Independent Complaints and Grievance Policy

Michael Tomlinson Excerpts

Thursday 16th November 2017 Commons Chamber

[Andrea Leadsom]

I can give the hon. Lady that reassurance.

[Michael Tomlinson (Mid Dorset and North Poole) (Con)]

I warmly welcome the Leader of the House’s work on this matter and her statement this morning, but part of the difficulty, especially over the past few weeks, lies with discerning the difference between the serious cases that must, should and can be dealt with and the spurious, fictitious and plain wrong allegations that must be weeded out and that, quite frankly, detract from the other serious cases. I have two specific questions. First, the Leader of the House mentioned fairness, including fairness to Members. Is it not a matter of fairness and natural justice—this affects parties on both sides of the House—that a Member who has received an allegation against them should know the basis of the allegation? Secondly, does she agree that any grievance and complaints procedure must be truly independent of any one political party?

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Mrs Eleanor Laing)]

Order. For the sake of clarity, I have allowed the hon. Gentleman two questions on this occasion, but one question is sufficient on an occasion such as this.