Defra's complaints procedures

Defra is committed to providing a high quality and efficient service to its customers. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from any part of the Department, you can complain by following the procedures set out in Section 1 below. However, if your complaint concerns the Department's policies, interpretation of legislation or other matters which are not related to standards of service, it should be addressed to the relevant Defra Policy Division, as set out in Section 2. If your complaint relates to a request for access to information, you should follow the procedures set out in Section 3.

Please note that Defra Inspectorates have their own service standards complaints procedures.

1. Complaints about Defra's standards of service

If you have a complaint about the way that we operate or the services we provide you can tell us by telephone, in writing, by fax, by e-mail, or in person (by appointment). In the first instance, your complaint should be made to the officer with whom you have been dealing. If you are unable to resolve the complaint satisfactorily in this way you should contact the Head of the relevant Defra Division.

If you remain dissatisfied, you can write to the Department's impartial Complaint Adjudicator, Carol Davis. Her address is:

Carol Davis is responsible for investigating and adjudicating on any complaints which are made to her regarding standards of service. She will investigate your complaint and report back within 15 working days. If this is not possible, she will write to you explaining why, and letting you know when you may expect a response.

If you are not satisfied with the adjudicator's decision, you may write to a Member of Parliament who may agree to refer your complaint to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (the Parliamentary Ombudsman) at:

OPCA
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP

2. Complaints about policies or legal issues

If your complaint relates to Defra's policies or the interpretation of EC or other legislation you should address it to the Head of the relevant Policy Division. (Please note that such complaints fall outside the remit of the Complaints Adjudicator.) You may ask your Member of Parliament to take up your complaint with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at Defra, Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR, or with another Defra Minister.

3. Complaints about access to information

If your complaint relates to a request for access to information under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information or the Environmental Information Regulations 1992 it should be made, in the first place, to the Head of the relevant Defra Division from which the information was sought. If you remain dissatisfied you can write to Lewis Baker, Head of Defra's Service Standards Unit, who will investigate your complaint. His address is:

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Room 547
Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR
Fax No: 020 7238 5376
Email: lewis.baker@defra.gsi.gov.uk

If, having heard the outcome of your complaint, you are still dissatisfied, you may write to a Member of Parliament who may agree to refer your complaint to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (the Parliamentary Ombudsman) at the above address.

If you have an enquiry or complaint regarding the content or operation of the Defra publication scheme you should, in the first instance, write to Kevin Jackson at:

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Headquarters Library
Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR
Tel No: 020 7238 3327
Fax No: 020 7238 3329
Email: kevin.jackson@defra.gsi.gov.uk

If you remain dissatisfied you can write to Lewis Baker, Head of Defra's Service Standards Unit, who will investigate your complaint. If, having heard the outcome of your complaint, you are still dissatisfied, you can contact the Information Commissioner at:

Office for the Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF

If you have a complaint regarding a request for access to personal information under the Data Protection Act 1998 you should contact David Waller, Defra's Data Protection Officer at:

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Room 546
Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR
Tel No: 020 7238 6276
Fax No: 020 7238 5376
Email: david.j.waller@defra.gsi.gov.uk

If you remain dissatisfied, you can contact the Information Commissioner at the above address.