Title page
Contents
Summary 4
1. The service complaints system process 6
1.1. Who can make a complaint? 6
1.2. What can the complaint be about? 6
1.3. Submitting a complaint 7
1.4. Decision-making process 8
1.5. Appeals 8
1.6. Ombudsman's role 9
2. Statistical data on the complaints system 11
2.1. Service Complaints Ombudsman's annual reports 11
2.2. Armed forces continuous attitudes survey 12
2.3. Defence Committee report on women in the armed forces 12
3. Backeround and evolution 13
3.1. Origin 13
3.2. Evolution: criticism and reform 2008 to 2015 14
3.3. Evolution: criticism and reform 2015 to present 15
4. The Service Complaints Ombudsman 20
4.1. Evolution from Commissioner to Ombudsman 20
4.2. Powers of the Ombudsman 21
4.3. What powers would the Ombudsman like to have? 22
4.4. Still not efficient, effective or fair, but progress made 23
4.5. Recommendations 23
5. The proposed Armed Forces Commissioner 24
6. Service Police Complaints Commissioner 25