1. Public Services Ombudsman for Wales
The Impact of Devolution across the UK and proposals for Public Ombudsman Services
Nick Bennett
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales

2. 15 YEARS OF ASYMMETRIC DEVOLUTION
Wales – 3 Government of Wales Acts ( 1998, 2006, 2014) 2 referenda (1997 and 2011), St David’s Day Agreement (2014)
Scotland – Scotland Act (1998), Calman Commission (2007), Independence Referendum, Smith Commission (2014)
Northern Ireland – Good Friday (1998), St Andrew’s (2006), Hillsborough (2010) and Stormont House (2014) - Fiscal and Welfare Reform

3. ASYMMETRY
Broad devolution across social policy – health, education and housing as well as economic development, culture and agriculture
Justice, civil law, police and prisons in Scotland and (2010)Northern Ireland
Reserved powers model v delegated functions
England– West Lothian question – “English Votes for English Laws”, London, North East referendum, Combined Authorities - Manchester

5. IS POWER DEVOLVED POWER RETAINED?

6. DYNAMICS Process not an event Settled will?
Federation, confederation, schism or fudge?
Broader constitutional upheaval likely
UK cabinet, Lords Reform, written constitution, Supreme Court, Barnett formula...

7. PUBLIC SERVICE OMBUDSMANRY
Scotland – 2002 Act- includes Water (2011) and a range of cross border bodies. Post Smith?
Northern Ireland – NIPSO, One office (Assembly Ombudsman and Commissioner for Complaints), Own Initiative, remove MLA filter, jurisdiction extended in education
Wales – new act? Own Initiative, Complaints Standards Authority, Oral Complaints, Private Healthcare

8. GORDON REVIEW
New single PSO – UK Parliamentary, Health, Local Government and Housing
Continue to deal with reserved matters
“Clearing house”
Close liaison / joint investigations
Removal of MP filter
Complaints in writing, orally or electronic
Own Initiative Powers
Chief Ombudsman/ Statutory Board

9. CONCLUSIONS Part of the devolved and non devolved landscape
Collaboration, peer learning and cross fertilisation
Citizen centred or constitution led?
“No wrong door?” for entry – resolution?
Other options to Gordon. “PSO” all round?
Retain UK Ombudsman / devolve “front door”?
Governance?
Making it work – lead or follow?