Protect welcomes Baroness Kramer’s Office for the Whistleblower Bill which has been launched in the House of Lords (Tuesday January 28).
Protect Acting Chief Executive, Liz Gardiner, said, “Now more than ever, we need to create an independent but central body that drives better policy and standards for whistleblowing. We want to see much greater consistency in how employers and regulators deal with concerns, and how they support whistleblowers. Today’s system is complex and confusing and whistleblowers fall through the gaps.
“This Bill provides an opportunity for a new body to hold regulators and employers to account and we hope it will have powers to fine employers and regulators when they don’t address whistleblowers’ concerns, or when they victimise those who speak up to stop harm”.
Georgina Halford Hall, Chief Executive of Whistleblowers UK said, “WhistleblowersUK was delighted to assist with the content of this bill to create a new government office responsible for the protection of the rights of whistleblowers and provide a point of contact for them, which was proposed this week in the House of Lords by The Right Honourable Baroness Susan Kramer. “
Baroness Kramer, who is part of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Whistleblowing, proposes a new body – the Office for the Whistleblower which will – amongst other functions give direction to and monitor the activities of relevant bodies prescribed, serve as a point of contact for whistleblowers who wish to make a disclosure, and maintain a fund to support whistleblowers.
Protect, who have drafted new legislation to replace the current whistleblowing legislation, the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA), urge support for Baroness Kramer’s bill, and its own detailed re-draft of PIDA.
Liz Gardiner said, “We look forward to discussions on the detail of the bill, and to working with all those campaigning to improve whistleblowing legislation.”
* Protect is lobbying for legal reform of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 and has drafted new whistleblowing legislation.