Tory peers compare the case of Baroness Meyer to a playground argument.Credit: Parliament TV
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00:00I assume the original purpose of having a procedure for dealing with complaints about harassment and bullying
00:08was to protect staff, and staff who might face bullying by members of this House who are in a superior position
00:16and in a position therefore to use their influence wrongly.
00:18One would hope it would never happen, but if it does happen, it's right that staff should be protected.
00:23But I doubt if the aim was originally, or the expectation was, that it would be used to police verbal exchanges
00:29between noble lords. Surely the presumption is that we're old enough and sensible enough
00:37to deal with offensive remarks made by other colleagues without running off to teacher and saying
00:46please miss, please miss, Jimmy insulted me on the playground.
00:50That should not be what the procedure is for.
00:54There is a minor cases procedure, but any minor incident of harassment and bullying by one member against another
01:04should not be brought.