HL Deb 14 February 1968 vol 289 cc99-100
LORD FOLEY

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether in view of the fact that the operations of the Parliamentary Commissioner, although limited in scope, have proved to be of benefit to the community, they will now consider extending his powers or appointing separate commissioners to investigate complaints against local authorities, and thus provide similar protection for a larger number of unprivileged people.]

THE LORD CHANCELLOR (LORD GARDINER)

My Lords, both in the White Paper and during the passage of the Parliamentary Commissioner Bill the Government expressed the view that experience should be gained in the Commissioner's role in relation to central government before any consideration was given to extending his powers to com- plaints against local authorities and other public bodies. The Act received Royal Assent less than a year ago, and it is too early to judge how the Ombudsman system would work in the quite different circumstances of local government. However, as the Government have said before, it is open to local authorities to experiment with setting up their own machinery for dealing with complaints against the council.

LORD REA

My Lords, may I ask the Government, since the Ombudsman is approachable only by Members of Parliament—that is to say, Members of the other place, who are often referred to as Members of Parliament, and remembering that this House is a House of Parliament—whether they would consider extending the system so that people in various parts of the country might make an appeal through Members of this House as well as through Members of another place?

THE LORD CHANCELLOR

My Lords, as your Lordships will remember, the House considered that point of considerable length during the passage of the Bill. Parliament came to a different conclusion.

LORD PARGITER

My Lords, would my noble friend not agree that this change of heart in the Party opposite is very welcome?