Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 1
1
Accepted
Committee received evidence on civil service whistleblowing from Cabinet Office and other departments.
Conclusion
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Cabinet Office, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) on whistleblowing in the civil service.1
Government Response Summary
The government appears to be responding to an unstated recommendation regarding data collection and analysis for 2024-25, committing to specific actions such as widening data sets, clarifying categorisation, tracking victimisation claims, commissioning data returns, and supporting practitioners.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. collection for the year 2024-25, including the widening of the data set to focus on: • providing clarity and consensus on the categorisation of cases and outcomes; • clarifying the time taken to conclude an investigation; • requesting additional information on the experience / treatment of the whistleblower; • ensuring nil responses are submitted; • following up on cases which were ongoing at the time of collection; • holding departmental assurance conversations. The Cabinet Office will explore with departmental leads the feasibility of tracking cases where whistleblowers have subsequently made victimisation or harassment claims. The Cabinet Office Government Chief People Officer wrote to HR Directors on 12 June 2024, to commission the data return for 2023-2024. The commission has been shared with Accounting Officers to support compliance and their role in whistleblowing. The final analysis report will be shared with HR Directors in late summer 2024, to support understanding of their organisation’s position and the wider Civil Service context. The Cabinet Office has shared the Raising a Concern self-assessment tool (formerly the health check) and will continue to work with departmental leads to ensure that a senior leader in each organisation has oversight of cases and can provide assurance on the Raising a Concern process. 1b: PAC recommendation: The Cabinet Office should check the data collected from departments is being reported accurately by undertaking spot checks. This should be implemented immediately. The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented During the 2023-24 data collection exercise, the Cabinet Office took robust action through regular engagement with practitioners to ensure the accuracy of the data submitted. This has been further bolstered by ensuring that it is clear when departments are responding on behalf of their agencies. And where they are not responding, being clear that they should be aware of their agencies' returns. The Cabinet Office ran a series of drop-in sessions in June 2024, to support practitioners with the completion of annual data returns, to clarify the submission process and to ensure accurate and timely responses. The Cabinet Office held departmental assurance meetings (spot checks) with practitioners throughout Summer 2024, to ensure the accuracy of the data submitted, share learning and promote the importance of whistleblowing across the Civil Service. The Cabinet Office has set up a working group with representatives from across civil service departments, to progress the former Committee’s recommendations.