Parliamentary Ombudsman to investigate complaints about occupational pensions
16 November 2004
Press release 09/04
Complaints about occupational pension schemes are to be investigated by the Parliamentary Ombudsman, Ann Abraham, it was announced today. The Ombudsman has written to MPs to inform them that the investigation will focus on the actions of four government bodies - the Department for Work and Pensions, the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority, HM Treasury and the National Insurance Contributions Office (part of the Inland Revenue).
The Ombudsman has received approximately 100 complaints from members and trustees of pension schemes across the United Kingdom. These include former employees of companies which are now insolvent and whose schemes have been wound up; and employees and former employees of companies which are in administration and whose schemes are in doubt.
The complaints
Ms Abraham has decided to investigate representative complaints which cover all these situations. Specifically, she will be looking at allegations that:
- Government ministers and officials ignored relevant evidence when taking decisions on whether to warn scheme members of the risks to their pensions should their scheme wind up and
- Information and advice provided by Government bodies to scheme members and trustees was inaccurate
Jurisdiction
The Ombudsman is not able to investigate a third allegation - that legislation affords inadequate protection to scheme members - as the content of legislation is a matter for Parliament. Nor can she look into advice and information provided by the Financial Services Authority when acting in its own right, as such actions are not within her jurisdiction.
Notes for editors
- The Parliamentary Ombudsman is independent of the Government and Civil Service. The Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 sets out her remit, which is to investigate complaints from members of the public, referred by MPs, alleging that they have suffered injustice through maladministration by government departments or certain public bodies. Her investigations must be conducted in private.
- The first stage in an investigation is to send the departments complained about a summary of the complaint and to ask for their comments. Once she has decided to investigate, the Ombudsman has wide powers to look at the departments' files and to interview staff.
- If the Ombudsman finds maladministration, she also usually suggests, or asks the department to suggest, a remedy for the aggrieved person. Her aim is to try, if possible, to put that person back in the position he or she would have been in had the maladministration not occurred.
- The Ombudsman's reports are laid before Parliament and published as House of Commons papers. They are also published on her website http://www.ombudsman.org.uk. The Ombudsman regularly reports on her work to the Select Committee on Public Administration.
For further information contact the PHSO press office, Tel: 0300 061 4996 email: press@ombudsman.org.uk Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP
