§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what procedures exist in his Department for a civil servant to report actions which(a) are illegal, improper, or unethical, (b) are in breach of constitutional convention or a professional code, (c) may involve possible maladministration and (d) are otherwise inconsistent with the Civil Service Code. [136016]
§ Mr. WillsDfEE whistleblowing procedures were launched in March 2000. Under these procedures staff are able to report suspected malpractice which breaches the Civil Service Code, legal or ethical standards, and threatens the interests or safety of others (such as staff and the public) and the DFEE itself. They provide a confidential internal channel for raising and dealing with malpractice and offer protection to staff who raise concerns in good faith.