Copy of IPSA's complaint log
Request
You specifically requested a copy of the complaints log IPSA holds, on an anonymous basis, and any comments submitted by MPs as part of their complaints.
Response
IPSA holds the information that you request.
As you will be aware, IPSA is responsible for administering and paying both the business costs and expenses, and salaries, of all 650 Members of Parliament and their staff. We handle around 185,000 claims a year, and, on average, reimburse them in less than 10 days. In the event that Members of Parliament, or their staff, feel IPSA has not provided an adequate standard of service, we offer a thorough complaints procedure.
The complaint log we hold details all formal complaints made to IPSA by Members of Parliament and their staff. Please find attached, in Annex A, an extracted copy of IPSA’s complaint log which lists, by complaint, the main subject, a brief summary, the date, the status and resolution of each complaint, and comments filed by IPSA staff members dealing with the complaints. In line with previous correspondence, we have provided an extracted copy of the complaint log, in which we have removed three fields: the complainant; the name of the MP to whom the complaint relates; and the name of the complainant (if not an MP).
For clarity, in your previous request, FOI2013-A209, you made a request for complaints made by MPs. The complaint log attached holds details of complaints made both by MPs’ staff and MPs directly.
Turning to the second part of your request, the complaint log does not hold any comments submitted by MPs as part of the complaints. The only communication submitted by MPs (as part of their complaints) that we hold is the original complaint itself and any preceding correspondence, which may come in the form of a letter or an email, and which we withheld under Section 36 of the FOIA in your previous request, FOI2013-A209. Our qualified person under the FOIA, Sir Neil Butterfield, has confirmed that the release of such communication continues to fall within the decision he previously made.
Annex A – IPSA Complaint Log (extracted)
Main Subject of Complaint | Nature of Complaint (Brief Description) | Date Received | Date Responded | Comment | Complaint Resolution | Complaint Status | Month Complaint Received |
Phone opening times | Dislike of phone opening hours, MPs taff not being able to be reimbursed directly on all claims | 25/07/2011 | 01/08/2011 | - | Process issue | Response sent & case closed | July 2011 |
Responding to queries | Unhappy re. lack of specific advice given on claims | 29/07/2011 | 10/08/2011 | - | Policy issue | Response sent & case closed | July 2011 |
Documentation | Reason for delay in us receiving claim documentation | 08/07/2011 | 19/07/2011 | - | Service delivery - IPSA not at fault | Response sent & case closed | July 2011 |
Reward & recognititon | Reward and recognition payment not being made | 13/06/2011 | 23/06/2011 | - | Policy issue | Response sent & case closed | July 2011 |
Simplified payments | Delays in processing deposit loan and claim, multiple confusing e-mails about simplified payments | 27/09/2012 | 16/10/2012 | - | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | September 2012 |
Reviews/rejected claims | Procedures for dealing with rejected claims | 02/09/2010 | 15/09/2010 | - | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | September 2010 |
Processing claims | Length of time to change accommodation status | 06/09/2010 | 15/09/2010 | - | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | September 2010 |
Payment card | Difficulties completing travelcard reconcilliation form | 09/12/2010 | 22/12/2010 | - | Process issue | Response sent & case closed | December 2010 |
Payment card | Difficulties completing payment card reconciliation form | 12/02/2011 | 17/02/2011 | - | Process issue | Response sent & case closed | February 2011 |
Processing claims | Intern expenses not paid | 28/02/2012 | 05/03/2012 | [REDACTED]'s been registered but no expenses have been claimed | Service delivery - IPSA not at fault | Response sent & case closed | March 2012 |
Payroll | Over payment of salary for two months | 05/09/2011 | 16/09/2011 | Payroll have set-up monthly payment plan. [REDACTED] says [REDACTED] wants to make a formal complaint but given the nature of the issue Ihave treated it as a formal complant already. | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | September 2011 |
Payroll | Being paid on two contract and not pleased with IPSA staff service | 15/11/2011 | 24/11/2011 | There were a number of issues which were raised as part of this complaint, all but one of these had previously been responded to. The main complaint in this letter was regarding how her issues were dealt with by a member of the payroll team - it was not found that IPSA was at fault | Service delivery - IPSA not at fault | Response sent & case closedResponse sent & case closed | November 2011 |
Processing claims | Unhappy about processing time for mobile phone claims | 20/11/2012 | 07/12/2012 | Only one was delayed beyond our target | Service delivery - IPSA not at fault | Response sent & case closed | November 2012 |
Processing claims | Various | 12/07/2011 | 21/07/2011 | - | Process issue | Response sent & case closed | July 2011 |
Reviews/rejected claims | Unhappy that we don't allow redacted evidence | 14/02/2012 | 05/03/2012 | This was just crossed out, not blacked out, so should have been allowed | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | January 2012 |
Processing claims | Claims for recall in August have been returned as insuffiecient evidence has been sent. | 10/10/2011 | 21/10/2011 | - | Service delivery - IPSA not at fault | Response sent & case closed | October 2011 |
Payroll | MP needing to sign-off holiday payment | 01/08/2011 | 04/08/2011 | Referred to [REDACTED] - either [REDACTED] or [REDACTED] to answer | Service delivery - IPSA not at fault | Response sent & case closed | August 2011 |
Payment card | Difficulty with payment card | 21/12/2010 | 21/12/2010 | - | Process issue | Response sent & case closed | December 2010 |
Publication | Publication of MP's expenses - not allowed to correct an admin error | 01/02/2010 | 09/02/2011 | - | Process issue | Response sent & case closed | February 2011 |
Simplified payments | Delay with simplified payments | 17/03/2011 | 30/03/2011 | - | Service delivery - IPSA not at fault | Response sent & case closed | March 2011 |
Payment card | Payment Card | 11/03/2013 | 21/03/2013 | - | Process issue | Response sent & case closed | - |
Phone opening times | Reduction in phone hours | 17/03/2011 | 07/04/2011 | - | Process issue | Response sent & case closed | March 2011 |
Processing claims | Claim apparently returned after two weeks ([REDACTED] thinks it should be dealt with sooner) and not happy about delays with Payment Card processing | 24/02/2012 | - | - | - | Received[1]sent & case closed | February 2012 |
Reviews/rejected claims | Not paid line instead of returned for futher evidence. | 29/01/2013 | 08/02/2013 | Review conducted and claim paid. | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | December 2012 |
Processing claims | About the fact that staff do not receive remittance advice slips | 18/08/2011 | 02/09/2011 | - | Process issue | Response sent & case closed | August 2011 |
Responding to queries | Phonecall waiting time | 03/09/2010 | 15/09/2010 | Response I understand was sent from [REDACTED]. it has not been logged on CRM | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | September 2010 |
System | Unhappy that Payment Card form has a glitch which means it sometimes does not list all the options it should | 09/11/2012 | 26/11/2012 | [REDACTED] are investigating, but it's unclear what is causing it and it is difficult because we can't replicate the problem | - | Response sent & case closed | November 2012 |
Registrations | Length of time to respond to query | 16/11/2011 | - | - | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | November 2010 |
System | Unable to claim for travel for dependants | 16/09/2010 | 21/09/2010 | The reason the category was not available was because we had not rec'd all info we needed. | Service delivery - IPSA not at fault | Response sent & case closed | September 2010 |
Responding to queries | Failure to respond to query | 16/09/2010 | 21/09/2010 | - | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | September 2010 |
Responding to queries | 3 complaints - phone lines out of order and two re slow response to emails | 08/10/2010 | 22/10/2011 | This complaint duplicates one which was sent on 6 Oct and will not be counted. IPSA at fault in 2 out of 3 of these complaints | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | October 2010 |
Responding to queries | Length of time to respond to email | 19/10/2010 | 03/11/2010 | [REDACTED] said in response to [REDACTED] not to reply as [REDACTED] has sorted matter but the initial response from [REDACTED] took 12 wkg days | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | October 2010 |
Responding to queries | Handling of registration of intern - delay and incorrect information asked for | 22/10/2010 | 09/11/2010 | - | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | October 2010 |
Processing claims | Claim evidence not scanned | 30/11/2010 | 14/12/2010 | - | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | November 2010 |
Processing claims | Delay in claim payment | 20/03/2013 | 28/03/2013 | - | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | - |
Registrations | Handling of LALP and incorrect info being given | 02/09/2010 | 06/10/2010 | - | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | September 2010 |
Processing claims | Handling of claims | 29/09/2010 | 15/10/2010 | - | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | September 2010 |
Registrations | Handling of registration of accommodation and not being asked for additional documentation | 15/10/2010 | 09/11/2010 | - | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | October 2010 |
Scheme | Not able able to claim for journey to Labour Party conference | 14/11/2011 | 17/11/2011 | After letter from [REDACTED] MP then spoke to [REDACTED]. [REDACTED] spoke [REDACTED] (21/11/11) and is following up with letter | Policy issue | Response sent & case closed | November 2010 |
Budget overspend | That we have not approved an uplift to their budget following pay rises and confusion about what year backdated amounts would be allocated to | 27/06/2012 | 15/08/2012 | - | Policy issue | Response sent & case closed | June 2012 |
Processing claims | MP unhappy that we returned the form asking for additional evidence | 19/09/2012 | 27/09/2012 | - | Service delivery - IPSA not at fault | Response sent & case closed | September 2012 |
Payroll | IPSA as empoyer on P60 | 02/09/2011 | 07/10/2011 | Final email sent 7 October | Service delivery - IPSA not at fault | Response sent & case closed | September 2011 |
Responding to queries | Letter not responded to | 19/07/2011 | - | Letter sent to [REDACTED], letter was not scanned as Payroll related, therefore it was not tracked on CRM | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | July 2011 |
Simplified payments | Not being able pay regular payment via simplified payments | 19/07/2011 | - | I dealt with proxy direct and have arranged for simplified payment to be set-up on secretarial services as he has no const office | Process issue | Response sent & case closed | June 2011 |
Documentation | Rent increase not actioned | 13/09/2012 | 01/10/2012 | - | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | September 2012 |
Simplified payments | Simp. payments delayed this month. No apology. | 19/07/2011 | 26/07/2011 | - | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | July 2011 |
Processing claims | Delayed responses to questions about closing up office | 26/09/2012 | 16/10/2012 | - | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | September 2012 |
Responding to queries | Delay in registering property and responding to query relating to it | 16/11/2011 | 29/11/2011 | - | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | November 2010 |
Processing claims | Slow payment | 01/08/2011 | 10/08/2011 | - | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | August 2011 |
Registrations | Length of time to register accommodation | 02/09/2010 | 20/09/2010 | - | Service delivery - IPSA not at fault | Response sent & case closed | September 2010 |
Responding to queries | Phonecall waiting time | 14/09/2010 | 20/09/2010 | - | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | September 2010 |
Processing claims | Claim was not paid as opposed to returned for more information. | 30/01/2013 | 08/02/2013 | MP/Staff to re submit claim stating documentation is already with us on 222753. | Process issue | Response sent & case closed | - |
Reviews/rejected claims | Review process | 28/09/2010 | 18/10/2010 | - | Service delivery - IPSA not at fault | Response sent & case closed | September 2010 |
Phone opening times | Reduced phone opening hours | 02/03/2011 | 02/03/2011 | - | Process issue | Response sent & case closed | March 2011 |
Payment card | Payment card reconciliation and year end | 20/06/2011 | 05/07/2011 | - | Process issue | Response sent & case closed | June 2011 |
Payment card | Problem with payment card reconciliation | 21/12/2010 | 13/01/2011 | - | Process issue | Response sent & case closed | December 2010 |
Simplified payments | Simplified payment not made and outstanding payments to landlord | 08/07/2011 | 14/07/2011 | There was a delay in the Simp payment going out but not our fault for other outstanding amounts | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | July 2011 |
Simplified payments | Rent for flat is 2 months overdue and MPs not trusted with paying rent | 18/01/2012 | 24/01/2012 | We are not overdue and [REDACTED] can pay [REDACTED] rent direct to landlord if [REDACTED] wishes | Service delivery - IPSA not at fault | Response sent & case closed | January 2012 |
Payroll | Mistake in tax code | 22/06/2011 | 23/06/2011 | [REDACTED]'s response covers a previous letter too | Service delivery - IPSA not at fault | Response sent & case closed | June 2011 |
Publication | Our publication policy of MP receipts and difficulty to find complaints procedure | 10/01/2011 | 28/01/2011 | - | Policy issue | Response sent & case closed | January 2011 |
Processing claims | Unhappy that [REDACTED] hasn't received [REDACTED] intern expenses | 24/02/2012 | 05/03/2012 | The MP asked for a 90 day extension which we granted, then they revealed they've got no receipts. We've suggested [REDACTED] take it up with the MP. | Service delivery - IPSA not at fault | Response sent & case closed | March 2012 |
Registrations | Problems registering office and home | 11/10/2010 | 28/10/2010 | Complaint classed as us not at fault as we were sent incorrect info. MP insisted that [REDACTED] sent correct docs but we did not get them or they were incorrect | Service delivery - IPSA not at fault | Response sent & case closed | October 2010 |
Processing claims | Slow payment of intern expenses | 26/11/2010 | 10/12/2010 | We did not input bank details which were provided | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | November 2010 |
Payroll | Overpayment of salary | 02/12/2010 | 13/12/2010 | - | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | December 2010 |
Payroll | Overpayment of pension contributions | 28/01/2011 | 01/02/2011 | - | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | January 2011 |
Processing claims | Claim being returned due to different transaction date | 01/11/2011 | 11/11/2011 | Response came back from MP on 11 Nov and response went out from [REDACTED] on 17 November | Process issue | Response sent & case closed | November 2011 |
Data protection | Possible breach of DPA | 18/09/2010 | 20/09/2010 | - | Service delivery - IPSA not at fault | Response sent & case closed | September 2010 |
Simplified payments | Simplified payment not being set-up quickly enough and bank returning payment | 15/06/2011 | 24/06/2011 | - | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | June 2011 |
Processing claims | Wants us to pay staff direct for Office Costs | 02/08/2012 | 15/08/2012 | - | Process issue | Response sent & case closed | August 2012 |
Responding to queries | Time taken to respond to queries/office registration | 26/10/2010 | 10/11/2010 | - | Service delivery - IPSA at fault | Response sent & case closed | October 2010 |
Budgets/year end | Switching between budgets | 26/05/2011 | 09/06/2011 | - | Process issue | Response sent & case closed | May 2011 |
[1] This complaint was responded to on 12th March 2012, but was not logged.
Is this page helpful?
- Ref:
- F1314-038
- Disclosure:
- 5 June 2013
- Categories:
- IPSA - OPERATIONS
- Exemptions Applied:
- None