Trade unions have welcomed the publication of new proposals by parliamentary authorities for the exclusion of MPs who are arrested for a violent or sexual offences.
There had been mounting concern about delays to the long-awaited plans. But ministers have now also been urged to bring forward a vote on the issue as soon as the House of Commons returns in the new year after its Christmas recess.
The fresh proposals for a “risk-based exclusion policy,” published by the House of Commons Commission on Thursday, define the threshold at which MPs face being banned from the precinct more explicitly as the point of arrest.
A risk assessment will be triggered when police alert Commons authorities to serious allegations that a parliamentarian has committed a violent or sexual offence – in practice, the moment of arrest.
This is a lower threshold than the original proposal to start a risk assessment only once an MP is charged with a crime.
The commission, made up of senior MPs, has also removed a proposal for a staff panel, made up of senior officials, to make the initial assessment.
Instead, a panel, expected to include senior MPs, will carry out a risk assessment based on the information from police alongside any existing voluntary arrangements for the MP to stay away from Westminster.
The panel could then decide that the MP should be barred if they are deemed to pose a threat to the parliamentary community.
Mike Clancy, general secretary of the Prospect union, which represents parliamentary staff, said the proposals were a welcome step towards making parliament a safe place to work and that there should be no more delays on putting the proposals to an MPs’ vote.
He added: “We now need to see political parties commit to notify the relevant parliamentary authorities when they commence their own investigations into alleged sexual and violent misconduct by MPs, so that appropriate steps can be taken to protect staff and visitors on the parliamentary estate.”
The FDA union, whose members include UK senior and middle management civil servants, said that “a stream” of allegations of sexual misconduct had tarnished parliament’s reputation and undermined the confidence and trust of staff for too long.
Jawad Raza, a national officer for the FDA, said: “Not having a mechanism to prevent those who have been arrested for serious sexual offences from attending the parliamentary estate is unacceptable and out of line with every other workplace.”
He said the proposals “should now be implemented without delay”.
Downing Street said it was up to parliament to decide when the issue is voted on.
A spokesperson for the prime minister told reporters: “We will obviously facilitate any time necessary for those discussions. We do, as we’ve said before, believe that there is more work to do and we will play our part. But first and foremost it is a decision for parliamentarians rather than government.”
