Norway, Stortingets Ombudsmann for Forvaltningen

Norway, Stortingets Ombudsmann for Forvaltningen

INSTITUTIONAL MATTERS

The Annual Report for 1999 from the Norwegian Ombudsman was submitted to the Storting in March 1999. A summary in English will soon be printed and distributed.

In the calendar-year of 1999, a total of 2 383 individual cases were registered at the office. 2310 of the cases were complaints received from the public and 73 of the cases were taken up by the Ombudsman on his own initiative. The number of cases registrered rose by 175 compared with 1998, of which 143 were complaints and 32 were cases taken up on the Ombudsman's own initiative.

One general (systemic) investigation was concluded during the year under review: the investigation of two administrative agencies` practice to notify a party of his right to claim reimbursement of costs if the administrative decision has been altered, cf. the Public Administration Act, § 36, fourth paragraph. A total of 58 individual cases were reviewed in this investigation which concluded that the agencies in question had not provided sufficient guidance to the parties on their right to claim reimbursement.

During the year under review the Ombudsman concluded a total of 2 347 cases. This implies a rise of 93 cases compared with 1998 and 180 cases compared with 1997. Of the total number of cases 1 132 (48,2 %) were dismissed. The reasons for rejecting the cases differ. Some complaints are not admissible because they fall outside the Ombudsman`s jurisdiction, and others are dismissed because there are insufficient grounds for investigating the complaint. However, the most important reason for rejecting a case is due to the fact that the complaints have not yet been lodged to, or terminated by, a higher administrative agency (35,6%).

Of the 1 215 cases investigated, 558 (46%) were solved or led to criticism or recommendations. In 185 (15,2%) of the cases the material decision was criticised or recommendations made, 287 (23,6%) of the cases concerned the case processing time, and finally 53 cases (4,3%) concerned other questions on administrative procedure. 657 (54,0%) of the cases caused neither criticism or recommendations.

INTERNATIONAL CONTACTS

7 February, Ombudsman Arne Fliflet and Head of Division Kai Kramer-Johansen participated in the International Seminar on the occasion of the 80th Anniversary of the Finnish Parliamentary Ombudsman in Helsinki.
12-15 April, Ombudsman Arne Fliflet hosted meetings with the Parliamentary Ombudsmen from Denmark and Iceland, Dr. Hans Gammeltoft-Hansen and Mr. Tryggvi Gunnarsson and the former Icelandic Ombudsman Mr. Gaukur Jörundsson at Svalbard.
6-11 May, Ombudsman Arne Fliflet and two of his staff, Elisabeth Kjerheim and Yeung Fong Cheung had meetings with the Ministry of Supervision in the People`s Republic of China, in Beijing and Xian.
10-11 May, Ombudsman Arne Fliflet was participating in a Sino-Norwegian high level conference in Beijing on human rights.
14-18 May, Ombudsman Arne Fliflet hosted a visit by the Public Protector of South Africa Mr. Selby Baqwa.

Foreign visitors received at the office

24 February, a delegation from Indonesia, headed by the Minister on Human Rights Dr. Hasballah M. Saad.
24 March, the Danish Ombudsman, Mr. Gammeltoft Hansen held a lecture for the staff of the Norwegian Ombudsman.
9 May, a representative of the Greek Ombudsman.
25 May, a delegation from Thailand.
25 May, students from Hamline University, USA.

Newsletter No. 21