§ 41. Mr. BercowTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the performance of the Legal Services Ombudsman. [126377]
§ Mr. LockThe Lord Chancellor published the first full review of the Office for the Legal Services Ombudsman on 29 March. The independent review, conducted by Miss Ann Chant, found that the Office is carrying out its responsibilities effectively, notwithstanding that its work load had doubled since its creation in 1990. The Office is described as professional, strongly committed to good client service and experienced in handling high volume492W cases economically and to a good standard. The Ombudsman's 1999–2000 annual report is to be published next month.