ABSTRACT
The Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (PCA) is better known as the ombudsman, whose function under the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 is to investigate complaints relating to maladministration. The PCA deals with problems in relation to central government, but other ombudsmen have been appointed to oversee the administration of local government in England and Wales, under the Local Government Act 1974. In dealing with this question, the following points should be addressed:
• a brief history of the concept of ombudsmen; • the statutory basis of the PCA’s powers; • the meaning of maladministration; • the filter role of MPs; • the powers of the PCA; • criticisms/limitations of the system; • the spread of the system to other areas.
