Could someone tell me if there is a whisteblowers law now and if it applies to the civil service?
I have several civil service friends who are almost like MI5 in the care they take, not to say anything about their jobs. One works in a sensitive area and having known her always as an extremely honest person, I know that she would hate to see waste but is there anyway that she can communicate this legally as she took the Official Secrets Oath.
Now I work in an area where many, not me, deal constantly with the government and again we see many blatant misuses of very expensive transport. We are forbidden to contact any member of the press with any complaint, it is part of our job spec, and it is taken very seriously if a breach occurs. What can we do? Within the last few years, a situation has arisen where professionals are needed in the organisation and retired people are brought back who basically make small fortunes. However an increase in basic pay would attract new entrants people who would work full-time and provide a better service. Now the decision to not pay higher rates is controlled by the Dept of Finance but they will allow astronomical spend on these temp people which is not a satisfactory situation for our dept. Yet what resource do we have - none.
Funnily enough , travel and sub budgets are very carefully controlled and there are no nail bars. Nor do we ever have subsidised Christmas dinners and we buy our own coffee/teaa/ biscuits.
But I have seen things which I feel were a waste, not large scale but still annoying and it bugs me. I am naturally frugal, the type who turns off lights etc and recycles envelopes at work as well as at home and I think we could save a lot .
But whistleblowers must be allowed.
I have several civil service friends who are almost like MI5 in the care they take, not to say anything about their jobs. One works in a sensitive area and having known her always as an extremely honest person, I know that she would hate to see waste but is there anyway that she can communicate this legally as she took the Official Secrets Oath.
Now I work in an area where many, not me, deal constantly with the government and again we see many blatant misuses of very expensive transport. We are forbidden to contact any member of the press with any complaint, it is part of our job spec, and it is taken very seriously if a breach occurs. What can we do? Within the last few years, a situation has arisen where professionals are needed in the organisation and retired people are brought back who basically make small fortunes. However an increase in basic pay would attract new entrants people who would work full-time and provide a better service. Now the decision to not pay higher rates is controlled by the Dept of Finance but they will allow astronomical spend on these temp people which is not a satisfactory situation for our dept. Yet what resource do we have - none.
Funnily enough , travel and sub budgets are very carefully controlled and there are no nail bars. Nor do we ever have subsidised Christmas dinners and we buy our own coffee/teaa/ biscuits.
But I have seen things which I feel were a waste, not large scale but still annoying and it bugs me. I am naturally frugal, the type who turns off lights etc and recycles envelopes at work as well as at home and I think we could save a lot .
But whistleblowers must be allowed.
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