The Parliamentary Ombudsman
The Cabinet Office provides the Government's central link with the Parliamentary
Ombudsman [Ombudsman website]
The Parliamentary Ombudsman (also known as the Parliamentary Commissioner
for Administration) investigates complaints that injustice has been caused
by maladministration on the part of government departments or other public
bodies.
The Parliamentary Ombudsman is an officer of the House of Commons
(appointed by the Crown) and is independent of the Government.Powers and
responsibilities are set out in the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967.
The present Parliamentary Ombudsman, Ann Abraham, also holds the separate
posts of Health Service Commissioner for England, looking into complaints
against the NHS.
> Further details about the role of the
Ombudsman [Ombudsman website]
Complaints about Scottish bodies and the NHS in Scotland are now handled by
the Scottish Public Services
Ombudsman
In July 2003, the Government published its response to the Public
Administration Select Committee's Third Report of Session 2002-3
Ombudsman Issues [Parliament website]. The Government's response
included the text of a Memorandum of Understanding agreed between
Government Departments and the Parliamentary Ombudsman on the handling of
cases arising under the Code of Practice on Access to Government
Information.
>
Government response (pdf, 446kb)
Useful Publications
