Women & Equalities Committee – Creating a Gender Sensitive Parliament – October 2019

A survey of MPs on the behalf of the Women and Equalities Committee in relation to creating a gender sensitive Parliament

One in four MPs (25%) believe that the Speaker is most responsible for ensuring that House of Commons procedures and facilities support women MPs and MPs with caring responsibilities.
One in four MPs (25%) believe that an ‘other’ body, beyond the Parliamentary bodies listed, is most responsible for ensuring that violence and abuse against women in politics, including online, is effectively tackled.
Over two in five MPs (43%) believe that the Speaker should be the most responsible for ensuring there is an inclusive culture in the House of Commons.
Overall, just over one in two MPs (51%) express confidence that appropriate actions are being taken to ensure that the culture in the House of Commons is inclusive.
Overall, whilst three in ten MPs (28%) express confidence that the appropriate actions are being undertaken to ensure that violence and abuse against women in politics, including online, is effectively tackled, approaching two in three MPs (65%) say they are unconfident.
Two in three female MPs (65%) say that progress has an impact on their willingness to stand for re-election.

Date Published: 30/10/2019

Client: Women and Equalities Committee

Methodology

Methodology: Savanta ComRes interviewed 147 MPs online and via self-completion paper survey between 2 September –
17 October 2019. Data were weighted to be demographically representative of the House of Commons by party
and region. Savanta ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Full tables at
www.comresglobal.com