22 July 2008

Mrs A Johnson

Via email ([FOI #1239 email])

Our ref: CS/08/0025/HJP

(Please quote our reference when contacting us)

If telephoning contact Hilary Pook on 020 7217 4734

or if using email send to: [email address]

Dear Mrs Johnson

Request for information

You asked in your email of 20 July what proportion of investigators, assistant ombudsmen and deputy ombudsman have ever worked in local government. As at 1 May 2008 (the latest data we hold) 68% of investigators have local government experience, 61% of assistant ombudsmen have local government experience and 100% of the three deputy ombudsmen have local government experience. Overall, this comes out at 68% of these members of staff as one group.

That concludes my response and I hope you find the information useful. If you feel I have not dealt properly with your request, you have the right to appeal and, should you wish to do so, I can supply a copy our internal complaints procedure. You also have the right to apply to the Information Commissioner to determine whether your request has been properly dealt with. You should note however that the Commissioner will not consider any complaint where you have not first exhausted our internal complaints process or where there has been undue delay in contacting him. You will be able to obtain further details of the Information Commissioner's role from the website on www.ico.gov.uk.

Yours sincerely

Hilary Pook (Ms)

Communications and Records Manager

LGO 01 (03/08)