Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department intends to publish a response to the 2015 consultation to extend the remit of the Local Government Ombudsman to certain parish and town councils.

The 2015 consultation regarding the remit of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) was overtaken by the development of the Public Service Ombudsman Bill. The Government has no plans at this time to introduce the 2016 Public Service Ombudsman Bill to Parliament.

The LGSCO has published its Triennial Review for the 2021-24 period in December, which contains proposals to extend its remit to include certain parish and town councils. The Government is considering the Triennial Review’s proposals and will respond in due course.