Exclusion of MPs under investigation for violent or sexual offences

In May 2024, unions representing parliamentary staff welcomed a vote by MPs to introduce a formal mechanism to risk assess any MP at the point of arrest, and giving parliamentary authorities the power to exclude those accused of sexual or violent offences. Previously there was no formal mechanism to exclude MPs accused of serious misconduct from entering the parliamentary estate. Instead, there was a reliance on voluntary agreement.

FDA civil service union general secretary Dave Penman described the introduction of risk-based exclusion as a “significant victory”. The outcome was achieved by a hard-fought campaign by unions representing parliamentary staff to bring Parliament into line with other workplaces and to provide a safe working environment for their members.