Recommendation 13

The National Audit Office found that just 52% of people ‘think it is safe to challenge the way things are done’, from their review of responses to the 2022 Civil Service People Survey. The equivalent figure for the NHS was 61.5%.29 The Cabinet Office told us it has improved over the recent People Surveys, but it needs to work on increasing this percentage as its not where it wants it to be. The Cabinet Office highlighted that it can support departments with the right tools to improve their ‘speak up’ environment, but said it is the responsibility of individual Accounting Officers to make sure they set the right 18 C&AG’s Report, para 3.11 19 Q 27 20 Q 37; C&AG’s Report, para 3.11 21 Q 27 22 C&AG’s Report, para 14 23 Q 48–50 24 Qq 63–65 25 Qq 38; C&AG’s Report, para 3.12 26 Qq 38–40, 72 27 Q 2 28 Q 28 29 C&AG’s Report, para 3.7 Investigation into whistleblowing in the civil service 11 environment in their own departments and agencies. The Cabinet Office also noted that audit and risk committees need to ensure the right processes are in place for Accounting Officers to be able to discharge that accountability.30