FDA reiterates calls for a full independent bullying and harassment policy in the Senedd

Appearing before the Senedd Standards of Conduct Committee, FDA National Officer Jane Runeckles made clear that the process for dealing with bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct must be independent from MSs.

Appearing before the Senedd Standards of Conduct Committee, FDA National Officer Jane Runeckles made clear that the process for dealing with bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct must be independent from MSs.

She told the Committee members that “just because there have only been a few cases reported or investigated, it doesn’t mean that the Senedd doesn’t have a responsibility to have in place a properly resourced independent process that people have confidence in”. A position the FDA has long held.

Runeckles was giving oral evidence as part of the Committee’s Inquiry into Dignity and Respect. This followed written evidence, which made clear that “a key expectation from FDA Cymru|Wales is that the Senedd must now implement a fully independent process for dealing with complaints of bullying, harassment and sexual harassment, similar to that in place in Westminster”.

The FDA led a long-running campaign for a fully independent complaints process in the House of Commons. This culminated in the introduction of the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme and, ultimately, the establishment of the Independent Expert Panel, ensuring the process would be completely independent from MPs.

Runeckles also drew attention to the FDA’s victory on risk-based exclusion in the UK Parliament last year.

“The UK Parliament now has exclusion at the point of arrest which gives the House authorities the power to exclude MPs accused of sexual or violent grievances,” she told the Committee, encouraging them to consider how a similar policy could help protect staff and visitors in the Senedd.

While acknowledging the different resourcing challenges the Senedd would face in replicating the policy in place in Westminster, Runeckles called on Committee members to explore options of establishing an expert panel for dealing with complaints made against MSs.

“It is the FDA’s experience, from all corners of the UK, that only an independent process that is completely free from political interference can work. If there is any opportunity for self-regulation, politics will take precedence over fairness and the victims of bullying, harassment and sexual harassment will be failed,” the FDA’s evidence cautioned.

Runeckles also questioned whether it was “appropriate” for bullying and harassment “to be dealt with in the same way” as complaints about expenses, as it currently is. The FDA’s position is that there should be “a separate independent process for dealing with complaints of this nature”.

“Providing a fully independent place as the first port of call is something that would encourage greater confidence in the system,” she argued.

The FDA National Officer also suggested that the current process could be “quite complicated for somebody who is a complainant to try and navigate their way around” and making it as transparent as possible would be a benefit to anyone involved in the complaints process.

“But I think that the key in relation to the bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct is that people understand there is a process dedicated to that, that has expertise behind it and has independence behind it,” she continued. “And that is the fundamental bit that is missing at the moment.”