Government ministers are responsible for government departments.

When a member of the public has exhausted all complaint areas within a government department, they refer the matter to the Minister.

Quite naturally, they expect the Minister to question his or her department on their behalf. After all, the Minister was elected by the public, to serve the public.

Whereas, it has become common practice for Ministers to send an original complaint directly to their department, the very department the complaint was against. And to allow that department to reply directly to the person who made the complaint.

So the person making the complaint receives a letter from the department, stating this is a response on behalf of the Minister, referring them back to the actual area to which the original complaint was directed. Ater at least two months, the complainant is no further forward!

Whereas, the responsible action is for the Minister to send a copy of the complaint to his or her department, with a, “Please-explain directly to me!”

Then, it is the Minister who should respond directly to the complainant, having first checked the department’s response for credibility and relevance.