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Stortingets Ombudsmann for Forvaltningen, Norway

Institutional matters 

The Annual Report for 1998 from the Norwegian Parliamentary Ombudsman was submitted to the Storting in March, 1999. A summary in English will soon be printed and distributed.

In the calendar year of 1998, 2,213 new individual cases were registered at the office. 40 of the cases were taken up by the Ombudsman on his own initiative.

During the year under review the three following general (systemic) investigations were concluded: an investigation of the application of the Freedom of Information Act in the Ministry of Justice, an investigation of the administrative routines concerning building and planning matters in Oslo, and an investigation of the administrative routines in a municipality in connection with casework concerning persons with developmental disabilities. The first of these investigations was submitted to the Storting (Norwegian Parliament) as a Special Report, cf. section 12, second paragraph of the Ombudsman Act. (Another Special Report was also submitted concerning closure of rural neighbourhood schools.) Presently the investigation concerning persons with developmental disabilities is followed up by a similar investigation in four other municipalities.

Systemic investigations make great demand on resources, and the staff at the office has thus been strengthened. All together approx. 272 cases/files were investigated during these three investigations, although the investigations statistically are listed as three cases.

During the year under review, the Ombudsman concluded a total of 2,254 cases. Of the total number of cases 1,045, or approx. 46,4% were dismissed. The reason 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.

Of the 1,209 cases investigated, 543 were solved or led to criticism or recommendations. In 223 of the cases the material decision adopted was criticised or recommendations made, 259 of the cases concerned the case processing time, and finally 61 cases concerned other questions on administrative procedure. 666 of the cases caused nether criticism or recommendations.
 

International contacts

• 12-18 May, Arne Fliflet, Parliamentary Ombudsman, visited American and Norwegian public institutions and organisations in Minnesota in connection with the Norwegian Constitution and Independence day, 17 May, informing about the ombudsman institution and ombudsman concept and studying the American ideas of the ombudsman concept.
  
  
• 25-27 May, Arne Fliflet, Parliamentary Ombudsman, and Torkjel Nesheim, Head of Division, visited the Irish Ombudsman & Information Commissioner Kevin Murphy.

Foreign visitors received at the office

• 24 March, Paulos Tessfagiorgies, former leader of Eritrean Reliefe Association, organised by the

Stortingets Ombudsmann for Forvaltningen, Norway

Institutional matters 

The Annual Report for 1998 from the Norwegian Parliamentary Ombudsman was submitted to the Storting in March, 1999. A summary in English will soon be printed and distributed.

In the calendar year of 1998, 2,213 new individual cases were registered at the office. 40 of the cases were taken up by the Ombudsman on his own initiative.

During the year under review the three following general (systemic) investigations were concluded: an investigation of the application of the Freedom of Information Act in the Ministry of Justice, an investigation of the administrative routines concerning building and planning matters in Oslo, and an investigation of the administrative routines in a municipality in connection with casework concerning persons with developmental disabilities. The first of these investigations was submitted to the Storting (Norwegian Parliament) as a Special Report, cf. section 12, second paragraph of the Ombudsman Act. (Another Special Report was also submitted concerning closure of rural neighbourhood schools.) Presently the investigation concerning persons with developmental disabilities is followed up by a similar investigation in four other municipalities.

Systemic investigations make great demand on resources, and the staff at the office has thus been strengthened. All together approx. 272 cases/files were investigated during these three investigations, although the investigations statistically are listed as three cases.

During the year under review, the Ombudsman concluded a total of 2,254 cases. Of the total number of cases 1,045, or approx. 46,4% were dismissed. The reason 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.

Of the 1,209 cases investigated, 543 were solved or led to criticism or recommendations. In 223 of the cases the material decision adopted was criticised or recommendations made, 259 of the cases concerned the case processing time, and finally 61 cases concerned other questions on administrative procedure. 666 of the cases caused nether criticism or recommendations.
 

International contacts

• 12-18 May, Arne Fliflet, Parliamentary Ombudsman, visited American and Norwegian public institutions and organisations in Minnesota in connection with the Norwegian Constitution and Independence day, 17 May, informing about the ombudsman institution and ombudsman concept and studying the American ideas of the ombudsman concept.
  
  
• 25-27 May, Arne Fliflet, Parliamentary Ombudsman, and Torkjel Nesheim, Head of Division, visited the Irish Ombudsman & Information Commissioner Kevin Murphy.

Foreign visitors received at the office

• 24 March, Paulos Tessfagiorgies, former leader of Eritrean Reliefe Association, organised by the