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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Buckland on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will assess the potential merits of allowing designated bodies to be given the power to make super-complaints against public service providers such as those that exist in private markets.

Mr Francis Maude

The Government is considering recent reports of the Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) into how complaints about public services are handled. As part of this, the Cabinet Office is working to investigate further how public services can make best use of complaints and also to take a wider look at the role and powers of the Public Sector Ombudsmen. The Government will respond to the PASC in due course. I am happy to discuss this matter further with my Hon. Friend.

The annual reports and accounts of the public service ombudsmen in the UK provide details of their performance over the past 12 months including information about complaints received.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Buckland on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many complaints were received by each ombudsman service in England in each of the last five years.

Mr Francis Maude

The Government is considering recent reports of the Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) into how complaints about public services are handled. As part of this, the Cabinet Office is working to investigate further how public services can make best use of complaints and also to take a wider look at the role and powers of the Public Sector Ombudsmen. The Government will respond to the PASC in due course. I am happy to discuss this matter further with my Hon. Friend.

The annual reports and accounts of the public service ombudsmen in the UK provide details of their performance over the past 12 months including information about complaints received.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Buckland on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what funding is currently allocated to higher education institutes to assist them in fulfilling their responsibilities to disabled students under the Equality Act 2010.

Mr David Willetts

In the academic year 2013/14 £15 million was allocated to Higher Education Institutions through theHigher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) grant, to help them recruit and support disabled students. This figure was an increase of £2 million on the previous year and has been maintained by HEFCE for 2014/15. This is in addition to the direct support provided to disabled students through the Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA). In England, £125.1 million was spent on providing DSA in 2011/12.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Buckland on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will carry out a public consultation on proposed changes to disabled students’ allowances.

Mr David Willetts

We are currently consulting with a wide range of stakeholders to help inform both the Equality Analysis and Disabled Students’ Allowances Guidance for 2015/16.

I will have due regard to an updated Equality Analysis before a final decision is made and regulations are laid before the House.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Buckland on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to his written statement of 7 April 2014, Official Report, columns 1-2WS, on Higher Education: student support, what impact assessment his Department has made of the proposed changes to disabled students’ allowances.

Mr David Willetts

We are currently consulting with a wide range of stakeholders to help inform both the Equality Analysis and Disabled Students’ Allowances Guidance for 2015/16.

I will have due regard to an updated Equality Analysis before a final decision is made and regulations are laid before the House.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Buckland on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to simplify ombudsman services in health and social care.

Dr Daniel Poulter

The Government is considering reports of the Public Administration Select Committee into how complaints about public services are handled. As part of this inquiry, the Cabinet Office is undertaking work to further investigate how public services can make best use of complaints and also to take a wider look at the role and powers of the public sector Ombudsmen. The Government will respond to these reports in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Buckland on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to raise awareness among service users of how to navigate the complaints systems in health and social care.

Dr Daniel Poulter

The Department is working with partners across the health and care system to make improvements to complaints handling. This includes Healthwatch England working to improve the information and advice that people receive when they need support to raise a concern or make a complaint. It also includes working with the Care Quality Commission as they develop their inspection methodology across health and social care so it places greater emphasis on listening to, and learning from, complaints as well as other sources of patient feedback. A single legislative framework exists for complaints handling to ensure consistency across the health and social care system.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Buckland on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make an assessment on the potential merits of merging health and social care ombudsman services in England.

Dr Daniel Poulter

The Government is considering reports of the Public Administration Select Committee into how complaints about public services are handled. As part of this inquiry, the Cabinet Office is undertaking work to further investigate how public services can make best use of complaints and also to take a wider look at the role and powers of the public sector Ombudsmen. The Government will respond to these reports in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Buckland on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to implement improvements in health and social are services arising from complaints and feedback made by service users.

Dr Daniel Poulter

The Department is working with partners across the health and care system to make improvements to complaints handling. This includes Healthwatch England working to improve the information and advice that people receive when they need support to raise a concern or make a complaint. It also includes working with the Care Quality Commission as they develop their inspection methodology across health and social care so it places greater emphasis on listening to, and learning from, complaints as well as other sources of patient feedback. A single legislative framework exists for complaints handling to ensure consistency across the health and social care system.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Buckland on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of aligning health services in regulatory bodies and ombudsman services.

Dr Daniel Poulter

The Government is considering reports of the Public Administration Select Committee into how complaints about public services are handled. As part of this inquiry, the Cabinet Office is undertaking work to further investigate how public services can make best use of complaints and also to take a wider look at the role and powers of the public sector Ombudsmen. The Government will respond to these reports in due course.