Select committee: Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Conclusion 1
First Report - Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Scrutiny 2020–21
Published 20 May 2022
Paragraph 19
Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Scrutiny 2020-21 All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
The Committee notes the actions taken by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to ensure continuing services to the public in difficult and unprecedented circumstances throughout the pandemic. However, the Committee notes the substantial backlog which has developed as a result. Whilst action is being taken to reduce this, we remain concerned at the impact of delays upon those using the services of the PHSO. The Committee was also concerned to learn that changes to case-handling of level 1 and level 2 health cases have not been as clearly communicated to the public or Members of Parliament as they could have been.
From: Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, First Report - Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Scrutiny 2020–21 (HC 213), paragraph 19, 20 May 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 26 July 2022 (deadline 20 July 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government says it "agree[s] that Ombudsman reform is an important matter" but states that wide-scale reform is not currently in its legislative programme, and it does not set out the legislative timetable the Committee asked for.
- The Government says it "continues to consider options for Ombudsman reform".
- It notes that the Queen's Speech announced a Victims Bill and that the consultation sets out an intention to remove the requirement for victims of crime to raise a complaint through an MP, via primary legislation.
- The Victims Bill will be introduced to Parliament "in due course"; no date is given.
- If it wishes to make proposals for wider Ombudsman reform, the minister says he will engage with the Committee.