The next item of business is consideration of motion S6M-17008, in the name of Ariane Burgess, on behalf of the selection panel, on appointment of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. I call Ariane Burgess to speak to and move the motion.
16:55
As a member of the cross-party selection panel that was established by the Presiding Officer under our standing orders, I am delighted to speak to the motion in my name to invite members of the Parliament to agree to nominate Paul McFadden to His Majesty the King for appointment as the new Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.
The Presiding Officer chaired the selection panel and the other members were Jamie Greene, Fulton MacGregor, Carol Mochan and Michelle Thomson.
The role of the ombudsman is important and it covers a wide range of statutory functions. The ombudsman investigates complaints about most organisations that provide public services in Scotland when a member of public claims to have suffered injustice or hardship as a result of maladministration or service failure. The ombudsman also has a statutory duty to publish standardised complaints-handling procedures for the public sector and monitor and promote best practice in complaints handling.
The ombudsman carries out independent reviews of decisions that councils make on community care and crisis grant applications. The ombudsman is also the independent national whistleblowing officer for the national health service in Scotland.
The nominee, Paul McFadden, is currently the chief ombudsman for the Legal Ombudsman for England and Wales, a post that he has held since January 2021. Although Paul is unable to be in the chamber today, because of a work commitment, he is represented by two family members.
Paul McFadden has two decades of senior experience in ombudsman and investigation roles in Scotland and across the United Kingdom. He previously served as the acting Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman and Northern Ireland Local Government Commissioner for Standards, with oversight of Northern Ireland’s public services and local government conduct, serving as deputy ombudsman, deputy commissioner and judicial appointments ombudsman. Prior to taking up the role in Northern Ireland, Paul established and headed up the SPSO complaints standards authority, implementing an improved culture and streamlined complaints-handling system across Scotland’s public bodies.
The panel believes that Paul’s blend of skills and ombudsman experience will make him an excellent Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.
Before concluding, Presiding Officer, I take the opportunity to mention the outgoing ombudsman, Rosemary Agnew. I am sure that we would all like to thank her warmly for her services to the public sector and wish her all the very best for the future.
I move,
That the Parliament nominates Paul McFadden to His Majesty The King for appointment as the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman under section 1 of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Act 2002.
Thank you, Ms Burgess. I will take this moment to remind all members that, when they are participating in parliamentary business remotely, it is preferred if cameras are in use at all times.
We will move to decision time momentarily.
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Decision Time