Watchdog rejects separate harassment probe idea

The man who investigates complaints against Senedd members has said it would be "a bad idea" to create a separate process for sexual harassment cases.

Welsh politicians are currently considering how to strengthen the process for sexual harassment and bullying complaints.

Standards Commissioner Douglas Bain said a separate process would be confusing because it would be very similar to what already exists.

The Welsh Parliament's standards committee has already recommended the introduction of a "recall" procedure to give voters the chance to remove Senedd members who misbehave and the sanctioning of members for deliberately lying.

Giving evidence to the committee, Bain said that "the number of cases against members in Wales is fortunately very small, and I say that even allowing for the undoubted under-reporting".

He asked: "Where would the experienced staff who were to operate this new system come from?"

"Because of the small number of complaints I doubt very much they could be full time staff."

He added: "I think as a whole it is a bad idea."

Committee chair Hannah Blythyn challenged the comments and said that some of the evidence that they have received suggested that there was under-reporting "because people don't feel comfortable with the system in place at the moment".

Concerns have previously been raised about the Senedd's complaints procedure, with some staff calling for a more independent complaints process.

The House of Commons has an Independent Expert Panel for looking at complaints of bullying or sexual harassment.

The Senedd only has its Standards Commissioner, Douglas Bain, to look into complaints about politicians, and then the parliament's standards committee decides what to do with his investigation and whether to sanction the Senedd member concerned.

Bain suggested they should consider the use of an investigator with experience in sexual conduct cases to assist the commissioner.

Although he did stress that "the idea that bringing in someone with expertise in these matters would be a silver bullet is not right".

Plaid Cymru member Peredur Owen Griffiths asked whether external experts could be of use "if someone wanted to discuss or to give evidence on a subject that is very personal and wanted to do that in their first language".

Currently if someone wants to give evidence in Welsh they have the offer of a translator.

Bain said that was "unsatisfactory" and suggested if they had the use of experts they could select a suitable investigator with the "right skills and experience" on a "case-by-case basis".

Blythyn has previously said she is committed to "strengthen the systems of powers here in the Senedd to better empower people to come forward with concerns about conduct and serious and unacceptable issues like sexual harassment".