What was the total value of financial settlements, compensation payments, or ex gratia payments relating to workplace bullying in each calendar year since 2015 in relation to any staff, employees, secondees, contractors, or office holders for whom the Minister has responsibility in connection with the portfolio, if any?

Answer

The Ministry of Social Development (the Ministry) has advised me that while they can provide the total number of settlements along with any compensation paid, the Ministry cannot provide this information in relation to workplace bullying complaints. This information is not centrally recorded and would need to be cross-matched across different Ministry systems. Providing this information to the member would require substantial manual collation, thereby diverting Ministry staff from their core duties. In accordance with Speaker’s Ruling 210/6, I consider that the time, and hence the expense, of answering the Member’s question is not in the public interest.