Scottish Information Commissioner Rosemary Agnew nominated to become Scottish Public Services Ombudsman

Rosemary Agnew - Image credit: unknown

The Scottish Information Commissioner, Rosemary Agnew, is to be nominated to become the next Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.

If the appointment is approved, she will replace the current ombudsman, Jim Martin, when his term of office ends on 30 April 2017.

Agnew was appointed as the Scottish Information Commissioner in May 2012 for a fixed term of six years.

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She has previously been chief executive of the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission and assistant ombudsman at the UK Local Government Ombudsman.

The independent ombudsman is nominated by the Scottish Parliament and appointed by the Queen for a period of up to eight years.

Appeal to the ombudsman is the final stage for unresolved complaints about public bodies in Scotland, including councils, the NHS, housing associations, colleges and universities, prisons and the Scottish Government and its agencies.

A one-line motion to the Scottish Parliament by Bob Doris lodged yesterday proposes that the parliament nominates Agnew to the Queen for the role.

The appointment is due to be debated in the chamber on Tuesday 7 February.