Northern Ireland Departments: Complaints of Maladministration

HL Deb 12 November 2003 vol 654 cc201-2WA

Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether maladministration of a Northern Ireland department towards a cross-border body can be referred to the Parliamentary Ombudsman; if not why; and what other machinery exists to cope with such issues.[HL5278]

Baroness Amos

Complaints of maladministration against a Northern Ireland department cannot be referred to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration but such complaints may be referred to the Assembly Ombudsman for Northern Ireland. A complaint by a North/South implementation body against a Northern Ireland department would be outside the scope of the jurisdiction of the Assembly Ombudsman. There is no statutory mechanism by which such bodies may pursue complaints against departments.