Consultations and inquiries
The wide range of subjects that we investigate across many different sectors provides a unique perspective on the delivery of public services in Scotland. One of the ways in which we seek to share the learning from the investigations is through our responses to inquiries and consultations undertaken by the Parliament and Government.
To read our submissions please follow the links below:
- Response to the call for an independent health complaints-handling regulator for NHS boards - 5 February 2021
- Ombudsman's submission on the Independent review of complaint handling, investigations and misconduct issues in relation to policing - 5 February 2021
- Response to the revised National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland - 21 January 2021
- Response to the call to expand the remit of the Care Inspectorate to investigate individual child protection complaints - 14 January 2021
- Transcript of oral evidence to the Equalities and Human Rights committee on the Rights of a Child Bill - November 2020
- Response to the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child Bill - 30 November 2020
- Response on potential revisions to the code of practice for ministerial appointments to public bodies in Scotland - 9 November 2020
- Response to the role of Scottish social security in Covid-19 recovery - 14 October 2020
- Response to the call to make funding available for Scottish universities to compensate paying university students for lost class time and a lower quality of education as a results of staff strikes and the COVID-19 crisis - 8 October 2020
- Response to the impact of Covid-19 on the financial sustainability of the local government in Scotland - 3 September 2020
- Response to the UK withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Bill - 31 July 2020
- Response to the review of Mental Health Law in Scotland - 27 May 2020
- Response on the draft guidance on the promotion and use of mediation in the Scottish planning system - March 2020
- Response to the call to review the way the higher education is set up and delivered in Scotland - 26 February 2020
- Transcript of oral evidence to the Health and Sport Committee relating to the proposed draft whistleblowing order - 19 November 2019
- Draft Principles and draft Standards for Whistleblowing in the NHS submitted to Parliament - 31 October 2019
- Response to the Government of Jersey's consultation on a public services Ombudsman (PDF, 360KB) - 11 October 2019
- Response to Scottish Government consultation 'Legal Aid Reform in Scotland' - 19 September 2019
- Response to the Health and Sport Committee inquiry 'What should primary care look like for the next generation?' - 18 August 2019
- Transcript of oral evidence to the Health and Sport Committee relating to the proposed draft whistleblowing order - 28 May 2019
- Response to the Health and Sport Committee's consultation on the proposals for the new Independent National Whistleblowing Officer role - 17 May 2019
- Response to Scottish Government consultation 'Environmental Principles and Governance in Scotland' - 10 May 2019
- Response to NHSScotland 'Once for Scotland' Workforce Polices consultation (PDF, 12KB) - 17 April 2019
- Response to the Social Security Committee's inquiry in to social security support for housing - 3 March 2019
- Response to Scottish Government consultation 'Increasing the Employment of Disabled People in the Public Sector' - 2 August 2018
- Transcript of oral evidence and written evidence to the Social Security Committee - 24 May 2018
- Response to the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care Questionnaire on Duty of Candour (PDF, 135KB) - 23 May 2018
- Response to the Independent Ombudsman Institute consultation 'Europe on the Ombudsman in an Open and Participative Society (PDF 239KB) - 8 February 2018
- Response to the call for evidence on the Planning (Scotland) Bill (PDF, 138KB) - 2 February 2018
- Agenda and Meeting Papers from Local Government and Communities Committee, attended by SPS/sites/spso/files/consultations-and-inquiries/2018/180208SPSOSubmissionIOI.pdfO on 31 January 2018 (This link takes you to the PDF (340KB) held on the Scottish Parliament website) - 31 January 2018
- Report of Local Government and Communities Committee, attended by SPSO on 31 January 2018 (This link takes you to the transcript on the Scottish Parliament website) - 31 January 2018
- Response to consultation on the Provisions of the Education (Scotland) Bill. (PDF, 39KB) - 29 January 2018
- Ombudsman's evidence to the Social Security Committee on the Social Security (Scotland) Bill. (This link takes you to the transcript on the Scottish Parliament website) - 25 January 2018
- Ombudsman's briefing note submitted to the Local Government and Communities Committee ahead of appearance on 31 January 2018 (PDF, 394KB) - 24 January 2018
- Transcript of oral evidence to the Welsh Assembly's Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee (This link takes you to the National Assembly for Wales website) - 7 December 2017
- Ombudsman's evidence to the Social Security Commitee on the Social Security (Scotland) Bill (This link takes you to the PDF (150KB) held on the Scottish Parliament website) - 4 September 2017
- Ombudsman's Response to a consultation by the Finance Committee on the Social Security (Scotland) Bill. This link takes you to the PDF (15KB) on the Scottish Parliament website - August 2017
- Letter and briefing note to the Education and Skills Commitee regarding the Children and Young People (Information Sharing) Scotland Bill (This link takes you to the PDF (153KB) held on the Scottish Parliament website) - 24 August 2017
- Response to the Health and Sport Committee's inquiry into NHS Governance: Clinical Governance (PDF 236KB) - 21 August 2017
- Transcript of our oral evidence to the Scottish Parliament Health and Sport Committee (This link takes you to the Scottish Parliament transcript) - 17 January 2017
- Ombudsman's evidence to the Scottish Parliament Health and Sport Committee (This link takes you to the Committee's webpage) - 17 January 2017
- Response to the Scottish Government consultation 'Empowering teachers, parents and communities to achieve excellence and equity in education: A Governance Review' (PDF 37KB) - 17 January 2017
- Transcript of our oral evidence to the Scottish Parliament Local Government and Communities Committee. (This link takes you to the Scottish Parliament.) - 11 January 2017
- Ombudsman's evidence to the Scottish Parliament Local Government and Communities Committee. (This link takes you to the Committee's website) - 11 January 2017
- Response to the Scottish Government consultation on Social Security in Scotland (PDF 38KB) - 28 October 2016
- Response to the Scottish Government proposal for the introduction of a "No Blame" redress scheme (PDF 216KB) - 24 August
- Response to the Local Government and Regeneration Committee call for evidence on the Local Government Benchmarking Framework (PDF 78KB) - 12 February 2016
- Response to the Scottish Government consultation on proposals for the introduction of the role of an Independent National (Whistleblowing) Officer for NHSScotland Staff (PDF 169KB) - 10 February 2016
- Response to the Scottish Parliament Welfare Reform Committee's call for evidence on the draft Welfare Funds (Scotland) Regulations 2016 (PDF 154KB) - 26 January 2016
- Response to the Welsh Assembly Finance Committee's consultation on the Draft Public Service Ombudsman (Wales) Bill (PDF 157KB) - 15 January 2016
Working with others to improve public sector
We are committed to contributing to public sector improvement and this includes supporting the work of other organisations whose statutory functions mean they have a key role in promoting improvement, undertaking scrutiny and reducing risk to vulnerable people.
