The Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS) has published the first systematic survey of MPs and parliamentary staff about their experiences of alcohol at work, revealing that one in ten Westminster workers have been harmed by a colleague's drinking. The report, based on a survey of 191 MPs and staff and 22 in-depth interviews over a year, found that alcohol is far more available in Parliament than in other workplaces, with wine offered at breakfast meetings and soft drinks sometimes hard to find.
Key findings on availability and harm
The study found that 42% of MPs and 29% of Westminster-based staff were offered alcohol at a work meeting or event on a weekly basis, compared with just 1% of constituency staff. Almost six in ten respondents said alcohol was more available in Westminster than in other workplaces they had experienced.
One MP interviewed said: “If I wouldn't operate heavy machinery or drive a car, why should I legislate the laws of the land?” A staff member added: “No other workplace I've had produces its own wine.”
Impact on wellbeing and productivity
Almost one in ten respondents (8%) said they had experienced a negative consequence at work in the past six months because of someone else's drinking, rising to 13% among Westminster-based staff. The most common harms were unwanted sexual attention, harassment, insults or humiliation, and feeling threatened. 17% said their work had been negatively affected by a colleague being hungover or under the influence.
70% either did not know or were unsure how to report concerns about a colleague's drinking. The report also highlighted concerns about alcohol being used to cope with stress and loneliness, and the pressure on younger staff, particularly women, to drink to fit in.
Calls for a formal policy
The report does not call for a ban on alcohol in Parliament but recommends a formal workplace policy, including limiting free alcohol to evening events, making alcohol-free options the default at daytime events, and providing clearer confidential support.
Dr Beccy Cooper, MP for Worthing West, who wrote the foreword, said: “This report is a wake-up call, but also an opportunity. Westminster is changing for the better, and this is our chance to make sure our own workplace lives up to the standards we ask of everyone else.”
Poppy Hull, lead author, said: “This research suggests that alcohol is far more woven into Westminster working life than would be considered normal in most workplaces.” Dr Katherine Severi, Chief Executive of the IAS, added: “Parliament has modernised in many ways over recent years, but our findings suggest there is still work to do to ensure it is a healthy, safe and inclusive place to work.”
