23 January 2009

Mr S Hardwicke Carruthers

Via email ([FOI #5168 email])

Our ref: CS/08/0124/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 Hardwicke Carruthers

Request for information

In your email of 23 December, you asked for details of all allowances, associated benefits and subsidies made available both to the LGOs and their staff by the Commission, including travel and subsistence, and pension benefits.

I attach the terms and conditions of employment for staff. These include information on what allowances are allowed for travel and subsistence (there is also an extract from the Financial Instructions on this, at the end of the document). Other than mileage allowances when they use their own cars, Commission staff (and the Ombudsmen, on the same basis) do not have allowances for travel and subsistence - they only claim back actual expenditure.

As I have informed you before (CS/08/0084), the CLAE use the local government pension scheme, administered by the London Pension Fund Authority. Both the Ombudsmen and their staff use the same scheme. There is a lot of information about this scheme on the London Pension Fund Authority's website and, as this scheme has changed recently so that members' benefits will vary depending on when they joined the scheme and when they retire, I suggest you look at that for full details - see http://www.lpfa.org.uk/members/lgpsguide.aspx

Spending on pensions, and on travel and subsistence is shown in the annual accounts. The last three years' accounts are on our website. Providing a further breakdown of this information going back 10 years would take a long time and disclosure of the information is therefore exempt under section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act (exemption where cost of compliance exceeds the `appropriate limit' which is currently set at £450 based on an hourly rate of £25).

Similarly, providing information on the Ombudsmen's expense claims going back 10 years would take too long. I am, however, providing this information for the current year and 2007/08 - see over the page.

/…

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

Hilary Pook (Ms)

Communications and Records Manager

LGO 01 (03/08)