Latest news with #ICGS
The Independent
12 hours ago
- The Independent
Alcohol fuels 40% spike in parliament bullying claims
Parliament 's bullying and harassment watchdog reported a 40 per cent increase in complaints in the year to April. The Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) investigated 69 cases, up from 47 the previous year, at a cost of almost £2 million. Most complaints involved bullying and harassment, with three relating to sexual misconduct, and four complaints were ultimately upheld. Alcohol was identified as a factor in nearly one out of every five complaints investigated, being notably prevalent in sexual misconduct cases. The ICGS acknowledged longer timescales for completing cases and committed to working to reduce these over the next 12 months.
The Independent
13 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Bullying claims in parliament soared by 40% last year, watchdog reveals
Bullying claims in parliament have soared by 40 per cent as a growing number of MPs are accused of misconduct. Parliament 's bullying and harassment watchdog said there was a sharp rise in complaints in the year to April, even as parliament broke for the general election. In its annual report, the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) said it had investigated 69 cases in the year, up from 47 the previous year. The cases related to 50 disclosures from parliamentary staff, with some relating to multiple individuals. It cost almost £2m to investigate the cases. Almost all of the complaints were of bullying and harassment, with three relating to sexual misconduct including assault, harassment, stalking and voyeurism, the ICGS said. Most were withdrawn, found to be out of scope, or not completed before the period covered by the annual report, with four of the complaints upheld. The presence of alcohol in parliament was 'a factor in almost one out of every five complaints investigated' and was 'notably prevalent' in sexual misconduct cases, the report said. ICGS director Thea Walton said: 'During the reporting period, we experienced a notable increase in the number of people contacting the ICGS. 'Unfortunately, this increase, the complexity of cases and the introduction of new processes and ways of working has contributed to longer timescales for completing cases.' The ICGS blamed some of the bullying cases on an imbalance of power in the workplace, with some senior figures abusing their authority by publicly humiliating staff or being 'openly critical and dismissive' of them. 'This behaviour caused complainants to feel insecure about their job stability and created an intimidating work environment,' it said. It added: 'It was alleged that managers assigned tasks that were excessively challenging or impossible to complete within the given timeframe, making the complainants feel as though they were being set up to fail.' The body was formed in 2018 in the wake of the # MeToo movement in a bid to tackle sexual misconduct among MPs. It has been criticised for the speed at which it carries out investigations into complaints, with some lasting longer than 12 months and being referred to multiple bodies. Ms Walton added: 'Over the next 12 months, the team will be working hard to reduce these timescales while bedding in our new processes and continuing to deliver a high-quality service for the parliamentary community. 'I am encouraged to see that awareness of the ICGS remains high across Parliament and more people are coming forward to use the scheme to seek redress when they feel they have experienced poor behaviour.'
Telegraph
a day ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Bullying claims in Parliament up 40pc in a year
Bullying complaints in Parliament have increased by 40 per cent in a year, with MPs most likely to be accused of misconduct. The Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS), which investigates bullying, harassment and sexual wrongdoing in Parliament, said it had seen a spike in complaints in the year to this April, which encompassed the general election. The body's annual report, published on Monday, said it had investigated 69 cases in the year, up from 47 the previous year. The cases were the result of 50 'disclosures' from parliamentary staff, some of which related to multiple individuals. The number of disclosures also increased by 25 per cent, and they were investigated at a total cost of almost £2 million. The ICGS said all but three of the complaints were of bullying and harassment, with the remainder relating to sexual misconduct including assault, harassment, stalking and voyeurism. Only four were upheld, with the remainder withdrawn, found to be out of scope or not completed by the end of the year. The report, which did not give details of individual cases, said the presence of alcohol in Parliament was 'a factor in almost one out of every five complaints investigated' and was 'notably prevalent' in sexual misconduct cases. MPs were the largest group of alleged perpetrators of either bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct, followed by House of Commons employees, staff working for MPs and members of the House of Lords. The ICGS did not explain the reason for the uplift in the number of complaints, which came after more than half of MPs were replaced at the general election. But it said that some of the bullying cases were caused by a 'power imbalance' in the workplace, where managers had 'abused their authority by publicly humiliating staff' or being 'openly critical and dismissive'. 'This behaviour caused complainants to feel insecure about their job stability and created an intimidating work environment,' it said. 'Additionally, it was alleged that managers assigned tasks that were excessively challenging or impossible to complete within the given timeframe, making the complainants feel as though they were being set up to fail.' Criticism over speed of investigations The ICGS was established in 2018 in response to the #MeToo movement and complaints that sexual misconduct was prevalent among MPs and their staff. But it has been criticised for the speed at which it can conduct investigations, with some dragging on for more than a year and involving multiple rounds of analysis by officials. In one case, a complaint was upheld by the ICGS and passed to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, which investigates the conduct of MPs. The commissioner rejected the complaint, resulting in an appeal to another body, the Independent Expert Panel, which returned it to the commissioner. The appeal was ultimately not upheld. Thea Walton, the director of the ICGS, said: 'During the reporting period, we experienced a notable increase in the number of people contacting the ICGS. We received 25 per cent more disclosures in 2024-25 than in 2023-24. 'Unfortunately, this increase, the complexity of cases and the introduction of new processes and ways of working has contributed to longer timescales for completing cases. Over the next 12 months, the team will be working hard to reduce these timescales while bedding in our new processes and continuing to deliver a high-quality service for the parliamentary community. 'I am encouraged to see that awareness of the ICGS remains high across Parliament and more people are coming forward to use the scheme to seek redress when they feel they have experienced poor behaviour.'
Time of India
16-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Coast Guard rescues survivors of capsized cargo vessel
Mangaluru: The (ICG) has rescued six crew members of the cargo vessel , which sank in the early hours of May 14 , approximately 60-70 nautical miles southwest of Mangaluru. At 12.15 pm on May 14, the ICG received a distress alert from MT Epic Susui, a transiting vessel, reporting the sighting of a small boat adrift with six survivors onboard, approximately 52 nautical miles off the coast of Surathkal. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now ICGS 'Vikram', which was on routine patrol in the area, was immediately diverted to the location. The Coast Guard team swiftly located and safely rescued all six survivors from the dinghy. Preliminary reports indicate that MSV SALAMATH, which departed New Mangalore Port on May 12, en route to Kadmat Island in Lakshadweep, began flooding at 5.30 am on May 14, leading to its eventual sinking. The vessel was carrying a mixed cargo of cement and construction materials. The exact cause of the flooding remains unknown. The rescued crew members are Ismail Shareef, Alemun Ahmed Bhai Ghavda, Kakal Suleman Ismail, Akbar Abdul Surani, Kasam Ismail Mepani, and Azmal, abandoned the sinking vessel and managed to embark on a small dinghy before being spotted. Following their successful rescue, the survivors were administered first aid and transported safely to New Mangalore Port, where they arrived on May 15. Local authorities will be conducting further interviews with the rescued crew to ascertain the circumstances leading to the vessel's sinking. The Indian Coast Guard remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding life at sea and ensuring maritime safety and security across the region, a release from the Indian Coast Guard said.
