The Ombudsmen of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

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Notes

Established under the Parliamentary Commissioner Act (Northern Ireland) 1969. The original name for this office was the Northern Ireland Parliamentary Commissioner.

Established by the Commissioner for Complaints (Northern Ireland) Act 1969.

Unlike the remainder of the UK, there is no facility in Northern Ireland for a public sector ombudsman to consider complaints about Housing Associations (Seneviratne, 2002a, p. 243).

Under the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Act 2002, the public authorities covered by the Act are listed.

The Bill received its second reading on 16th December 2004.

Or, in Welsh, Ombwdsmon Gwasanaethau Cyhoeddus Cymru.

This mirrors the powers granted to the Scottish Public Sector Ombudsman (Scottish Public Sector Ombudsman Act 2002, s.5(3)(b)) and to the Health Service Ombudsman (National Health Service Reorganisation Act 1973, s.34(3)).

See, for instance, the British and Irish Ombudsman Association criteria for recognising an ombudsman as a legitimate member (BIOA, 2005, rule 2).

For instance, see clauses 10(2), 27(2) and 42 of the Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Bill.

Made under the Regulatory Reform Act 2001.

This had been previously impossible due to the Local Government Act 1974.