Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Rejected
Government has not independently reviewed AEAT complaints, and ombudsman services lack jurisdiction for investigation.
Conclusion
Government has not commissioned any independent review into the complaints raised by AEAT members, and all of the relevant ombudsman services have said they cannot investigate the information government provided in 1996.19 PHSO told us it is unable to investigate personnel and superannuation matters, and that this would require a legislative change to allow it to look into the issue properly.20 We asked DWP what the Minister of State for Pensions was referring to when he wrote in 2020 that the matter had been thoroughly investigated. DWP told us that the Minister was referring to the large amount of correspondence on the issue and two Westminster Hall debates, rather than any specific investigation or review.21
Government Response Summary
The government rejects the recommendation, stating that changing the ombudsman's remit is a policy matter and the 2013 Fair Deal policy ensures similar circumstances will not reoccur in the future.
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
2.1 The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 2.2 Complaints on this matter have been considered by relevant government bodies, including the Pensions Ombudsman (and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman), and decisions on these complaints including whether they are able to investigate them have been taken according to the remits given to them by Parliament and other broader statutory constraints. As referenced in paragraph 6.5 of HM Treasury guidance, Parliamentary scrutiny of public spending, the department cannot respond further on this matter as changing the remit of an ombudsman would be a policy matter. 2.3 As set out in the Committee’s report, the government’s 2013 Fair Deal policy means that the specific circumstances of this case would not happen again, as in cases of privatisation the pensions would now be expected to remain in public sector schemes.