The Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) publishes interim report

Since it was established in July 2018, the ICGS followed an annual reporting cycle of July to June. However, this was not in line with the reporting cycles in the House of Commons and the House of Lords, which both run from April to March. To remedy this, the ICGS intends to publish its next full Annual Report in summer 2025. It will cover the period from July 2023 to March 2025. 

The scheme has published this progress update, which covers from July 2023 until September 2024. This latest report is an interim measure, maintaining openness and transparency through this change to the reporting cycle. 

Highlights from the report: 

• Following the general election, an overwhelming majority (99%) of new MPs attended a ‘Behaviour Code: why it matters’ seminar. 98% (635 out of 650) of all MPs have now attended either the Behaviour Code Seminar or its predecessor, ‘Valuing Everyone’ training. 

• Since July 2023, the scheme has delivered over 64 outreach events reaching almost 4,000 people across Parliament.   

• 16 of 26 recommendations from the third review (pdf, 666KB) of the ICGS are already in progress, with one recommendation already having been met. The ICGS team aim to have the review recommendations either completed or significantly underway by May 2025.  

• Over the past 15 months, the Engagement Manager has been in contact with around 100 complainants and respondents on more than 510 occasions.   

• The data gives a positive indication that the average length of investigations has reduced for the second consecutive year.   

• Key improvements have been implemented to ensure good-quality investigations, including assigning a second investigator to all cases, reviewing evidence as it is collected, and piloting a centrally contracted transcription service.   

Read the interim report here (pdf, 268KB).

ICGS Director, Thea Walton, said: 

“The ICGS is the first scheme of its kind in any legislature. Operating in a complex, political environment, it provides over 15,000 people with a well-established route to receive trauma-informed support and to also have complaints of bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct investigated independently, thoroughly, and fairly. 

Today’s interim update demonstrates how we are progressing against our priorities of supporting service users; providing timely, quality investigations; and contributing to culture change in Parliament.”   

This is the first time the ICGS has published an update on its work since the third independent review (pdf, 666KB), completed earlier this year. In his review, Paul Kernaghan CBE QPM observed that: 

“The Scheme is making a difference, and has demonstrated its ability to hold people to account for unacceptable behaviour. The parliamentary community should take pride in the work and achievements of the ICGS to date.” 

Learn more about the scheme on their website here.