WESTMINSTER staff have said a "predatory culture" still exists at the House of Commons.
Six members of staff told BBC Newsnight that abuses of power by male MPs remained common, with sexual misconduct and inappropriate flirting prevalent.
A House of Commons spokesperson said it took complaints "extremely seriously".
It comes after allegations have been made about the behaviour of MPs in recent months, with several suspended.
Ellie Varley, 25, said she was asked to sit on a male MP's knee and was harassed with texts by another person.
"He just kept saying just come sit on my lap. And I was like: 'I'm fine, thank you. I don't want to sit on your lap'," she said.
She said the MP was so persistent she felt she had no choice, and reluctantly agreed to "get him off my case". The MP is one of a number to be suspended over separate allegations.
Varley added that everyone who works at Westminster has a story of sexual misconduct or knows someone who has.
"There are big names in Westminster, and you kind of feel intimidated by them," she added.
"I [often think] am I reading too much into this? Are you just being friendly or are you touching me because you think you can?
"I've had it when people have texted me incessantly being like: 'Are you out tonight?' 'What are you doing?' And not getting the hint if I don't reply after you've messaged six times."
She claimed people working at Wesminster do not feel safe to report issues: "They don't have the trust in the system."
Five of the people Newsnight spoke to currently work in the Commons, while one of them had recently left their role on the estate.
The ex-staff member said: "In the bars you'd still see male MPs all over staffers; in their physical space, buying them drinks and actually behaving in a pretty disgusting state - touching bums and putting their hands all over their lower backs. It's lecherous."
In 2018, the UK Parliament set up the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS), to investigate complaints about inappropriate behaviour, such as bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct, and to provide advice to complainants.
Since then, complaints are investigated by independent investigators, commissioned by the ICGS team on a case-by-case basis. However, one senior official, who has worked in the Commons for several years, said the scheme had made no difference to what he described as a "predatory culture".
"The same things still go on as before #metoo," he said.
He described the new complaints processes as "useless".
Many have criticised the ICGS for taking too long over investigations.
According to its last annual report, of the 21 completed investigations it carried out in 2021-2022, 12 were cases where an MP was a respondent. These cases took an average time of 262 days. By comparison, cases involving parliamentary staff took an average of 186 days, and MPs' staff cases, took an average of 133 days.
A House of Commons spokesperson said: "We remain committed to ensuring that lasting cultural change can be achieved here."
