NORWEGIAN PARLIAMENTARY OMBUDSMAN National Preventive Mechanism ANNUAL REPORT 2016 86 Instructions for the Parliamentary Ombudsman for Public Administration (selected sections) Adopted by the Storting on 19 February 1980 under section 2 of the Act of 22 June 1962 No. 8 relating to the Parliamentary Ombudsman for Public Administration. Section 1. Purpose (See section 3 of the Parliamentary Ombudsman Act) The Parliamentary Ombudsman for Public Administration shall seek to ensure that individual citizens are not unjustly treated by the public administration and that senior officials, officials and others engaged in the service of the public administration do not make errors or neglect their duties. Section 2. Sphere of responsibility (See section 4 of the Parliamentary Ombudsman Act) The Norwegian Parliamentary Intelligence Oversight Committee shall not be considered as part of the public administration for the purposes of the Parliamentary Ombudsman Act. The Ombudsman shall not consider complaints concerning the intelligence, surveillance and security services that the Committee has already considered. The Ombudsman shall not consider complaints about cases dealt with by the Storting’s ex gratia payments committee. The exception for the activities of the courts of law under section 4, first paragraph, c), also includes decisions that may be brought before a court by means of a complaint, appeal or other judicial remedy. Amended by Storting decisions of 22 October 1996 No. 1479, 2 December 2003 No. 1898 (in force from 1 January 2004), 17 June 2013 No. 1251 (in force from 1 July 2013). (Sections 3-8) Section 8a. Special provisions relating to the Parliamentary Ombudsman as national preventive mechanism The Ombudsman may receive assistance from persons with specific expertise in connection with its function as the national preventive mechanism in accordance with section 3a of the Parliamentary Ombudsman Act. The Ombudsman shall establish an advisory committee to provide expertise, information, advice and input in connection with its function as the national preventive mechanism. The advisory committee shall include members with expertise on children, human rights and psychiatry. The committee must have a good gender balance and each sex shall be represented by a minimum of 40 % of the membership. The committee may include both Norwegian and foreign members. Added by Storting decision of 17 June 2013 No. 1251 (in force from 1 July 2013). (Sections 9-11) Section 12. Annual report to the Storting (See section 12 of the Parliamentary Ombudsman Act) The Ombudsman’s annual report to the Storting shall be submitted by 1 April each year and shall cover the Ombudsman’s activities in the period 1 January–31 December of the previous year. The report shall contain a summary of procedures in cases which the Ombudsman considers to be of general interest, and shall mention those cases in which he has called attention to shortcomings in acts, regulations or administrative practice, or has issued a special report under section 12, second paragraph, of the Parliamentary Ombudsman Act. In the annual report, the Ombudsman shall also provide information on activities to oversee and monitor that the public administration respects and safeguards human rights. If the Ombudsman finds reason to do so, he may refrain from mentioning names in the report. The report shall in any case not include information that is subject to the duty of confidentiality. The account of cases where the Ombudsman has expressed an opinion as mentioned in section 10, second, third and fourth paragraphs, of the Parliamentary Ombudsman Act, shall summarise any response by the relevant administrative body or official about the complaint, see section 6, first paragraph, third sentence. A report concerning the Ombudsman’s activities as the national preventive mechanism shall be issued before 1 April each year. This report shall cover the period 1 January–31 December of the previous year. Amended by Storting decision of 14 June 2000 No. 1712 (in force from 1 January 2001), 12 June 2007 No. 1101 (in force from 1 July 2007), 17 June 2013 No. 1251 (in force from 1 July 2013). (Section 13)