This Order amends the Public Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Persons) Order 1999 (“the 1999 Order”) by adding the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (“Ofqual”) to the list of prescribed persons in that Order. It also specifies the description of matters in respect of which Ofqual is prescribed.

Section 47B of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (“the 1996 Act”) provides a worker with the right not to suffer any detriment as a result of making a ‘protected’ disclosure, which by virtue of section 43A of that Act is a qualifying disclosure made in accordance with the requirements of the 1996 Act. Section 43F of the 1996 Act provides that a disclosure is protected if it is made to a prescribed person. The 1999 Order prescribes those persons and specifies the matters for which those persons are prescribed.

An Impact Assessment has not been produced for this instrument as there will be minimal impact on business, civil society organisations, and the public sector.