UK | IOI President appears before UK Parliamentary Committee

On Tuesday 8 January IOI President and Irish Ombudsman Peter Tyndall appeared before the UK Parliament’s Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee.

Mr Tyndall was giving his observations on the performance of the UK Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.  This followed a peer review of the PHSO which Mr Tyndall chaired with Caroline Mitchell (Lead Ombudsman Financial Ombudsman Service) and Chris Gill (lecturer, University of Glasgow). 

Mr Tyndall commented that:

• The current leadership team of PHSO has rebuilt the trust among staff within the Ombudsman.
  
  
• The Ombudsman service lacks ‘own initiative’ investigation powers that would significantly enhance the service it offers and bring it in line with ombudsmen in Northern Ireland and many countries in Europe. 
   
• ‘Own initiative’ powers, where an Ombudsman launches an investigation without receiving a written complaint, could potentially provide justice for more people while also driving important public service improvements and financial savings.

The transcript of the proceedings is available on the UK House of Commons website  and you can watch a recording of the session at.

Source: Office of the Ombudsman, Ireland