Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme: Governance

The Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) is “Parliament’s independent mechanism for handling complaints of bullying, harassment, or sexual misconduct”.

The House of Commons Commission proposed changes to the governance arrangements for the ICGS in a December 2024 report. At its May 2025 meeting, the commission noted that “in the absence of consensus the Government planned to put those proposals to the House” (PDF).

The government has tabled a motion to give effect to new arrangements for the governance of the ICGS which is scheduled for debate in the House of Commons on 16 June 2025.

The government’s motion will create a new ICGS policy framework, replacing the current four policy and procedures documents (bullying and harassment policy, bullying and harassment procedure, sexual misconduct policy and sexual misconduct procedure) with an ICGS Policy Framework and a document setting out all of the ICGS’ processes. The motion also creates a new Assurance Board, with authority to approve ICGS processes.

The proposals are set out in the commission’s report Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme: Policy Framework and ICGS Assurance Board (PDF).

The government’s motion to implement the report and a series of amendments tabled by Sir Christopher Chope are available on the Future Business section of the Order Paper (as at 9 June 2025).