Backbench Business - Whistleblowingbackbench Business

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 4:50 pm on 3 July 2019.

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Photo of Andrew Mitchell Andrew Mitchell Conservative, Sutton Coldfield 4:50, 3 July 2019

May I take my hon. Friend back to the last comment made by Norman Lamb? He talked about the importance of an office for the whistleblower and addressed the critical problem of the lack of effective high-level co-ordinating leadership, and in my view a national office for the whistleblower would be the answer. Does my hon. Friend agree that the creation of a national office for the whistleblower—to protect, advise and support whistleblowers by overseeing, co-ordinating, setting standards and holding to account the regulators and employers—is the right way to proceed? The vital point is that it would not investigate cases of whistleblowing; it would ensure that cases are properly investigated by existing bodies, identify failings and successes, and propose systemic improvements that would help to get us out of this very difficult situation.