Overview

This bill establishes an Office of the Whistleblower in the UK to support individuals who report wrongdoing within public or private organizations. The Office will provide advice, support, and potentially financial redress to whistleblowers who have suffered negative consequences as a result of their disclosures.

Description

The Office of the Whistleblower will be created by the Secretary of State within a year of the Act's passing. Its key duties include:

• Administration of whistleblowing arrangements: Overseeing processes to facilitate protected disclosures.
• Point of contact: Serving as a central resource for individuals considering making a protected disclosure under existing legislation (Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 and equivalent Northern Ireland legislation).
• Panel of advisors: Establishing and managing a panel of legal and advisory bodies to support whistleblowers.
• Financial support: Maintaining a fund to provide financial assistance to whistleblowers.
• Redress: Providing financial compensation to individuals harmed by their disclosures.
• Annual reporting: Publishing an annual report to Parliament on its activities.

The Office will have the power to direct and monitor relevant bodies to ensure confidentiality and appropriate handling of disclosed information.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't specify the exact amount of government funding required to establish and operate the Office of the Whistleblower. The financial implications will depend on the scale of the Office's operations, including the size of the support fund and the number of cases handled. Significant new government spending is expected.

Groups Affected

• Whistleblowers: Will potentially benefit from improved support, advice, and potential financial redress.
• Employers and organizations: May face increased scrutiny regarding their handling of whistleblowing disclosures.
• Government departments: Will be responsible for establishing and funding the Office and may face increased workload related to managing disclosures.
• Legal and advisory professionals: May be involved in the panel of accredited firms and bodies supporting whistleblowers.

Powered by nyModel