§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. [135452]
§ Dr. MoonieA copy of the Civil Service Code was issued to every MOD civil servant in May 1999. The Department's procedures require staff to report any matters of concern within the scope of the Code to their third line manager in the first instance. If the matter cannot be resolved at this level staff have a right of appeal to their Top Level Budget Holder and, ultimately, to the Permanent Under Secretary of State. The procedures also make provision for staff to be able to discuss concerns in confidence with a senior officer outside of their management area if they wish. If, having raised a matter of concern to them within the Department, a member of staff considers that he or she has not received a reasonable response there is a right of appeal to the Civil Service Commissioners.
These procedures are set out in the Department's Personnel Manual and reiterated in departmental instructions regularly circulated to all staff.