaviour Code makes clear the standards of behaviour expected of everyone in the parliamentary community, past or present. There is zero tolerance for abuse or harassment.

If you feel you have experienced bullying, harassment and/or sexual misconduct and want to make a complaint or you want advice and support, the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) is here to help.

The ICGS is also here to help if you have witnessed or are aware of bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct and want guidance and advice.

Annual reports

We publish quarterly statistics to show how people use the ICGS. This includes the number of calls to the helpline and the number of investigations.

We also publish an annual report. This explains what the ICGS has done over the year and how we are meeting our priorities.

Find out more about our latest ICGS annual reports and statistics.

To learn how we use your personal information, read our privacy notice.

Inquiries

House of Commons Service

In 2017, the House of Commons Commission appointed Dame Laura Cox to carry out an inquiry into bullying and harassment in the Commons Service. The Laura Cox report (pdf, 1MB) was published on 15 October 2018, and all three of Dame Laura Cox's recommendations have now been implemented.

Progress against Dame Laura's recommendations:

The Valuing Others and Respect policies have been permanently suspended.
In January 2019 the House approved the House of Commons Committee on Standards recommendation that the Commissioner for Standards be allowed to investigate incidents that were more than seven years in the past, without requiring permission from the Committee and that lay members of the Committee be granted equal voting rights with MPs.
On 23 June 2020 MPs agreed to establish an Independent Expert Panel (IEP) to determine complaints of bullying and harassment or sexual misconduct under the ICGS, following a recommendation from the House of Commons Commission. The IEP will be entirely independent of MPs, with no MPs taking part in its decisions. In cases where the IEP recommends the most extreme sanctions, such as suspension or expulsion of an MP, the House must approve the recommendation via a motion in the Chamber. Any such motion will be taken without debate.

MPs and MPs' staff

Recognising that the problem is not unique to the Commons Service, an additional inquiry was commissioned on the bullying and harassment of MPs' parliamentary staff. In July 2019, the Gemma White report (pdf, 603KB) was published, with the House of Commons Commission making a statement on the outcome. Since the report, the Members Services Team has been created to fulfil the recommendation of a HR service for MPs and their staff and to tackle the sense of isolation felt by MPs' staff, as reported by Gemma White.

Progress update – Cox and White recommendations

Dame Laura Cox QC’s report into the bullying and harassment of House of Commons staff was published in July 2018; and Gemma White QC’s report into the bullying and harassment of MPs and MPs’ staff was published in July 2019.

As part of our commitment to transparency as we work to continue to implement the measures recommended in the report, we have published our progress in the tables linked below.

House of Lords

In 2018, Naomi Ellenbogen QC was appointed to conduct an inquiry into the nature and extent of bullying and harassment (including sexual harassment and any systemic behaviours) experienced by past and present members of the House of Lords and their staff, and Administration staff employed by the House of Lords. Her report was published on 10 July 2019.

The House of Lords Commission made a statement on the report on 18 July .