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<p>The Service Complaints Ombudsman is provided with an annual budget from defence
funds which, under the financial delegation given to her, is used to meet all the
costs associated with her independent function.</p><p>The Ombudsman's office is staffed
by Civil Servants and all job advertisements are posted on the Civil Service Jobs
website at the earliest opportunity. On occasions, it has not been possible to attract
sufficiently qualified applicants from within the Civil Service with the necessary
skills for investigation officer posts. This has led to jobs being advertised externally,
a process which takes significantly longer as it requires necessary security vetting.</p><p>All
posts are subject to the usual churn of staff, some of whom will seek opportunities
elsewhere following a two or three-year term. It is, therefore, not surprising that
with the establishment of the SCO office in 2015, a number of staff left the Ombudsman's
office in the latter part of 2017. Around that time, an internal restructuring was
also undertaken which has taken time to bed in.</p><p>The number of filled investigation
officer posts has now increased to ten, with recruitment ongoing for the remaining
post plus another that is due to become vacant in April 2019. I am also aware that
the Ombudsman is reviewing her staffing requirements. A review of the office's case
handling processes, without detriment to quality, will, I understand, form the basis
for this.</p><p>To date, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has responded positively to
any requests for additional staff from the Ombudsman, including throughout the period
when recruitment in the MOD was subject to severe restrictions, and we will of course
be happy to fully consider any further requests.</p><p>It will take time to collate
the detailed information requested on the average length of investigations, recruitment
to full-time investigator posts and sick leave. I will write to the hon. Member in
due course.</p>
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