Committees

Whistleblowing

Inquiry

Background

Whistleblowing is when an employee raises a concern about wrongdoing or malpractice in the workplace that has a public interest aspect to it. Officially this is called ‘making a disclosure in the public interest’. Whistleblowing is important to protect and reassure the workforce, and to maintain a healthy working culture and an efficient organisation. Whistleblowing has become much more high profile in recent years: as well publicised cases such as Hillsborough and the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust inquiry have shown. A greater public need for transparency, coupled with wider access to knowledge and information, and its dissemination through social and other media, mean that there is an increasing scope to uncover and report on wrongdoing.

This inquiry will assess the systems, structures and behaviours in place to enable effective whistleblowing arrangements.

Relevant information:

Reports, special reports and government responses

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9th Report - Whistleblowing
Inquiry Whistleblowing
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HC 593
Report
Response to this report
Whistleblowing: Government response to the Committee's Ninth Report of Session 2014-15
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CM 8988
Government Response

Oral evidence transcripts

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24 March 2014
Inquiry Whistleblowing
Witnesses Kay Sheldon, Care Quality Commission, Cathy James, Chief Executive, Public Concern at Work; Lin Homer, Chief Executive and Permanent Secretary, HM Revenue and Customs, Jonathan Slater, Director General Transformation and Corporate Strategy, Ministry of Defence, Chris Wormald, Permanent Secretary, Department for Education, Charlie Massey, Director General, Strategy and External Relations, Department of Health
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Oral Evidence

Written evidence

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Department Of Health (WBR0007)
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Department Of Health (WBR0006)
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Cabinet Office (WBR0005)
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Other publications

Government Responses
The Government has undertaken to respond to most committee reports within two months, although there are exceptions to this rule.
1 published

Contact us

  • Email: pubaccom@parliament.uk
  • Phone: 020 7219 8480 (strictly media enquiries only – contact us via our email for general enquiries)
  • Address: Public Accounts Committee, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA