Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 7
7
Accepted
Cabinet Office whistleblowing data has improved but lacks outcome and whistleblower perspective
Conclusion
Cabinet Office’s information on concerns and arrangements across the civil service has improved but it still has several quality limitations. For example, there is no method for capturing outcomes for concerns that are ‘ongoing’ at the point of an annual data collection and no structured data on what the process is like from the whistleblowers’ perspective.10 The Cabinet Office told us that the next time it collects data, it will pick up cases that were outstanding at the previous data collection so that it can track them end to end.11 It also accepted that it should ask departments if there are any cases of victimisation or harassment to understand the whistleblowing experience more going forward.12
Government Response Summary
The Cabinet Office will review the annual data collection for 2024-25, widening the data set to focus on clarity of case categorisation, time to conclude investigations, whistleblower experience, nil responses, follow up on ongoing cases and assurance conversations, targeting implementation by Spring 2025.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
1.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Spring 2025 1.2 The Cabinet Office will work with departmental leads to review the annual data collection for the year 2024-25, including the widening of the data set to focus on: 39 • 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. 1.3 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. 1.4 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.