Organisations usually comply with our recommendations.  However, if an organisation were to fail to implement them, the Ombudsman can lay a `special report’ before the Scottish Parliament drawing attention to the matter. 

Special Report
The Ombudsman Act says that if an investigation report finds that someone suffered injustice or hardship as a result of maladministration or service failure and that injustice or hardship has not been, or will not be, remedied the SPSO can lay a 'special report' before the Scottish Parliament. So, we might consider issuing a 'special report' if we made recommendations in an investigation and the organisation concerned refused to implement them. The cost of producing and distributing a 'special report' can be recovered from the organisation against which the original complaint was made.

Since the SPSO was set up in 2002, we have not had occasion to issue a ‘special’ report.  If we did do so it would then be for the Parliament to decide what if any action it wished to take. 

For more information on how the SPSO reports, please see the reporting section of our website.

Updated on 17 June 2010