Public Administration Select Committee: Have your say on the complaints process

UKParliament

Hi oneye14

Thank you for your responses to these questions, as with the other comments, these will be gathered to inform the Public Administration Select Committee.

Thank you for taking the time to respond.
Best wishes

DOT

dougie12

The Ombudsman in northern ireland is nothing less than USELESS, they do not want to help and simple fob you off on different areas...ben trying for 6 months to get them involved in case against social services but they are useless...government should replace them with people that can do the job properly

Swingle

oneye14 wrote: »

However we are listening ....

Whose the 'WE' ???????

oneye14

Swingle wrote: »

Whose the 'WE' ???????

There's 3 of us here and anyone else who takes the point.

On that point ceeforina, it's time you named your MP who refuses to help you..

UKParliament

We have received by email the below text submitted by Forum27 who is currently unable to post due to technical difficulties:

Submitted by 'Forum27'

Notwithstanding DOT's efforts on behalf of the PASC, the new outreach initiative hosted by MSE has thus far yielded only 7 additional replies subsequent to the PASC's original June 2013 deadline for written submissions to its PHSO Inquiry.

Given DPA constraints, it seems rather obvious that the only effective, common sense way for the PASC to proceed if using good faith efforts to obtain additional feedback from users of the PHSO service - certainly as regards complaints requiring 'MP filter' - is to require MPs who have filed complaints on behalf of constituents to contact and encourage those constituents to provide their views to PASC, pointing out, as PASC has, that they should not 'lose the opportunity'.

PASC would do well also to take into account fast-emerging facts, conclusions and inferences that can be drawn from FOI requests made to the Parliamentary Ombudsman via the 'WhatDoTheyKnow' website and associated annotations. See: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/body/parliamentary_and_health_service_ombudsman

Dougie12's point is well made. Whereas it may not be in the Government's 'interests' to replace the PHSO service as it exists at this time, it is certainly Parliament's RESPONSIBILITY to fix and replace it with a fit for purpose, beyond reproach service - to be determined by actual service users.

In response to OneEye14's rhetorical question about scope for involving the police, in 2009 I did seek to involve the MET Commissioner claiming misconduct in public office by the PHSO, amongst others. After some time the MET's reply was that the offence is 'rare' and 'reserved' for the most egregious cases.

As events unfold at this time in the Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP debacle, it would 'appear' that the offence is or may be reservable and applicable only when a Cabinet minister or other such high official is or may have been prejudiced by public misconduct. In such cases the MET and CPS can then find unlimited resources to investigate to potentially bring a criminal prosecution where wilful lies, deceit and fabricated evidence by public officals is substantiated.

UKParliament

dougie12 wrote: »

The Ombudsman in northern ireland is nothing less than USELESS, they do not want to help and simple fob you off on different areas...ben trying for 6 months to get them involved in case against social services but they are useless...government should replace them with people that can do the job properly

Hi dougie12

Thank you very much for your comments concerning your experiences of the Ombudsman in Northern Ireland.

PASC doesn't scrutinise the performance of the Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, its remit is to look at the performance and effectiveness of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, a separate body that looks at UK government public organisations and the NHS in England.

PASC are likely however to look to other parts of the UK, including Northern Ireland, for comparators.

Thank you again for taking the time - we would like to suggest visiting our poll if you would like to provide your experiences to assist with our further questions: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4776492.

Best wishes
DOT

oneye14

In response to OneEye14's rhetorical question about scope for involving the police, in 2009 I did seek to involve the MET Commissioner claiming misconduct in public office by the PHSO, amongst others. After some time the MET's reply was that the offence is 'rare' and 'reserved' for the most egregious cases.

After checking my facts I can assure you and Forum27 the point was not rhetorical.


I also go back further to around 2006/7 for alleged misconduct in public office.
We do not expect co-operation in our investigation from the PHSO or the Government Department involved which I understand was the Ministry of Justice (known then as the Lord Chancellor's Department), but the Monarchy also appears obstructive.

Maybe the Digital Outreach Team in it's Mission Statement

The UK Parliament is made up of three parts – the House of Commons, House of Lords and the Monarchy.

could expand on what it regards as the Monarchy as the constitution varies depending whose version is read.

UKParliament

Wednesday 16 October 2013, due to start at 9.30am*

Witness: The Rt Hon Oliver Letwin MP, Minister for Government Policy, Cabinet Office.

At this session Members will hear from the Minister for Government Policy on both PASC inquiries into complaints handling: Complaints: Do they make a difference?, which examines complaints handling in government departments; and Parliament’s Ombudsman Service, which looks at the performance and effectiveness of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.


Particular issues to be explored may include:

• The effectiveness of the current working relationship between Parliament and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

This will be available to view live on Parliament TV http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=13946 (Silverlight or Windows Media Player are required to stream Parliament TV).


Should you wish to inform us of your experiences on the working relationship between Parliament and the PHSO please visit our thread Public Administration Select Committee: PASC, Parliament and PHSO: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4776486

Many thanks
DOT

*this time is subject to change depending on the business of the Committee. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

UKParliament

The Committee is still interested in hearing about people's experiences of the PHSO to help inform their questions during the course of the inquiry.

Many thanks
DOT

UKParliament

Tuesday 29 October:
Meeting starts at 9.30am*

and is available to watch via Parliament Live TV Player: http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=14054 (Silverlight or Windows Media Player is required to stream Parliament TV).


Members will hear from three academics with experience and expertise drawn from different institutions and disciplines (administrative law, political science and British government).


Witnesses expected to attend include:

• Brian Thompson, Senior Lecturer, School of Law, University of Liverpool,
• Patrick Dunleavy, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, London School of Economics, and
• Robert Hazell, Professor of British Politics and Government and Director of the Constitution Unit, University College London

Issues to be explored may include:

• Performance: does the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) make enough of a difference?
• Purpose: does PHSO exist primarily to provide redress for individuals, to achieve broader, systemic improvement, or both? and
• Powers: Does PHSO have the right set of tools to do the job?

We will keep you updated on the progress of the inquiry.

Thank you
DOT

*The session may start slightly later as Parliamentary business is subject to change.