Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the number of staff who have been subject to (a) sexual harassment and (b) bullying in his Department in each year since 2018.

The Cabinet Office publishes results from the Civil Service People Survey on GOV.UK on behalf of all participating organisations in the survey. The findings include the proportion of staff responding to the survey who indicated to have been bullied and or harassed at work in the past 12 months (b) and, among those, whether they have been subject to sexual harassment (a). This would include sexual comments or jokes, unwelcome sexual advances, touching or assault.

The figures from the 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 Civil Service People Surveys can be found at:

2021 results: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-people-survey-2021-results

2020 results: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-people-survey-2020-results

2019 results: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-people-survey-2019-results

2018 results: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-people-survey-2018-results

The Civil Service has a zero tolerance approach to bullying, harassment and discrimination. Those found to be bullying, and/or harassing and/or discriminating against employees or customers can face disciplinary procedures including charges of gross misconduct leading to dismissal. Bullying, harassment and discrimination are in direct conflict with the Civil Service values of honesty, objectivity, impartiality and integrity. It is important that all employees feel respected and treated fairly within the workplace. Departments have their own HR policies and processes for reporting and resolving cases of bullying, harassment and discrimination.