The first week of Parliament in 2024 was dominated by Post Office Horizon Scandal, following the recent showing of the powerful drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office
Like many of my Parliamentary colleagues across the House, I
am appalled by the treatment of the sub-postmasters who were accused of theft
based on flawed evidence from the Horizon IT system. Victims' accounts of the
impact of these prosecutions are harrowing: some served prison sentences; many
had their livelihoods and life savings decimated; marriages broke down; four
committed suicide; others passed away before being able to clear their names;
and many were ostracised by their local communities and as a result failed to
find alternative work.
While we cannot undo the damage that has been done, we must
establish what went wrong. I am aware that nobody at either the Post Office or
Fujitsu has been held directly accountable.
Previously the Government converted a public inquiry into
the affair to a statutory footing which allowed it the necessary powers and
time to conduct an in-depth analysis of the decision-making processes that led
to the scandal.
In the meantime, last week the Government announced The Post
Office (Horizon System) Compensation Bill which will ensure that the
trailblazers who exposed the scandal do not miss out on compensation because of
an arbitrary deadline. The Government is determined to make compensation claims
as soon as possible, and by the current deadline of August 2024. However, time
needs to be taken to assess more complex claims, so postmasters receive full
and fair compensation and are not unduly rushed into making a decision on their
claims.
To date, more than £148 million has been paid to 2,700
victims across all compensation schemes, 93 convictions have been overturned
and, of those, 30 have agreed full and final settlements. Just over £30 million
has been paid out in compensation to those with overturned convictions, including
interim payments. But there is more to be done, and quickly.
I have received assurances that the Government wants to see
all victims affected by the Post Office Horizon IT scandal compensated fairly
and swiftly. We will continue to work across Government and with the Post
Office to ensure the postmasters get the full compensation they deserve, and
that payments and associated taxes are fair and proportionate.
As you may be aware, former Post Office CEO Paula Vennells
has confirmed she will hand back her CBE. I believe that this is the right
decision. The Government's focus continues to be on ensuring all those whose
lives were torn apart have swifter access to compensation and justice.
The Government has been clear that it should not be the
taxpayer alone who funds these compensation schemes. The inquiry is committed
to concluding by the end of this year and reporting shortly after. At that
point, Ministers will know who was responsible for what, and they should then
be able to identify who can be made responsible through potential financial
contributions, rather than the taxpayer alone.
The harm that these prosecutions have wreaked on the
affected families over the past 20 years is irreparable. Lessons should and
will be learnt to ensure that an injustice of this magnitude never happens
again.
As always, I am fully focused on the job at hand and if
there is ever anything at all I
can do to help, then please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please get in touch with
me by email at Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk, or by
telephone on 01872
229698. My regular constituency advice surgeries are held
in a covid-safe
environment at my office, so please do get in touch should
you wish to meet me
about any matters that I can be of assistance with.
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