§ Lord Henderson of Bromptonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have considered whether the Social Fund Commissioner and social fund inspectors should fall within the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration; and, if so, with what result.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Social Security (Lord Skelmersdale)We have concluded that neither the Social Fund Commissioner nor social fund inspectors should fall714WA within the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration. The legislation relating to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration shows that Parliament intended the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration only to investigate possible maladministration by officials acting as agents of the Secretary of State. Social fund officers, like adjudication officers, do not act as agents of the Secretary of State when making independent social fund decisions, and therefore do not come into this category. Social fund inspectors can only review decisions of social fund officers taken in their independent capacity and the Social Fund Commissioner only relates to social fund inspectors and has no power to decide individual cases.