Extracts from news published on the Ombudsman’s website in 2019 | 73 20 August 9 September Ombudsman: Decision by public authority cannot be called an ‘offer’ Ombudsman appointed new Supreme Court justice When the tax authorities decide that a citizen can have a debt to a public authority cancelled, this is a decision – not an offer – the Ombudsman has established on investigating a specific case about a woman receiving an ‘offer’ from the Danish Customs and Tax Administration, SKAT. The Supreme Court has today announced that the Parliamentary Ombudsman, Jørgen Steen Sørensen, has passed the test required to become a Supreme Court justice by satisfactorily rendering his opinion in four Supreme Court cases. 26 August Ombudsman: Inmates and remand prisoners excluded from association should be better protected from adverse psychological effects In several respects more can be done to protect inmates and remand prisoners from adverse psychological effects when they are excluded from association with other inmates or remand prisoners. This is the message from the Parliamentary Ombudsman following visits to eight state prisons and nine local prisons. 4 September Faster replies to applications for retention of Danish citizenship Young Danish expatriates wait a considerably shorter time today for a reply to applications for retention of Danish citizenship. The processing time decreased appreciably in 2018 compared to previous years – the average now being approximately eight months – and the number of pending cases has been reduced significantly. The Ombudsman took up the case back in 2014 after being contacted by an association for Danish expatriates. The investigation carried out by the Ombudsman at that time showed that young Danish expatriates had to wait an average of 15.5 months for a decision on whether they could retain their Danish citizenship, and that many had to wait more than two years. This means that the Ombudsman will take up office as a Supreme Court justice on 1 November 2019. 10 September Police must on an ongoing basis reconsider need to use force during deportations During a police deportation of a foreign national, it may be necessary to use force, for instance in the form of plastic strips around the deportee’s wrists. However, the Ombudsman stresses on the basis of two specific deportations that when force is used during a deportation, the police should consider on an ongoing basis whether it is still necessary to use force. The reason is that any use of force must be necessary and proportionate for its entire duration, which follows from the rules of law applicable to police deportations. 16 September Update on case about separation of young asylum seeking couples The Parliamentary Ombudsman does not at this point in time expect to receive any more material from the Ministry of Immigration and Integration in the case about separation of young asylum seeking couples. The Ombudsman has today written this to the Ministry after it has been decided to set up a commission of inquiry into the matter. ‘The main task of the Ombudsman institution in this matter has been to ensure that the rights of the affected couples under Danish law and international conventions are respected. I consider this task ac-