Select committee: Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee

Recommendation 13

Seventh report - Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Scrutiny 2019–20 Published 25 Jan 2021 Paragraph 41

Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Scrutiny 2019-20 All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗

Recommendation (the committee's words)

The Committee reiterates its conclusion that legislative reform of the PHSO is required. The PHSO’s legislation is out of date compared to modern Ombudsman standards. While the Committee appreciates the pressing priorities facing the Government, including covid-19, reform of the PHSO should not be treated as a trifling matter and unworthy of parliamentary time. The PHSO represents the final stage in a complaints process. For many complainants, their complaints refer to matters of grave seriousness, such as the passing of a loved one, and it is essential they can have complete faith that there is an effective organisation at the end of the process. The outdated legislation undermines this important aim.

From: Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, Seventh report - Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Scrutiny 2019–20 (HC 843), paragraph 41, 25 January 2021

Government response

The government responded to the whole report on 20 April 2021 (deadline 25 March 2021).

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The Government's response addresses only the recommendation on legislative reform of the Ombudsman, stating that there are "no plans to reform the Ombudsman system up to and including 2023–24" while it will "carefully consider the committee's findings and any future opportunities".

The Government "appreciates the desire of PACAC to modernise Ombudsman standards and agrees that this is an important matter".
It gives the pressures on Government and the parliamentary timetable as the reason the 2016 Bill "has not progressed".
The Minister's letter covers only recommendation nine, which falls under Cabinet Office responsibility. The PHSO responds separately to the remaining recommendations.
The PHSO states that from the end of April 2021 it will start publishing casework decisions online.

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error