Holyrood changes will help victims speak up after harassment – presiding officer

The results of a survey which revealed dozens of cases of bullying and sexual harassment at Holyrood will “hopefully” help make it easier for victims of such behaviour to speak out in future, the presiding officer has said.

Alison Johnstone said both she and the Scottish Parliament’s chief executive, David McGill, had been “deeply concerned” by the findings of research, published last month.

The Scottish Parliament’s dignity at work survey revealed 84 previously unreported cases of bullying, harassment and sexual harassment over the past five years.

The cases are said to include “serious allegations of sexual misconduct, sexual harassment affecting women and men” as well as “incidents linked to alcohol and behaviour described as intended to ‘keep women in their place'”.

But Ms Johnstone, speaking to the Press Association, was clear that changes to be made as a result of it should “make it easier for anyone who is affected by inappropriate behaviour to come forward and for that to be dealt with”.

The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) – which is responsible for running the Parliament – has already given its full support to recommendations in a report linked to the survey – which covered both MSPs’ staff and others working at Holyrood.

Ms Johnstone, speaking as she prepares to step down as presiding officer after the May Scottish election, stressed that Holyrood bosses are “absolutely determined Parliament is a welcoming and safe place to work for each and every person in it”.

She said the research had been “important work”, adding that it “helps us make sure that routes to reporting are clarified”.

Ms Johnstone said: “There are several recommendations in there to hopefully  make it easier for anyone who is affected by inappropriate behaviour to come forward and for that to be dealt with.”

With a number of recommendations outlining changes such as a review of the complaints process at Holyrood, as well as work to “embed a Parliament-wide speak up culture”,  Ms Johnstone stated: “I am sure the next Parliament will get to work quickly to ensure that that is the case.”

Ms Johnstone said: “It’s obviously been an important piece of work to carry out, the review gave MSPs staff, and staff across the building, the opportunity to report on their experiences and that has brought to light cases that we would certainly wish to avoid in the future.

“And the whole point of this is to make it easier for people to come forward in the future.”