04 July 2003
The possibility of a merger of the ombudsman services for local authorities, central government and health has receded indefinitely, local government ombudsman Tony Redmond has complained in his annual report.
He wrote that there 'is no immediate prospect of legislation' to bring about the merger and that he therefore 'remains concerned about our ability to carry out joint investigations of complaints arising in areas such as health, social care, benefits and regeneration'.
The government accepted a Cabinet Office recommendation two years ago to merge the local government ombudsman, the parliamentary commissioner for administration and the health service commissioner, all of which have since been based in the same building.
But the local government ombudsman said: 'It is understood that hopes of a draft Bill featuring in the 2003/04 parliamentary timetable are receding.'
There was a fall in the number of complaints sent to the local government ombudsman in 2002/03 to 18,309, from 17,610 the previous year.
Redmond said this was because of a significant decrease in the number of complaints about housing benefit administration.
PFjul2003
