§ Annabelle EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what payments have been made to individuals following findings of maladministration ombudsmen with responsibility for agencies under the remit of her Department in the last 12 months; and what plans she has to review the powers to increase the level of awards that can be made. [47948]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisOver the past 12 months no payments have been recorded as being made by the Department of Education and Skills as a result of the findings of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (parliamentary ombudsman).
The Department no longer has any executive agencies under its control. Information on maladministration payments made by Non-Departmental Public Bodies, sponsored by the Department, is not held centrally and could be gathered only at disproportionate cost.
184WThe level of award in maladministration cases is recommended, on an individual basis, by the parliamentary ombudsman and is not decided by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills.