Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2005 (c. 10)

Part 2 E+W Investigation of complaints

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Pt. 2 applied (with modifications) (22.11.2012) by The Police and Crime Panels (Application of Local Authority Enactments) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2734), regs. 1(1), 3-6, Sch. Pt. 3

C2 Pt. 2 applied (11.10.2005) by The Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2005 (Commencement No. 1 and Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/2800), art. 6

Miscellaneous E+W

32 Protection from defamation claims E+W

For the purposes of the law of defamation, the following are absolutely privileged—

(a) the publication of a matter by the Ombudsman, a member of his staff or another person acting on his behalf or assisting him in the discharge of any of his functions, in the discharge of any of the Ombudsman's functions under this Act;

(b) the publication of a matter by a person in the discharge of functions under section 17;

(c) the publication of a matter in connection with a complaint made or referred to the Ombudsman under this Part, in communications between—

(i) a listed authority, a member or co-opted member of a listed authority, an officer or member of the staff of a listed authority or another person acting on behalf of a listed authority or assisting it in the discharge of any of its functions, and

(ii) the Ombudsman, a member of his staff or another person acting on his behalf or assisting him in the discharge of any of his functions;

(d) the publication of any matter in connection with a complaint made or referred (or to be made or referred) by or on behalf of a person to the Ombudsman under this Part, in communications between a person and an Assembly member;

(e) the publication of any matter in connection with a complaint made or referred (or to be made or referred) by or on behalf of a person to the Ombudsman under this Part, in communications between the person and the Ombudsman, a member of his staff or another person acting on his behalf or assisting him in the discharge of any of his functions.