Jo Swinson promises reform of whistleblowing laws

From tomorrow's Guardian:

Whistleblowing legislation is to be overhauled and a government consultation held to investigate whether the Public Interest Disclosure Act... 1998 is failing to protect those who speak out from being victimised, harassed and even sacked by their employers. 

In a private letter sent on Wednesday to MPs and peers campaigning for the Act to be changed, employment relations minister Jo Swinson promised a series of amendments to the legislation, followed by "a call for evidence" by the government to examine whether the Act is, as campaigners claim, not "fit for purpose".

The report also contains new claims that Sir David Nicholson, the chief executive of the NHS, ignored warnings that patients could die there because managers were being forced to meet unrealistic targets.