Service Complaints Ombudsman

Tobias Ellwood Excerpts

Thursday 26th April 2018 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Tobias Ellwood)]

I am pleased to lay before Parliament today the service complaints ombudsman's annual report for 2017 on the fairness, effectiveness and efficiency of the service complaints system.

This report is published by Nicola Williams, and covers the second year of operation of the new service complaints system and the work of her office in 2017.

The report recognises the improvements and progress made by the services in 2017, including the reduction in the backlog of pre-2016 complaints from the old system and where the services have demonstrated a better quality of evidenced decision making.

It also highlights those areas of the system where the ombudsman judges further work is required to improve the way in which complaints are handled, and makes ten new recommendations.

The findings of the report and the recommendations made will now be fully considered by the Ministry of Defence, and a formal response to the ombudsman will follow once that work is complete.

[HCWS648]