HC Deb 10 November 2003 vol 413 cc33-4W
Mr. Clifton-Brown

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases were considered by the Banking Ombudsman in the last year for which figures are available; how many cases were(a) upheld and (b) rejected; what was the average time taken to consider cases; and what the average cost was per case. [137193]

Ruth Kelly

The Financial Ombudsman Service tell me that in the financial year ending 31 March 2000, the Office of the Banking Ombudsman received a total of 4,375 cases.

The table shows a breakdown of the outcome of all cases resolved during the period:

Breakdown of cases—year ended 31 March 2000
Outcome of cases Percentage
Resolved by mediation or conciliation 66
Resolved after investigation by an adjudicator

of which

 20
In favour of the consumer 50
In favour of the firm 50
Resolved by final decision of an ombudsman

of which

 14
In favour of the consumer 50
In favour of the firm 50

The average time taken to resolve cases in the year ending 31 March 2000 was 162 days.

The unit cost per case (calculated by dividing the total expenditure—less financing costs by the number of cases closed) for the year ending 31 March 2000 was £730, the average unit cost per cases across all of the predecessor schemes.