Legislation
Here you can find out more about our history and the legislative framework within which we work
Our history
40th Anniversary
The Parliamentary Ombudsman’s office celebrated its 40th anniversary in April 2007. To commemorate this event, we published a report called The Parliamentary Ombudsman: Withstanding the test of time 
(458kb).
You can access all the reports published by the Ombudsman since 1999 in our Reports section. Printed copies of all Reports including those issued from 1967 - 1998 can be purchased from The Stationery Office.
Current and past Ombudsmen
- 2012 - present - Dame Julie Mellor
- 2002 - 2012 - Ann Abraham
- 1997 - 2002 - Sir Michael Buckley
- 1990 - 1996 - Sir William Reid
- 1985 - 1989 - Sir Anthony Barrowclough
- 1979 - 1984 - Sir Cecil Clothier
- 1976 - 1978 - Sir Idwal Pugh
- 1971 - 1976 - Sir Alan Marre
- 1967 - 1971 - Sir Edmund Compton
Legislation
Legislation for the Parliamentary Ombudsman
The Parliamentary Ombudsman (or Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration) draws her powers almost wholly from the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967, as since amended.
See a list of bodies within the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Ombudsman.
Legislation for the Health Service Ombudsman
The Health Service Commissioner (or Health Service Ombudsman) for England draws her powers almost wholly from the Health Service Commissioners Act 1993.
