06 May 2009
The Parliamentary Ombudsman, Ann Abraham, has published another
report into Equitable Life.
This is her third report into the Equitable Life affair and is
titled "Injustice Unremedied". Speaking today the Ombudsman
said:
"The Government's response to my report was deeply
disappointing. It provided insufficient support for the rejection
of my findings of maladministration and injustice. It also begged a
rather larger question as to what the purpose of regulation was
supposed to be.
I am also concerned by aspects of the Government's decision to
ask Sir John Chadwick to advise them on an alternative ex gratia
scheme. There is no detailed timetable for this work; the link
between maladministration, injustice and the remedy to be provided
has been broken; and there is no definition of the concept of
"disproportionate impact" which is to govern eligibility for a
payment.
Whatever the outcome of the work to be done by Sir John, it is
clear that not everyone who has suffered injustice will be eligible
for a payment and that not all of the injustice suffered will be
put right. The injustice I identified in my report will not
therefore be remedied as a result of the Government's
response."
