§ Annabelle EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what payments have been made to individuals following finding of maladministration by ombudsmen with responsibility for agencies under the remit of his Department; and what plans he has to review powers to increase the level of awards that can be made in the last 12 months. [47978]
§ Mr. Hilary Benn[holding answer 10 April 2002]: Over the last 12 months, no payments to individuals in cases where the Parliamentary Ombudsmen or the Prison Service Ombudsman has completed an investigation and issued a formal report have been recorded for the United Kingdom Passport Service the Forensic Science Service or the Prison Service.
The levels of awards made for maladministration are not subject to a tariff or statutory limit. All payments are based on the merits of individual cases.