Local Government and Regeneration Committee

Meeting date: Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Official Report 400KB pdf

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Petition

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Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (Review) (PE1405)

Agenda item 3 is consideration of the oral evidence that we received from Mr Andrew Muir on 8 February on petition PE1405, which calls on the Parliament to request the Scottish Government to carry out urgently an independent fit-for-purpose review of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, encompassing a public inquiry to collect evidence to scrutinise the high rate of case closures since Mr Jim Martin took office in May 2009.

The committee will have received the paper from the clerk. If members have no comments, I have to say that my view is that we have given the petition a fair hearing. We must be careful that the committee does not end up as some sort of court of appeal, as that is not our role; indeed, neither the Scottish Government nor the Parliament has the statutory powers to do what the petitioner seeks.

I feel that the committee can do no more work on the petition and recommend that it be closed. Are members agreed?

Members indicated agreement.

We now move into private session.

11:32 Meeting continued in private until 11:51.