The UK Government has just released its response to The Call for Evidence on the Whistleblowing Framework. The intention of the Call For Evidence was to investigate and seek out specific areas within the existing framework that might have needed amending following changes in the labor market since the 1998 legislation. This was part of the Government’s larger initiative towards building a more flexible, efficient and fair labour market.
The response promises to provide more information and support for whistleblowers. It includes a number of reforms including:
- Regulators obligated to publish reported whistleblowing concerns
- Expansion of the scope of protection for whistleblowers (now including student nurses)
- Improved guidance from the Government for businesses seeking good practice and whistleblowers
As a Solicitor-Advocate counselling clients so that they can make informed decisions about whether to step forward to become whistleblowers, my view is that the continuing vulnerabilities for UK whistleblowers and lack of effectiveness in bringing wrongdoers to justice will, for the foreseeable future, remain much the same as now due to this UK Government response, which stated that it does not believe financial incentives should be introduced as an integral aspect of the whistleblowing framework to reward whistleblowers. So for whistleblowers with appropriate Reports to file, it may be that the safest and most effective jurisdiction to file such a Report will continue to be directly to the relevant Authority in the US.