Annex 1: Report by the House of Lords Commissioner for Standards on the Conduct of Lord Stone of Blackheath
Chapter 1: Introduction
1.On 30 April 2019 the House of Lords introduced changes to the Code of Conduct which, for the first time, explicitly set out that bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct were breaches of the Code of Conduct. It also introduced new procedures for dealing with complaints of bullying harassment and sexual misconduct. Further details are given in Chapter 4.
2.This report deals with two separate complaints made about Lord Stone of Blackheath under the revised Code following the publication of my earlier report into the conduct of Lord Stone on 23 October 2019.3 The incidents took place before the complaints which led to my October 2019 report.
3.Though my meetings and correspondence with Lord Stone covered both of the complaints, the details of each have been considered separately. The complainants have been unaware of each other’s complaints.
4.In considering these complaints I have been supported by Sam Evans, Associate Practitioner, CMP Solutions, and James Whittle and Donna Davidson, the Clerks who assist me in my work. I wish to place on record my thanks to them for all their help, while also acknowledging that I am solely responsible for the conclusions reached and the decisions made in this investigation.
5.By its nature, any report into allegations of bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct will include content that some readers may find upsetting or offensive. My aim is to reflect fairly and fully the evidence I gather in the course of an investigation and not to censor or in any way minimise views expressed or material uncovered. I believe this transparency is essential to helping the House of Lords to be a workplace where everyone is valued and respected, and where it is clear that bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct are not tolerated. This means that reports into allegations of bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct will often make for difficult reading.
6.The findings and discussions in this case relate to harassment associated with the protected characteristics of age, sex and religion.