BEIS0000705 - Letter from Jeremy Hunt to Kemi Badenoch MP re Accelerating Post Office Horizon Compensation

Evidence on official site

BEIS0000705

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HM Treasury, I Horse Guards Road, London, SWIA 2HQ

The Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP
Secretary of State for Business & Trade
President of the Board of Trade
Minister for Women & Equalities
Department for Business and trade

Old Admiralty Building

Admiralty Place

Whitehall

London

SW1A 2DY

August 2023
Dear Kemi,

RE: Accelerating Post Office Horizon Compensation

1. Thank you for your letter of 9 August regarding the acceleration of Post Office
Horizon Compensation.

2. Iam wholly committed to ensuring that postmasters receive the full and fair
compensation that they rightly deserve.

3. I am deeply concerned by the risks posed to the successful delivery of the
Group Litigation Order (GLO) compensation scheme, especially given the
serious concern expressed by the Williams’ Inquiry in its Interim Report. I
understand that the CST recently wrote to Minister Hollinrake offering further
HMT support and engagement.

4. Iam receptive to measures which will increase the likelihood of successful
delivery and I understand that your department is looking to secure legislation
to remove the current deadline. I also understand that my officials are
engaging with yours in relation to the scheme’s admin budgets.

5. In relation to the specific proposal for fixed sum awards on the GLO scheme,
while successful delivery is paramount, we must also have regard to our
responsibility for the public finances and to ensuring that the treatment of
claimants on each Horizon compensation scheme is fair to that of their peers.

6. As you note, making fixed sum awards on the GLO would incur significant
repercussive risk and cost, including to the Horizon Shortfall Scheme. Given
the extent of this risk and its high likelihood of crystallisation, I would
encourage you to explore the full breadth of other options to advance the
ultimate objective of timely and successful delivery of full and fair
compensation.

OFFICIAL SENSITIVE
7.

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I am grateful for the continued work of you, Minister Hollinrake, and your
officials to compensate and ensure fair and consistent treatment for all the
victims of the Horizon IT Scandal.

I am copying this letter to The Chief Secretary to the Treasury and to Kevin
Hollinrake MP.

RT HON JEREMY HUNT MP
Chancellor of the Exchequer

OFFICIAL SENSITIVE