Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what plans there are for the (1) long-term evaluation, and (2) follow-up, of the Valuing Everyone training sessions.

Valuing Everyone is a training module designed specifically for Parliament that aims to raise awareness of, and confidence to tackle, bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct, as well as to highlight the sources of support available to those who have experienced this behaviour. Variations of this training are offered to staff of both Houses, members of both Houses and members’ staff.

The training is part of a suite of initiatives that together ensure that Parliament is a safe and respectful workplace, with zero tolerance of bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct. The two Houses will continue to conduct regular surveys, among other measures, to evaluate the effectiveness of these initiatives.

Participants are routinely asked to complete feedback forms, and the results of these (including those from MPs and Peers) demonstrate that participants have an overwhelmingly positive experience of the training, and in particular report that they are better able to recognise and call out unacceptable behaviour. These, together with ad hoc feedback from participants, allow an ongoing dialogue enabling the course to remain relevant and suitable for all parts of the parliamentary community. In addition, the training provider submits regular anonymised reports to the two Houses on themes that have emerged during the training, so that appropriate steps can be taken to address risks or to communicate more effectively about Parliament’s response to bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct.