2 March 2010

Mr T Nunn

Via email ([FOI #28569 email])

Our ref: CS/10/016/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 Mr Nunn

Request for information

In your email of 8 February you say that I failed to include in my response to your previous request (CS/10/002) information on specific time targets investigators have in which to determine a complaint.

I did not include this information because there are no specific time targets for investigators. The information you say you were given by an investigator refers to the whole Commission's target. You can see details of the Commission's targets on our website - the goals are set out each year in our Corporate Plan and we report against the Commission's business goals in our Annual Reports.

The time targets you refer to are based on what the Ombudsmen have come to accept as the whole Commission's normal performance, and are not intended to `drive' a change in performance. The performance of each office is monitored against the target and where an office falls below the target it can usually be attributed to factors such as higher than usual staff turnover or an upsurge in a particular type of complaint, and the Commission would take the appropriate action to deal with this.

Investigators will be mindful that their performance contributes to the overall picture, but the over-riding importance is the conduct of a proper investigation and, for good reasons, some complaints may need more time that the average.

/…

That concludes my response. 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. If you do request an internal review - can you please indicate why you are unhappy with my response. 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

Hilary Pook (Ms)

Communications and Records Manager

LGO 01 (03/08)