The government has approved changes which include improvements to compensation schemes for victims, with a new appeals process and funded legal advice for post office operators
Justice for the victims of the Post Office scandal took a step forward today as the government announced changes to the redress scheme for those impacted.
Ministers are accepting all but one of the public inquiry into the Horizon scandal’s recommendations, with reforms of the redress scheme planned. The Horizon IT Inquiry is looking into the scandal which saw thousands lose their livelihoods and savings despite Post Office chiefs knowing faulty software could produce false data.
The reforms come following the publication of the first part of a report from a public inquiry led by Sir Wyn Williams. The report found that around 1,000 people were wrongly prosecuted and convicted throughout the UK between 1999 and 2015 as a result of defective Fujitsu software. It also found that more than 13 people may have killed themselves as a result of the scandal and it drove at least 59 more to consider suicide.
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The long-running battle for justice accelerated dramatically after ITV broadcast the drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, which highlighted the scandal. Sir Alan Bates was knighted last year, with the leading campaigner one of more than 550 claimants who have brought legal action against the company.
Now in a response to the first volume of the report, the government has approved changes which include improvements to compensation schemes for victims, with a new appeals process and funded legal advice for post office operators.
There will also be a new appeals process for people who have accepted fixed-sum offers under the Horizon Shortfall Scheme, one of several compensation schemes, which will close on January 31, giving post office operators who have not yet applied more time to put in applications.
Subject to further review, the Government will also look at establishing an independent body who could oversee and manage the redress for any future scandals. Volume 1 of the final inquiry report looked at the “disastrous human impact” on thousands of post office operators wrongly held responsible for shortfalls in their branches caused by faulty software.
Business Secretary, Peter Kyle, said: “We must never lose sight of the wronged postmasters affected by the Horizon Scandal, which the Inquiry has highlighted so well. There is clearly more to do to bring justice to those affected. The recommendations we are accepting today will be a crucial step towards this.”
Post Office Minister, Blair McDougall, said: “The Horizon Inquiry has provided a vital platform for postmasters to share their experiences of a horrendous injustice. The Inquiry’s recommendations are a key milestone in correcting past wrongs. By accepting them today, we are setting out a path forward towards concluding this horrific scandal.”
Chair of the Advisory Board Committee, Chris Hodges said: “The Advisory Board was consulted in advance about the Government’s response. We agree that it is the right way forward”.
Post Office Chair, Nigel Railton, said: “We have been working closely with the Department for Business and Trade to respond to the recommendations in Volume 1 of Sir Wyn Williams’ Inquiry report and to speed up redress payments to those who have been impacted by this awful scandal.
“I am pleased that we have made progress, with over £1.2 billion now paid to 9,100 people across all schemes. But there is still more work to do.”
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