The Vice-Chamberlain of the Household reported to the House, That His Majesty, having been attended with its Address of 17th July, was pleased to receive the same very graciously and give the following Answers: I have received your Humble Address praying that I should appoint Paula Sussex CBE to the offices of Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and Health Service Commissioner for England. I will comply with your request.

The Vice-Chamberlain of the Household reported to the House, That His Majesty, having been attended with its Address of 17th July, was pleased to receive the same very graciously and give the following Answers: I have received your Humble Address praying that I should appoint Paula Sussex CBE to the...

This briefing provides an overview of the Health Service Commissioner for England (Complaint Handling) Act 2015.

This briefing provides an overview of the Health Service Commissioner for England (Complaint Handling) Act 2015.

My Lords, I should like to express my gratitude to the right honourable Member David Davis, MP for Haltemprice and Howden, for inviting me to sponsor his Private Member’s Bill in this House. The Bill has the support of the Government and the Opposition, as I understand it. As noble...

My Lords, I should like to express my gratitude to the right honourable Member David Davis, MP for Haltemprice and Howden, for inviting me to sponsor his Private Member’s Bill in this House. The Bill has the support of the Government and the Opposition, as I understand it. As noble...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, on bringing the Bill to the House. I welcome it and the changes, which she outlined, that the ombudsman has

already been making internally. I shall comment on the general complaints environment within which this falls.

As we know, public service delivery...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, on bringing the Bill to the House. I welcome it and the changes, which she outlined, that the ombudsman has

already been making internally. I shall comment on the general complaints environment within which this falls.

As we know, public service delivery...

My Lords, the Opposition support the Bill and we are very grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, for sponsoring it

in your Lordships’ House. Obviously, it is important that investigations are completed as quickly as possible and that those who complain are kept fully informed of their complaints.

My noble...

My Lords, the Opposition support the Bill and we are very grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, for sponsoring it

in your Lordships’ House. Obviously, it is important that investigations are completed as quickly as possible and that those who complain are kept fully informed of their complaints.

My noble...

My Lords, I very much welcome the debate on this important Bill. I thank my right honourable friend in another place, David Davis, and the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, for their stewardship of the Bill, which makes the health service ombudsman more accountable to people taking their complaints to her...

My Lords, I very much welcome the debate on this important Bill. I thank my right honourable friend in another place, David Davis, and the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, for their stewardship of the Bill, which makes the health service ombudsman more accountable to people taking their complaints to her...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have taken part in this short but important debate. I appreciate the support of all noble Lords who have spoken.

This is a simple Bill that seeks to reduce unnecessary delay in investigating cases and, in so doing, reduce the distress of those...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have taken part in this short but important debate. I appreciate the support of all noble Lords who have spoken.

This is a simple Bill that seeks to reduce unnecessary delay in investigating cases and, in so doing, reduce the distress of those...

Lords second reading. Agreed to on question. Bill committed to a Committee of the Whole House.

Lords second reading. Agreed to on question. Bill committed to a Committee of the Whole House.

Again, my hon. Friend makes a first-class point. I hope that, when the Minister responds to this short debate, she will support the line that is being taken. We need to ensure that there is no scope for statutory bodies to avoid their responsibilities to deliver and that we facilitate...

Again, my hon. Friend makes a first-class point. I hope that, when the Minister responds to this short debate, she will support the line that is being taken. We need to ensure that there is no scope for statutory bodies to avoid their responsibilities to deliver and that we facilitate...

It occurs to me that that allows me to say that that is all thanks to our long-term economic plan—the first time I have managed to get those words into Hansard.

11.15 am

It occurs to me that that allows me to say that that is all thanks to our long-term economic plan—the first time I have managed to get those words into Hansard.

11.15 am

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for that intervention, which leads me directly on to my second point. I suspect that if the commissioner is approached by a member of the public, or indeed by a prospective complainant who has it more immediately in mind to make a...

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for that intervention, which leads me directly on to my second point. I suspect that if the commissioner is approached by a member of the public, or indeed by a prospective complainant who has it more immediately in mind to make a...

My right hon. Friend gives an example of which he had direct experience. All I can say is that it is a pity that people who present their tax return late are not allowed the same indulgence—saying that their affairs are very complex, or that their accountant let them down—to...

My right hon. Friend gives an example of which he had direct experience. All I can say is that it is a pity that people who present their tax return late are not allowed the same indulgence—saying that their affairs are very complex, or that their accountant let them down—to...

Yes, I am afraid so. That Bill is not going to reach the statute book.

I hope that this Bill does reach the statute book. It is a short Bill. As the promoter said, it is simple and straightforward. It aims to set a clear target for the ombudsman to operate...

Yes, I am afraid so. That Bill is not going to reach the statute book.

I hope that this Bill does reach the statute book. It is a short Bill. As the promoter said, it is simple and straightforward. It aims to set a clear target for the ombudsman to operate...

I hope that I have not been too harsh on my right hon. Friend the Member for Haltemprice and Howden (Mr Davis) in the course of this debate.

In preparing for Third Reading, I looked at the explanatory notes to the Bill. The summary states:

“The Health Service Commissioner for England (Complaint...

I hope that I have not been too harsh on my right hon. Friend the Member for Haltemprice and Howden (Mr Davis) in the course of this debate.

In preparing for Third Reading, I looked at the explanatory notes to the Bill. The summary states:

“The Health Service Commissioner for England (Complaint...

My right hon. Friend has got me there, so I will subside.

The Bill would give a complainant to the ombudsman a statement of explanation if there was a delay. That seems a very small suggestion, but the humanisation that such a statement would bring to a process that would inevitably...

My right hon. Friend has got me there, so I will subside.

The Bill would give a complainant to the ombudsman a statement of explanation if there was a delay. That seems a very small suggestion, but the humanisation that such a statement would bring to a process that would inevitably...

I beg to move, That the House sit in private.

Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 163).

I beg to move, That the House sit in private.

Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 163).

I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.

I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.