Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (Powers) Bill

Key Points

• Extends the Ombudsman’s remit to identify and investigate systemic problems in the benefits system.
• Allows investigation of patterns across multiple cases, not only individual complaints.
• The Ombudsman would make recommendations to the Secretary of State to address identified issues.
• Covers connected purposes to enable related reforms or actions across the benefits system.
• Primarily affects the benefits system and those who use or administer it (e.g., DWP).

Progress

The Bill is at the 2nd Reading in the House of Commons, an early stage of passage. If it progresses, it would move to detailed scrutiny in Committee, then to Report and Third Reading before moving to the Lords for consideration.