HL Deb 01 March 2000 vol 610 c80WA
Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will introduce a measure ensuring that police officers are given protection for the disclosure of information in the public interest equivalent to the protection given to workers to make a qualifying disclosure by the Employment Rights Act 1996 as amended by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. [HL 1176]

Lord Bassam of Brighton

Guidance issued by my right honourable friend the Home Secretary to police forces under Sections 83 and 87 of the Police Act 1996 makes it clear that police officers have an obligation to disclose wrongdoing by others in the force, and that supervisors and managers should ensure that any officer who makes such a disclosure is not victimised, whether by act or omission. Any officer who is thought to have victimised another officer is liable to misconduct proceedings.