Complaints procedure
If we fall short of the standard of service you expect, as a member of the public, from a government department, we hope that you will tell us so that we can try to put things right and to do better in the future.
If you are unhappy with the service you get from the Office of the Advocate General (OAG), there are different ways you can complain.
Complaints about service
If you have a complaint about the service you have received from a member of staff in OAG (other than in matters relating to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests) you should raise the issue in the first instance with the member of staff concerned.
If this is not appropriate or you find that the member of staff concerned does not resolve the matter satisfactorily you should write to:
Business Manager
Office of the Advocate General
Queen Elizabeth House
Edinburgh
EH8 8FT
businesssupport@advocategeneral.gov.uk
Please supply as much background information as possible.
The Business Manager will either deal with the complaint or ask a suitably qualified colleague to do so. Ordinarily we will respond to you within 10 working days of the receipt of your letter. If the investigation needs longer than 10 working days we will write to you explaining the delay and saying when a full reply will be sent.
If you are dissatisfied with the response, a member of the OAG Senior Management Team will review the complaint and its handling. You should write to:
Executive Assistant to the Director
Office of the Advocate General
Queen Elizabeth House
Edinburgh
EH8 8FT
enquiries@advocategeneral.gov.uk
The executive assistant will ensure that the complaint is allocated to a suitable member of the team. You should expect a reply within 10 working days of the receipt of your letter.
If you remain dissatisfied with the office’s handling of your complaint you can ask a Member of Parliament (MP) to refer the matter to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (the ombudsman).
The MP need not be your own MP. However if you wish to contact your own MP and do not know who he or she is you can find out on the website for Parliament. The ombudsman is fully independent and has powers to investigate complaints about UK government departments.
Complaints about Freedom of information requests
If your complaint relates to the way a FOI request has been handled you should write to:
Data Protection Officer
Office of the Advocate General
Queen Elizabeth House
Edinburgh
EH8 8FT
SO-and-OAG-DPO@scotlandoffice.gov.uk