Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average length of time is in her Department to conclude investigations into reports of sexual harassment; and what steps her Department takes to ensure that this process is conducted (a) promptly and (b) thoroughly.

To identify the time taken to investigate all cases specifically alleging sexual harassment would require gathering information from across DWP managers and would therefore incur disproportionate cost. For cases investigated by our expert HR Investigation Service, the average time taken to investigate a complaint and reach a decision is 14 weeks.

DWP attaches the highest priority to rigorously investigating allegations of alleged sexual harassment and will always listen sensitively to employees raising concerns about alleged harassment and ensure they are fully supported. All allegations of sexual harassment are required to be notified to the DWP HR Investigation Service, DWP’s in house expert investigation team. The team investigate the most serious and complex cases, with other cases being investigated either by one of a pool of independent trained investigators drawn from across the Department, or by local managers. If the HR Investigation Service team are not personally investigating, they provide support investigators. Senior managers in the work area are also required to monitor progress of investigations and to keep all concerned informed of progress. All investigations are completed in line with DWP policy and standard, with a suite of advisory videos, template reports and guidance for those conducting investigations.