"Committed to leading the campaign for root and branch reform of whistleblowing legislation and the introduction of the Office of the Whistleblower"
~ Mary Robinson, APPG Chair
WHISTLEBLOWING
All Party Parliamentary Group
All Party Parliamentary Group for Whistleblowing
A Whistleblower is defined as "a person who exposes any kind of information or activity that is deemed illegal, unethical, or not correct within an organization that is either private or public". These individuals are vulnerable to retaliation for their actions and whilst there are laws in place purposed to protect them, sometimes the laws are not adequate or effective in their practical application.
The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Whistleblowers was set up with the aim to provide stronger protection for whistleblowers.
Levelling Up, Housing, and
Communities Committee endorses Whistleblowing Bill
Our APPG Chair, Mary Robinson MP, has worked with the Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities Committee,
of which she is a member, to gain their endorsement for the Whistleblowing Bill. While whistleblowing as
a policy area is currently under the Department for Business and Trade, it is clear to the Committee and to our allies
that this issue affects all areas. You can read the full letter below.
Read the APPG's submission to the
Health and Social Care Committee
Our Manifesto
Whistleblowing is crucial to a free and open society. As an APPG, we are committed to bringing forward root and branch reform that protects every person from the mistreatment whistleblowers are currently subjected to. We are announcing our whistleblowing manifesto to bring forward these reforms.
Our Bill will establish the Office of the Whistleblower to ensure that every citizen is protected, that legitimate concerns are investigated, and that those people and institutions are prosecuted when they breach the law. You can read more about this in our manifesto and in our Bill.
Our Bill
Our chair, Mary Robinson MP, is proud to have presented The Whistleblowing Bill to Parliament on the 26th April 2022. This bill is both a tribute to all whistleblowers who have worked hard and risked so much to shine a light on wrongdoing, and a call to action for all organisations to take whistleblowing seriously for their benefit and societies.
This Bill Delivers:
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Protection for EVERY citizen who is, has been or is perceived to be a whistleblower and those associated with the whistleblower
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Mandatory minimum standards for policies and procedures and Investigations of protected disclosures
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A new judicial process for deciding disputes arising from whistleblowing
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Significant fines and penalties for individuals and organisations that discriminate or retaliate against whistleblowers
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Dedicated helplines, Education and Support for the Public and Organisations and an ongoing Public Awareness Campaign to ensure that every citizen knows their rights and how to access them
The Whistleblowing Bill has the potential to save lives, halt corruption, and safeguard people who speak out.
Our Promise
Our promise is to work to identify where the law adequately fails to protect whistleblowers and, work with industry experts, whistleblowers, regulators and businesses, to recommend positive, effective and practical proposals for change. We are not only aiming to change the current legislation but also the culture and perception of whistleblowers through the work of this APPG.
Identify. Collaborate. Recommend. Change.
A foreword from our chair Mary Robinson MP.
My election as the Chair of the APPG for Whistleblowing as the Covid-19 crisis hit has further persuaded me of the importance of my role in chairing this All-Party Parliamentary Group to introduce a gold standard, world-class legislation. However, my personal interest in whistleblowing rests in my experience as a constituency MP where I am confronted with whistleblowers who have turned to me as a last resort. I have seen first hand the impact of the failure of organisations to address genuine concerns and their response toward the whistleblower. This is just unacceptable.
Mary Robinson MP, Registered Chair of this APPG
I have agreed with my co-chairs and other members of the APPG a work-plan that allows us to continue the excellent work of my predecessor Stephen Kerr. The secretariat will be organising a further call to evidence so that I can read and hear the experience, views and opinions of whistleblowers and organisations from across all of the sectors. We will continue to interview regulators, professional bodies and trade unions inviting them to share their experience of whistleblowing and encourage their feedback on the proposals put forward in the report for an Office for the Whistleblower. We plan to release a number of short reports this year with some interim findings and a full report next year setting out the conclusions of the call to evidence.
As Parliamentarians, we will be tabling questions to the government and looking for opportunities to schedule debates. We will also be supporting new Bills supporting root and branch reform of existing legislation as part of our commitment to protect whistleblowers.
I would like to use this opportunity to pay tribute to all front line NHS, social care and all other essential workers for their commitment and for continuing to speak up when they see wrongdoing. This crisis has shown us all that whistleblowing is more important than ever if we are going to combat not only Covid-19 but crime, corruption and cover-up.
Questionnaires
Our National Whistleblowing survey has LAUNCHED!
The study is being conducted by the Centre for Financial and Corporate Integrity (CFCI) at Coventry University in collaboration with WhistleblowersUK and a report will be provided to the All Party Parliamentary Group for Whistleblowing (APPG).
The aim of this study is to gather evidence from as wide an audience as possible across all sectors with regards to the efficiency of whistleblowing protection in the UK .The results of the survey will also be made available to the public through relevant academic publications. The APPG will assess this report and use the results to inform their recommendations for new legislation that will improve whistleblowers' protection in the UK. These recommendations will be available in an interim APPG report planned for March 2021.
Our Survey is currently under maintenance please come back for the relaunch!