Central Government
Complaints about the way a case has been handled by a department of central government and some non-departmental bodies such as the DVLA are dealt with by the Parliamentary Ombudsman. Complaints about the devolved National Assembly for Wales and other public Welsh bodies are dealt with by the Welsh Administration Ombudsman.
This section explains the procedure for submitting a complaint to the Parliamentary Ombudsman. The same procedure will apply for complaints to the Welsh Administration Ombudsman, unless otherwise indicated.
What can the Parliamentary Ombudsman investigate?
The Parliamentary Ombudsman has the power to investigate complaints of injustice or loss arising from poor administration. These include problems such as avoidable delay, bias and arbitrary decision-making.
There are some matters that the Parliamentary Ombudsman cannot investigate. These include;
How do you submit a complaint?
The Welsh Administration Ombudsman can accept complaints directly from members of the public. The Parliamentary Ombudsman, however, can only accept complaints submitted via an MP. This means that, if you feel that you lost out in some way because of central government error, you must first raise your concerns with an MP, usually the MP for your own constituency. He or she can be contacted locally or by writing to him or her at the House of Commons. Before approaching an MP you should ensure that you have exhausted all possible internal complaints procedures of the department or organisation you are complaining about. Also, the Parliamentary Ombudsman will not normally consider complaints put to an MP twelve months or more after you become aware of them.
What happens after an investigation?
Following an investigation, the Parliamentary Ombudsman may conclude that your complaint was partly or wholly justified and recommend a remedy. The Parliamentary Ombudsman has no powers of enforcement, but the government almost always accepts his or her recommendations, including those for compensation.
You cannot appeal a decision of the Parliamentary Ombudsman. Your complaint may be reviewed, however, on the basis of fresh evidence. A member of staff who is more senior than the person who originally dealt with your complaint will review the matter in light of the fresh evidence and a reply will be sent within 18 days. As a public authority, a decision of the Parliamentary Ombudsman can also be judicially reviewed.
What can you do if you are unhappy about the Parliamentary Ombudsman?
If you are concerned about the way in which your complaint has been dealt with or the service you have received from a member of staff, you can make use of the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s internal complaints procedure. Your complaint will be referred to a senior member of staff who was not involved in the original investigation. You will receive a reply within 18 days, but it may take longer if your complaint requires a detailed review of the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s work. You will be kept informed of the progress of the review. If this review shows that your complaint about the service is justified, you will be informed as to how the Parliamentary Ombudsman intends to resolve the problem.
Address for the Ombudsmen:
The Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London SW1P 4QP
Tel: 0845 015 4033
opca.enquiries@ombudsman.gsi.gov.uk
www.ombudsman.org.uk
The Welsh Administration Ombudsman
Fifth Floor, Capital Tower
Greyfriars Road
Cardiff CF10 3AG
Tel: 0845 601 0987
wao.enquiries@ombudsman.gsi.gov.uk
www.ombudsman.org.uk
This section explains the procedure for submitting a complaint to the Parliamentary Ombudsman. The same procedure will apply for complaints to the Welsh Administration Ombudsman, unless otherwise indicated.
What can the Parliamentary Ombudsman investigate?
The Parliamentary Ombudsman has the power to investigate complaints of injustice or loss arising from poor administration. These include problems such as avoidable delay, bias and arbitrary decision-making.
There are some matters that the Parliamentary Ombudsman cannot investigate. These include;
- Government policy
- The investigation of crime
- National security
- Court proceedings
- Local authorities
- Public service personnel matters
How do you submit a complaint?
The Welsh Administration Ombudsman can accept complaints directly from members of the public. The Parliamentary Ombudsman, however, can only accept complaints submitted via an MP. This means that, if you feel that you lost out in some way because of central government error, you must first raise your concerns with an MP, usually the MP for your own constituency. He or she can be contacted locally or by writing to him or her at the House of Commons. Before approaching an MP you should ensure that you have exhausted all possible internal complaints procedures of the department or organisation you are complaining about. Also, the Parliamentary Ombudsman will not normally consider complaints put to an MP twelve months or more after you become aware of them.
What happens after an investigation?
Following an investigation, the Parliamentary Ombudsman may conclude that your complaint was partly or wholly justified and recommend a remedy. The Parliamentary Ombudsman has no powers of enforcement, but the government almost always accepts his or her recommendations, including those for compensation.
You cannot appeal a decision of the Parliamentary Ombudsman. Your complaint may be reviewed, however, on the basis of fresh evidence. A member of staff who is more senior than the person who originally dealt with your complaint will review the matter in light of the fresh evidence and a reply will be sent within 18 days. As a public authority, a decision of the Parliamentary Ombudsman can also be judicially reviewed.
What can you do if you are unhappy about the Parliamentary Ombudsman?
If you are concerned about the way in which your complaint has been dealt with or the service you have received from a member of staff, you can make use of the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s internal complaints procedure. Your complaint will be referred to a senior member of staff who was not involved in the original investigation. You will receive a reply within 18 days, but it may take longer if your complaint requires a detailed review of the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s work. You will be kept informed of the progress of the review. If this review shows that your complaint about the service is justified, you will be informed as to how the Parliamentary Ombudsman intends to resolve the problem.
Address for the Ombudsmen:
The Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London SW1P 4QP
Tel: 0845 015 4033
opca.enquiries@ombudsman.gsi.gov.uk
www.ombudsman.org.uk
The Welsh Administration Ombudsman
Fifth Floor, Capital Tower
Greyfriars Road
Cardiff CF10 3AG
Tel: 0845 601 0987
wao.enquiries@ombudsman.gsi.gov.uk
www.ombudsman.org.uk
