§ Mr. ReedTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to introduce monitoring of the incidence of workplace bullying. [18486]
§ Alan JohnsonBullying and harassment have no place in today's work environment and are unacceptable whenever they occur. The Government strongly condemn such behaviour and believe employees should be able to work without fear of encountering bullying from their employers or anyone else.
The adoption of best employment relations practice should help create a culture where bullying becomes unacceptable. We have established the Partnership Fund which provides support for organisations wishing to develop policies to tackle bullying in the workplace. The Department is also working closely with the Health and Safety Executive on the development of management standards. The first step is to undertake research to establish the real extent of the problem and how it manifests itself in the workplace.
There is a range of legislative measures in place designed to protect employees from the worst offences.