More merger than radical reform: The Government’s response to its Consultation on a new Public Services Ombudsman

The following post first appeared on the website of the Ombudsman Association, 22nd December 2015.

 

In a pleasant Christmas present for ombudsman watchers, the Cabinet Office has published a response to its summer consultation on proposals to reform and harmonise public service ombudsman provision in (primarily) England. Although the response does not attempt any detail on the forthcoming Bill that it plans to submit sometime midway through 2016, it does confirm that the proposals remain on track and provides some clues as to the likely framework of the reformed office. This post offers this ombudsman watcher’s first reflections on the Cabinet Office’s plans.