HL Deb 24 March 1970 vol 308 cc1331-2

2.40 p.m.

LORD BEAUMONT OF WHITLEY

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

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will recommend to British Colonial Governments that they should appoint Ombudsmen.]

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, any member of the public in the Dependent Territories already has the right to petition the Governor, the Secretary of State and Her Majesty The Queen about any grievances he may have. But should the Government of any Dependent Territory express a wish to appoint an Ombudsman Her Majesty's Government would of course give the matter careful and sympathetic consideration.

LORD BEAUMONT OF WHITLEY

My Lords, while thanking the Minister for that Answer, may I ask whether it is the practice of Her Majesty's Government to give advice on constitutional and social innovations to Colonial Governments? If so, is it not important that advice should be given on the innovation of the office of Ombudsman which has been such a success in this country?

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, of course we give advice, but in the main it is for the Territories themselves to decide whether they should accept that advice. I think the noble Lord should bear in mind that our Ombudsman in this country has a special relationship to Parliament, and many of the Dependent Territories have not yet reached the same Parliamentary basis as we have in this country. But this is a matter to which we have already drawn the attention of the Dependent Territories.