§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the reasons for the increase from 1997–98 to 2002–03 in the administrative costs of the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman. [19525]
§ Mr. McCartneyThe staffing and workload levels of the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman have remained constant throughout this period. The increase in administrative costs largely reflects the year on year increases for pay and prices. The administrative costs for 1998–99 and 2000–01 reflect a reduction in the level of expenditure on non staff costs in those years.