Nick Bennett Public Services Ombudsman for Wales Wales 3 Government of Wales Acts 1998 2006 2014 2 referenda 1997 and 2011 St Davids Day Agreement 2014 Scotland Scotland Act 1998 ID: 535931
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Slide1
The Impact of Devolution across the UK and proposals for Public Ombudsman Services
Nick Bennett
Public Services Ombudsman for WalesSlide2
Wales – 3 Government of Wales Acts ( 1998, 2006, 2014) 2 referenda (1997 and 2011), St David’s Day Agreement (2014)Scotland – Scotland Act (1998), Calman Commission (2007), Independence Referendum, Smith Commission (2014)Northern Ireland – Good Friday (1998), St Andrew’s (2006), Hillsborough (2010) and Stormont House (2014) - Fiscal and Welfare Reform
15 YEARS OF ASYMMETRIC DEVOLUTIONSlide3
Broad devolution across social policy – health, education and housing as well as economic development, culture and agricultureJustice, civil law, police and prisons in Scotland and (2010)Northern Ireland Reserved powers model v delegated functionsEngland– West Lothian question – “English Votes for English Laws”, London, North East referendum, Combined Authorities - Manchester
ASYMMETRY
Slide4Slide5
IS POWER DEVOLVED POWER RETAINED?Slide6
Process not an event Settled will?Federation, confederation, schism or fudge?Broader constitutional upheaval likely UK cabinet, Lords Reform, written constitution, Supreme Court, Barnett formula...
DYNAMICSSlide7
Scotland – 2002 Act- includes Water (2011) and a range of cross border bodies. Post Smith? Northern Ireland – NIPSO, One office (Assembly Ombudsman and Commissioner for Complaints), Own Initiative, remove MLA filter, jurisdiction extended in education Wales – new act? Own Initiative, Complaints Standards Authority, Oral Complaints, Private Healthcare
PUBLIC SERVICE OMBUDSMANRYSlide8
New single PSO – UK Parliamentary, Health, Local Government and Housing Continue to deal with reserved matters“Clearing house”Close liaison / joint investigationsRemoval of MP filter
Complaints in writing, orally or electronic
Own Initiative Powers
Chief Ombudsman/ Statutory Board
GORDON REVIEWSlide9
Part of the devolved and non devolved landscapeCollaboration, peer learning and cross fertilisation Citizen centred or constitution led?“No wrong door?” for entry – resolution?Other options to Gordon. “PSO” all round?
Retain UK Ombudsman / devolve “front door”?
Governance?
Making it work – lead or follow?
CONCLUSIONS