Chamber
Plenary, 28 Mar 2007
28 Mar 2007 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
I will keep my comments brief, to allow Fergus Ewing to speak.
I am happy to vote for the reappointment of Alice Brown as the ombudsman, but, like many other members, I have a number of concerns. One is that we do not have a more systematic way of ensuring that the ombudsman is held to account more regularly by the Parliament for her work. I hope that, in the new session of Parliament, both the Parliamentary Bureau and the corporate body will consider how we can improve that interface.
There are currently four problems with the ombudsman's office. First, to be fair, the resources required to do the job, to date, have not been made available to the ombudsman. We are going some way towards solving that problem, but I suspect that we need to go further. Secondly, the turnaround times for cases are far too long. It has taken more than a year for the ombudsman to decide whether to investigate a case that I am dealing with. Thirdly, the variability of the quality of the service is, frankly, not acceptable. It depends too much on which particular investigator handles the case, rather than on overall quality control in the office.
The fourth problem, which I hope that the Parliament in the new session will consider as well, is the ombudsman's remit and powers. We have given her too narrow a remit, compared with the remits of ombudsmen in other countries, and not enough powers to enforce her recommendations.
I hope that all those issues will be addressed after 3 May.
I am happy to vote for the reappointment of Alice Brown as the ombudsman, but, like many other members, I have a number of concerns. One is that we do not have a more systematic way of ensuring that the ombudsman is held to account more regularly by the Parliament for her work. I hope that, in the new session of Parliament, both the Parliamentary Bureau and the corporate body will consider how we can improve that interface.
There are currently four problems with the ombudsman's office. First, to be fair, the resources required to do the job, to date, have not been made available to the ombudsman. We are going some way towards solving that problem, but I suspect that we need to go further. Secondly, the turnaround times for cases are far too long. It has taken more than a year for the ombudsman to decide whether to investigate a case that I am dealing with. Thirdly, the variability of the quality of the service is, frankly, not acceptable. It depends too much on which particular investigator handles the case, rather than on overall quality control in the office.
The fourth problem, which I hope that the Parliament in the new session will consider as well, is the ombudsman's remit and powers. We have given her too narrow a remit, compared with the remits of ombudsmen in other countries, and not enough powers to enforce her recommendations.
I hope that all those issues will be addressed after 3 May.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh):
Con
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-5785, in the name of John Scott, on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, on the reappoint...
John Scott (Ayr) (Con):
Con
As a member of the SPCB reappointment panel, I speak to the motion in my name to invite members to agree to the nomination of Professor Alice Brown for appoi...
Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD):
LD
Is the member aware that one deficiency of the reports that are presented to the Parliament is the lack of clarity about the internal workings of the ombudsm...
John Scott:
Con
I thank Mr Purvis for his intervention. We have of course raised that with the ombudsman, who assured us that she is addressing those matters, particularly t...
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
Mr Scott is aware that I have raised with him and the corporate body several concerns about the ombudsman's office's handling of complaints. I have expressed...
John Scott:
Con
We share Murdo Fraser's concerns. His point is similar to the point that Mr Purvis made. We have raised the matters that he asks about with the ombudsman at ...
Mark Ballard (Lothians) (Green):
Green
Will the member take an intervention?
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
I am afraid that the member has only one minute left.
John Scott:
Con
I am sorry.The ombudsman has dealt with more than 14,000 complaints and inquiries since she took up office. We have received 20 complaints about the ombudsma...
Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP):
SNP
I acknowledge the difficult task that the SPCB faces in undertaking such processes on behalf of members of the Scottish Parliament. As a consequence, I have ...
Mark Ballard:
Green
In that context, it is worth noting that the number of cases dealt with by the Scottish public services ombudsman has doubled between 2003 and the present da...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
Quickly.
Mark Ballard:
Green
Does John Swinney share my concern that, in a demand-led institution, without the proper funding there will be delays in timetables?
Mr Swinney:
SNP
That may be a reasonable point. I do not know whether Mr Ballard asked to speak in the debate, but he could have made that point in the debate.MSPs must be a...
The Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
NPA
I will allow two brief speeches, from Alex Neil and from Fergus Ewing.
Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I will keep my comments brief, to allow Fergus Ewing to speak.I am happy to vote for the reappointment of Alice Brown as the ombudsman, but, like many other ...
Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP):
SNP
I endorse the comments that have been made by my colleagues, John Swinney and Alex Neil. In the short time that is available to me, I wish to make one furthe...
John Scott:
Con
I thank members for their generally supportive stance in this debate. I note the concerns of Mr Swinney, Murdo Fraser, Jeremy Purvis, Alex Neil and Fergus Ew...