MPs have urged the government to introduce a one-stop shop' to help the public with complaints against departments and government bodies.

A public administration select committee report, When citizens complain, published on March 24, suggests that the new complaints body could provide a single point of contact for impartial information on where to make a complaint.

It says such an organisation which it calls Public Services Direct - would direct people unsure of how or where to lodge an initial complaint. The committee also suggests a far more systematic approach to the monitoring of complaints.

The report highlights figures from the National Audit Office for 2003/04, during which just under 1.4 million complaints were received across departments and processed by more than 9,000 staff. The complaints system cost £510m, of which £132m was spent on dealing with complaints, £366m on appeals and tribunals and £12m on compensation. …