The number of complaints about the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in the last five years is shown in the table below:

In the last five full financial years, the number of complaints received represent on average 0.006% of the total number of transactions processed each year. The DVLA has processed an average of 138,137,342 transactions each year.

On behalf of the Secretary of State, the Education Funding Agency (EFA) deals with academy special educational needs (SEN) admission determination requests involving pupils in receipt of a statement of SEN or Education, Health and Care plan. Between January 2013 and November 2014 the EFA handled 56 admission determination requests.

The EFA does not categorise complaints about the teaching of children with SEN by academy schools, or whether a request for an SEN admission determination was received because an academy refused to admit a child owing to budgetary constraints.

Where a patient is dissatisfied with the service provided by the National Health Service, it is right that they should make a complaint. The appropriate mechanism for such a complaint is the Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009. This would include a complaint about parity of esteem.

Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) have an important role in holding their forces to account and focussing on cutting crime. It is right that they are held to the very highest standards. It is precisely because PCCs are visible, elected individuals that they are able to be held to account in this way, quite in contrast to police authorities. PCCs are delivering a level of transparency, visibility and accountability that did not exist before 2012 under the Police Authority model of police governance.

There have been 44 PCC related complaints referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). Of these referrals, only six have led to an independent investigation conducted by the IPCC, and two managed investigations which are carried out by external police forces under the direction and control of the IPCC. The remainder did not meet the IPCC’s threshold for investigation. No IPCC referrals have so far led to a PCC being charged or convicted of any offence.

We do not collate information in the format requested.

There is no Departmental allocation of funds to local authorities specifically for complaints advocacy in adult social care and no data on local spending is held centrally.

NHS Complaints Advocacy Services have from April 2014 been commissioned by local authorities who receive a non-ring fenced allocation from the Department.

From April 2013 the Department allocated £14.2 million per year for NHS Complaints Advocacy Services. Prior to April 2013 the Department commissioned advocacy services centrally at a cost of £11.7 million.

The Department does not collect data on how these allocations are spent.

Each local authority is responsible for the quality of social care services it commissions. It is for individual local authorities to address any local concerns regarding complaints advocacy which they may provide.

There is no national body that has responsibility for the national oversight of complaints in social care. However, local authorities are required, pursuant to the Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service (England) Regulations 2009, to keep a record of each complaint received, the subject matter and outcome and timescales for responding. They are also obliged to make a summary of this information available to the public via an annual report.

Each local authority is responsible for the quality of social care services it commissions. It is for individual local authorities to address any local concerns regarding complaints advocacy which they may provide.

There is no national body that has responsibility for the national oversight of complaints in social care. However, local authorities are required, pursuant to the Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service (England) Regulations 2009, to keep a record of each complaint received, the subject matter and outcome and timescales for responding. They are also obliged to make a summary of this information available to the public via an annual report.

The Government gave an undertaking in the response to Hard Truths: The Journey to Putting Patients First to review the Patient Advice and Liaison Service and NHS Complaints Advocacy arrangements. It is envisaged that both reviews will be complete by spring 2015.

Since April 2012 six cases have progressed as appropriate through the mediation process to conclusion. There are currently no cases in the mediation process.

The Home Office does not hold data centrally on the number of complaints received relating to specific businesses.

The Home Office provides police forces with their core Government funding. The allocation of budgets within police force areas is a matter for individual Police and Crime Commissioners, working with their chief officers and taking
into account local priorities.


The Government takes all types of fraud extremely seriously. We are working closely with law enforcement and industry to pursue and disrupt criminal activities, and ensure that the public has the knowledge to protect themselves.

The City of London Police is the national lead force for fraud, and runs Action Fraud, the national reporting point for fraud and financially-motivated cyber crime. All reports made to Action Fraud are analysed to look for links between
separate victims of the same scams. Where these are found, intelligence packages are sent to the police force best placed to consider enforcement action. In 2013/14, there were 40,000 intelligence reports disseminated to
police forces in this way. We expect this number to increase this year and are working with City of London Police, and their partners, to deliver further improvements. Extra Home Office funding has also been provided over the last
two years to assist the development of bespoke fraud units in every Regional Organised Crime Unit, which are now in place.

From 1 October 2014 all residential and letting agents must belong to an approved redress scheme which will provide a clearer route for both tenants and landlords to pursue complaints and help to drive up standards in the private
rented sector. We have also brought an amendment to the Consumer Rights Bill which will require all lettings agents to publish full details of the fees they charge.

Under the Tenancy Deposit Protection legislation introduced by the Housing Act 2004, all landlords and agents are also required to protect deposits for all assured shorthold tenancies created since 6 April 2007, in one of the
government-approved schemes, within 30 calendar days from the day the deposit is received.