Public Services Ombudsmen

HC 1136

Author:

Law Commission

Publisher:

TSO (The Stationery Office)

Price: £21.25

'Public Services Ombudsmen (HC 1136)' deals with the five public service ombudsmen operating in England and Wales:

(i) The Parliamentary Commissioner.

(ii) The Local Government Ombudsman.

(iii) The Health Service Ombudsman.

(iv) The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.

(v) The Housing Ombudsman.

The public services ombudsmen provide a vital redress mechanism for aggrieved citizens; they are free for complainants, confidential and swift.

The overarching aim of this report is to recommend modernisation of the statutes for these ombudsmen:

• clarifying them where required;

• reforming them where the Commission thinks this would facilitate the work of the ombudsmen; and

• increasing transparency and accountability where necessary.

The Commission could not consider fundamental institutional design, and did not look at the creation of new ombudsmen or the amalgamation of the existing ombudsmen. The subject matter of the ombudsmen's work or the definition of "maladministration" was also not considered.

The report is divided in to five parts including:

• the recommendation to commission a general review of the role of the public services ombudsmen and their relationship with other institutions for administrative justice, such as judicial review or tribunals;

• access to the ombudsmen;

• the ombudsmen process;

• resolution, report & sharing experience; and

• independence & accountability.

Extent	84 pages	ISBN	9780102973785
Size	A4	Price	£21.25
Format	Paperback	Published	13 Jul 2011
Availability	Colour copy: 3 - 5 days	Delivery	Delivery options and charges