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House of
Commons
Business and Trade Committee
Post Office Horizon scandal
redress: Unfinished
business: Government
response
Fourth Report of Session 2024-25
Business and Trade
Committee
The Business and Trade Committee is appointed by the House of Commons
to examine the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Department
for Business and Trade and its associated public bodies.
Current membership
Liam Byrne (Labour; Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North) (Chair)
Antonia Bance (Labour; Tipton and Wednesbury)
John Cooper (Conservative; Dumfries and Galloway)
Sarah Edwards (Labour; Tamworth)
Alison Griffiths (Conservative; Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Sonia Kumar (Labour; Dudley)
Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat; Witney)
Gregor Poynton (Labour; Livingston)
Mr Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat; Maidenhead)
Matt Western (Labour; Warwick and Leamington)
Rosie Wrighting (Labour; Kettering)
Powers
The Committee is one of the departmental select committees, the powers
of which are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally in SO
No. 152. These are available on the internet via www.parliament.uk.
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Publication
This Report, together with formal minutes relating to the report, was
Ordered by the House of Commons, on 18 March 2095, to be printed. It
was published on 25 March 2025 by authority of the House of Commons.
© Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2025.
This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament
Licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/copyright.
Committee reports are published on the Committee’s website at
www.parliament.uk/CommonsBTC and in print by Order of the House.
Contacts
All correspondence should be addressed to the Clerk of the Business and
n SWIA OAA. The telephone
‘al enquiries i “IGeneral enquiries) I
t edia enquiries); the Committee’s email address is
commonsbtc}¢ “GRO 71 You can follow the Committee on X (formerly
Twitter) using @CommonsBTC.
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Contents
First Report 1
Appendix: Government Response 5
Formal Minutes 20
List of Reports from the Committee during the
current Parliament 21
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First Report
The Business and Trade Committee published its First report of Session
2024-925, Post Office and Horizon scandal redress: Unfinished business (HC
341) on 1 January 2025. The response was received from the Department
for Business and Trade on 3 March 2025. The response and a cover letter
from the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports are published
as an Appendix to this Report. Two further written statements to the House
of Commons and House of Lords have added detail to the Department for
Business and Trade’s strategy for accelerating redress to victims.'
Over 4000 claimants of the Horizon scandal are still waiting to settle their
claims. The human cost of the unacceptable delay in making these redress
payments is considerable. The Government’s response acknowledged
this pain is exacerbated by poor administration of specific schemes? It is
therefore regrettable that Government has chosen to accept in full only
three out of seventeen of the Committee’s recommendations, which if
accepted would radically accelerate redress payments.
The Government has accepted our recommendation that Horizon Shortfall
Scheme claimants receive the same access to authoritative facilitation
and case management directions already available to claimants in other
schemes (recommendation 6). We welcome this. But we are disappointed
that the Government has not accepted our recommendation to make similar
improvements in the Group Litigation Order Scheme (recommendation 12).
We recommended that the Government provide upfront legal advice for
Horizon Shortfall Scheme claimants. This change would have tackled one of
the most important sources of delay and burden in the claims process - and
provided a way to restore fairness and faith among claimants. We regret
that the Government has not accepted this recommendation.
We welcome the announcement that the Department for Business and
Trade will take oversight for postmasters with convictions overturned by
the courts. But the Government has not accepted our recommendation
Changes to responsibilities for Horizon overturned convictions redress: Statement made
on 3 March 2025, HCWS483; and Horizon Redress: Statement made on 10 March 2025,
HLWSS503
Post Office Horizon financial redress data as of 28 February 2025
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that administration of the Horizon Shortfall Scheme is transferred to the
Department. We believe this is a mistake and remind ministers that the Post
Office itself advises this transfer is made.
It is welcome that redress payments have significantly increased since
the General Election. It is also welcome that the redress scheme is
now fully funded. But the redress payment processes are still too slow.
Victims claiming under the Horizon Shortfall Scheme continue to face
significant upfront complexity without legal advice. Victims under the
Horizon Conviction Redress Scheme are in fear of taking their case to final
assessment. The promise of stronger instruction to lawyers alone is no
substitute for the full implementation of the recommendations we have
made.
This Committee will continue to advocate for justice for the Horizon victims.
It is wrong that the claimants feel that the redress process is akin toa
second trial. We therefore urge the Department for Business and Trade
to re-consider and re-draft its response to our report and to address our
recommendations in full, especially the future of the Horizon Shortfall
Scheme oversight.
Letter from the Minister for Services, Small
Business and Exports, Department for
Business and Trade, dated 3 March 2025
Dear Liam,
Post Office And Horizon Redress: Government Response
The Government thanks the Committee for its report. I am grateful to
Committee members for their interest and engagement on these important
issues, which remain a key priority for my Department. We have sought
input from the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board in preparing this
Government response.
Since the new Government took office, the total amount of redress paid to
victims of the Horizon scandal has more than doubled, with over 1,600
more victims having received redress since the end of June last year.
In total, approximately £698 million has now been paid to over 4,400
claimants across the four Post Office Horizon schemes’.
Under the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS), approximately £315 million has
been paid to eligible claimants as of 31 January 2025. This includes £33.3
million in interim payments to original claimants and £7.9 million in interim
payments to late applications. The new HSS Appeals Process will be
launched shortly, and we have committed to covering the reasonable costs
of postmasters obtaining legal advice at each stage of the appeals process.
There are 111 claimants eligible for financial redress through theOverturned
Convictions (OC) scheme, of which 82 claimants have submitted full
and final claims. All 111 eligible claimants have either reached full and
final settlement or received a minimum of £200,000 through interim
payments. As of 31 January 2025, A total of approximately £65 million have
been made in redress payments under this scheme, including further interim
payments.
As of 21 February 2025, the Department has received 425 completed claims
from postmasters eligible for the Group Litigation Order (GLO) scheme. A
total of approximately £136 million, including interim payments, has been
paid to claimants.
Over half of eligible GLO claimants have now settled their claim. A further
219 individuals have received partial or interim redress payments, including
people who have not yet submitted full claims.
Derived using HSS and OC published statistics as of 31 January 2025 and GLO and HCRS
published statistics as of 21 February 2025.
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Since the new Government came in, we have launched the newHorizon
Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS). This scheme is making very good
progress. As of 7 February 2025, 589 individuals have been identified as
having at least one conviction quashed by the Post Office (Horizon System)
Offences Act 2024. As of 21 February 2025, 273 full and final claims for
financial redress have been received through the HCRS, with 257 of these
paid. All eligible applicants are entitled to an initial interim payment of
£200,000, with 408 initial interim claims received by the Department and
398 of these paid. A total of approximately £182 million has been paid to
claimants under this scheme, including interim payments.
The new Government has been determined to learn lessons from the past as
we work to ensure that we deliver full, fair and prompt redress to victims,
who have had to wait too long to receive justice. We recognise there is a
need to ensure the same principles are used to assess how much exactly
victims receive. We also agree that requests for information sent to victims
should only be focused on seeking further evidence that will help increase
offers. I can confirm that we have reinforced this point to our legal advisers
and to the Post Office.
The Government will continue to look at gaps in the redress system.
Following the publication of Kroll’s independent report on the Capture
system, we intend to publish our approach to redress for those postmasters
who experienced shortfalls through use of Capture in spring 2025. The
Government is also actively considering what further information and
support can be introduced for HSS claimants to help them with their initial
claims.
Additionally, you will have seen the statement I made today regarding
changes to responsibilities for Horizon Convictions redress. We are
broadening the scope of the HCRS and, as part of that, I can confirm
that the Department for Business and Trade has agreed to take over
responsibility from the Post Office for delivering redress to those whose
convictions have been overturned by the courts. From Tuesday 3 June all
existing and new overturned convictions claims will be processed by this
Department.
Our responses to the recommendations made in your report are set out in
the attached Annex.
Yours sincerely,
Gareth Thomas MP
Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports
Department for Business and Trade
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Appendix: Government
Response
Horizon Shortfall Scheme
Role of Post Office
recommendation 1
Despite repeated criticism from this Committee, Post Office Ltd is still in
charge of the Horizon Shortfall Scheme. While the Committee welcomes that
the appeals process will be administered by the Department for Business and
Trade, swift action must be taken to deal with the thousands of claimants
who still have not been given the redress that is owed to them. Sub-
postmasters do not want Post Office Ltd to deal with redress and neither does
Post Office Ltd itself. Post Office Ltd should not be deciding on what financial
redress is owed to victims of its own scandal. The Government must finish the
job in hand and remove Post Office Ltd from the Horizon Shortfall Scheme.
(Paragraph 10)
recommendation 2
If the Government is not able to do this for all claims in a timely way, Post
Office Ltd must in the first instance transfer complex cases—that is, cases
that are going through full assessment—for the Department to administer.
For claimants who choose to take the fixed sum offer, Post Office Ltd must
continue to take swift action and find solutions to automate case processing.
Post Office Ltd should provide regular updates to the Committee on the
progress of this. (Paragraph 11)
The Government partially accepts these recommendations.
The new Government's priority is ensuring that full and fair redress
is paid out to victims of the Horizon scandal as quickly as possible.
Now that we have launched the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme
(HCRS), which is progressing at good pace, we can confirm that we
have decided that the Department for Business and Trade should
take on responsibility for claims currently being dealt with by the Post
Office through its Overturned Convictions scheme. From 3 June this
year, the Department’s Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS)
will broaden its scope and take on responsibility for redress for
postmasters who have had their convictions overturned by the courts.
The new Government is also pleased to hear that the Committee
welcomes the upcoming Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS) Appeals
Process. We are considering allowing those victims who have already
raised a formal dispute with the Post Office, but not yet reached an
agreement, to opt in to the forthcoming HSS appeals process.
We will also continue to consider whether it should take over
responsibility for making first offers under the HSS. This would not be
a straightforward step, and risks significant disruption, which could
cause delays in providing redress. A core principle will be ensuring
that taking over responsibility would not slow down the pace of
offers, nor add to the overall cost of administering the scheme. The
Government will make a decision on whether to take over responsibility
in Spring 2025.
In the meantime, we continue to support and challenge the Post Office
in delivery of the HSS. We expect the vast majority of remaining and
future claims to be for the £75k fixed sum offer. Whilst the Post Office
remains responsible for managing the delivery of HSS, fully-assessed
claims are assessed by an independent panel of experts who make a
recommendation on the value of redress. Post Office has never offered
less than the amount recommended by the independent Panel.
The new Government agrees that the Post Office must take swift action
to process claims for the fixed sum offer in the HSS. Indeed, the Post
Office has already introduced automation to support greater efficiency
in this process and are looking at further opportunities to implement
this. The new Government will encourage the Post Office to provide
regular and timely updates to the Committee on progress.
Providing up-front legal advice
recommendation 3
Horizon Shortfall Scheme claimants currently receive no legal advice to help
complete the complex questionnaire that acts as the gateway to the scheme.
This acts against them receiving the full redress they are due. We recommend
HSS claimants be given access to no-cost legal advice to support their entry
into the scheme. (Paragraph 14)
The Government does not accept this recommendation.
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The HSS was designed so that claimants could apply without
legal input, which was informed by the experience of the 2019 GLO
proceedings. Claimants can, and are encouraged to, seek legal advice
when they receive their HSS offer with funding for reasonable fees
provided by the Post Office. That funding continues if they choose to
challenge their offer.
However, the Government recognises that the original application
process for the HSS proved to be overly complex. It has taken steps
with Post Office to address this, including the introduction of the £75k
fixed sum with a shorter application form and improvements to the
guidance and forms for full claims.
Furthermore, those who are unhappy with an individually assessed
settlement which they have previously agreed with the Post Office will
be entitled to apply to the DBT-run HSS Appeals Process, when this is
established in the next few months. Funding for legal advice will be
provided for those disputing settlements through HSS Appeals.
The Government is considering what further information and support
can be introduced for claimants to help them make out their initial
claims. It will report back to the Committee accordingly.
Stronger instructions to lawyers
recommendation 4
The gold-plated legalistic process of the Horizon Shortfall Scheme is not
best value for the public purse. The Government should therefore ensure
that Herbert Smith Freehills and Post Office Ltd are instructed to use best
endeavours to simplify and accelerate the settlement of claims. (Paragraph
18)
The Government agrees with this recommendation and has already
previously recommended this to Post Office and HSF in turn. We
continue to reiterate the importance of simplification and streamlining
through its governance fora.
Speed of the Independent Panel
recommendation 5
The Committee has learned that it will take around 18 months for the
Independent Panel to assess outstanding claims on the Horizon Shortfall
Scheme. We have also learned that the Post Office are expecting thousands
of new cases to come forward. A panel central to the process that assesses
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all claims meeting twice a week will not deliver swift justice for sub-
postmasters. The Independent Panel must be resourced to meet full time until
the majority of first offers have been issued. (Paragraph 22)
The Government partially accepts this recommendation.
The new Government agrees that it has taken too long for claims to
be assessed under the HSS. However, the introduction of the £75k
fixed sum is already having a significant impact. As of 31 January
2025, approximately £171 million has been paid in award top-ups and
£75,000 awards.
The Post Office is working with its legal suppliers to ensure that Panel
resource is increased to reflect the workload on the HSS. However,
Panel capacity is not the only constraint on progressing cases. The
Government is working with the Post Office to ensure that all parts of
the HSS process are as streamlined as possible so that redress can
be accelerated. The Post Office is increasing its operational resource
accordingly.
Establishing a case facilitator for the Horizon
Shortfall Scheme
recommendation 6
Claimants under the Horizon Shortfall Scheme lack the same access
to authoritative facilitation and case management direction available
to claimants in other schemes. This can be remedied by introducing
an empowered case facilitator similar to the role played by Sir Gary
Hickinbottom for Overturned Convictions. We recommend that the
Department and Post Office Ltd establish such roles, agreeing their functions
with claimants and their legal representatives. (Paragraph 27)
The Government accepts this recommendation.
The Government agrees that case facilitators have proved valuable
in other schemes by encouraging lawyers for the two parties to reach
agreement. The Post Office has committed to explore the proposal to
appoint someone with case management responsibilities to support
the HSS and engage with DBT and applicant representatives on this
proposal; we are committed to working on this with them.
The Government will appoint a case facilitator to support the delivery
of the HSS Appeals process, which will begin to consider cases in
the next few months. That facilitator will also deal with any cases
remaining in the Post Office’s HSS Dispute Resolution Process.
Giving claimants the benefit of the doubt
recommendation 7
The Department should work with Post Office Ltd and claimants’
representatives to establish an independent case facilitator with a defined
role in assessing whether it is reasonable to subject a claim’s basis of
calculation to further scrutiny through requests for information. When
requests for information are considered reasonable, it should take no longer
than 20 working days to be sent to the claimant from the submission of a
claim. (Paragraph 30)
The Government does not accept this recommendation.
The Government agrees that requests for information (RFls) should be
sent to the claimant as quickly as possible following the submission
of acclaim. It does not believe that setting deadlines for this process
would be in the best interest of claimants, given that these requests
are aimed at helping to substantiate the losses claimed. If this process
is rushed, it may affect the quality of the RFI and in turn, inhibit the
claimant’s opportunity to provide the required information to increase
their award.
A case facilitator would also need to familiarise themselves with the
details of the case in order to consider the validity of a request for
further information. That would add unacceptable time and cost to the
process.
We do, however, agree that requests for information should be sent in
a timely way and we will reinforce this in our regular reviews with the
Post Office of the scheme’s progress.
Cutting down on needless requests for information
recommendation 8
Requests for information under the Horizon Shortfall Scheme should only be
made where it is deemed reasonable to increase the offer value to claimants,
or in the rare instance where there may be reasonable concern about a
claim’s basis of calculation. Where redress offers are calculated in-line with
indicative bands or redress guidelines, we recommend that offers should
be made at or above the top-end of such indicative limits. An independent
case facilitator should be established with a role—on appeal by claimant
representatives—in swiftly considering whether a request for information is
reasonable for the above purposes. (Paragraph 33)
The Government partially accepts this recommendation.
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Requests for information are issued in the HSS to help substantiate
heads of loss that have been claimed by the postmaster and
are therefore always aimed at increasing the potential offer of
compensation. However, the Government recognises that these
requests can be overwhelming, particularly given the trauma that
many postmasters experienced due to Horizon and the challenges that
may come with recalling these events. It also recognises that due to
the passage of time, it can be very difficult to produce documentary
evidence to support claims. The scheme is designed to accommodate
these evidential difficulties as far as possible.
While claims which are supported by evidence are more likely to
be successful, where the postmaster is unable to evidence a claim,
their claim will nonetheless be accepted in whole or in part if it is
considered to be fair in all the circumstances (for example, if it is
reasonable to not expect the postmaster to have that evidence).
The Government will work with the Post Office to ensure that requests
for information are only issued where necessary to support awards
being made and that the communication of these requests is handled
sensitively and in the interests of claimants.
Where redress offers are calculated in line with indicative bands or
redress guidelines, DBT works with Post Office to ensure the approach
is fair and consistent. Again, those who are unhappy with a settlement
which they have previously agreed with the Post Office will be entitled
to apply to the DBT-run HSS Appeals Process, when this is established
in the next few months.
Mediation route
recommendation 9
The Independent Panel on the Horizon Shortfall Scheme is already
backlogged. To keep cases moving, disputed first offers to claimants must
not be reassessed by the Independent Panel but instead move straight into
external mediation. (Paragraph 36)
The Government partially accepts this recommendation.
The new Government agrees that the number of cases being
reassessed by the HSS Independent Panel as part of the Dispute
Resolution Process is causing delays.
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The HSS Independent Panel plays an important role in ensuring
that outcomes under the scheme are consistent and fair. This
is an important safeguard, particularly for claimants who are
unrepresented.
However, the Government has agreed with the Post Office that where
possible, claims will be reassessed internally by the Company based
on the information provided. It will look to agree settlements with the
claimant bilaterally following this reassessment.
As is currently the case, the claimant will have the opportunity to
proceed to an independent mediation if no agreement can be reached.
Introducing legally binding timeframes
recommendation 10
Sub-postmasters should not be left in limbo, waiting years for the redress
that they are due with no light at the end of the tunnel. Ongoing delays
are unacceptable and action must be taken to rectify this. The Committee
reiterates the recommendation of its predecessor—binding timeframes for
each stage of the Horizon Shortfall Scheme process must be introduced
to draw this saga to a close. To ensure that claimants are not adversely
impacted, timeframes should only be imposed on the administrators of
the scheme, so that claimants have the time they want to consider their
positions. (Paragraph 39)
The Government does not accept this recommendation.
The Government inherited a Horizon Shortfall Scheme that, amongst
other criticisms, was seen as too legalistic and took too long to resolve
claims. We are working hard to resolve these problems. But the time
taken to resolve claims in future will not be affected by the imposition
of timeframes, even if they are described as “binding”. The Horizon
Compensation Advisory Board has commented:
“Board members reiterated their position that the introduction of
penalties for exceeding binding timeframes for redress schemes
would not achieve the desired outcome of speeding the delivery of fair
compensation to victims of the scandal. They saw the intuitive appeal
of this idea but considered that it would not work. Such limits:
© would not change the behaviour of those responsible for the
schemes;
© would not adjust to complex cases or allow for the variable
quality of independent reports; and
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© would not be fair on those who had been paid within time.
Instead, what is required is practical action. The Government is
working with the Post Office to make the scheme more efficient
by introducing the £75k fixed offer; limiting the number of Dispute
Resolution Process cases going back to Panel; minimising Requests
for Information; improving case management; automating time-
consuming, administrative processes ; and supporting the Post Office
to increase the number of staff working on the scheme and to deploy
resources where they are most needed.
Settlements include interest, which recognises the delays that
claimants have experienced in receiving redress. The Post Office is also
making interim payments, where possible, to ensure that postmasters
are not out of pocket whilst they wait for an outcome or if they choose
to dispute their offer.
As a result of these steps, the Government expects this backlog to be
reduced significantly in the coming weeks. The Government will update
the Committee on the progress of reducing the backlog in Spring.
However, implementing fines for delays would have a significant
impact on cost and be unfair to the taxpayer.
Group Litigation Order Scheme
Introducing binding timeframes
recommendation 11
The Committee welcomes that the majority of first offers for the Group
Litigation Order Scheme will be complete by March 2025. This, however,
does not address the time it takes between first offer and final payment.
Sub-postmasters have waited long enough. The Government should aim
wherever possible to complete Group Litigation Order redress claims by
March 2025 as suggested to us in evidence from Sir Alan Bates. We know that
this will not be possible for some claims due to the complexity of the claim
or the vulnerability of claimants, so the Government must introduce binding
timeframes at each stage of Group Litigation Order Scheme, with financial
penalties awarded to the claimant if these timeframes are not met. As with
the Horizon Shortfall Scheme, timeframes should only be imposed on the
Government side, giving the sub-postmaster ample time to consider their
position. (Paragraph 43)
The Government partially accepts this recommendation.
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The Government inherited a Group Litigation Order Scheme which
has similarly been criticised for being too legalistic. The Government
has undertaken to respond to the Advisory Board’s recommendations
aimed to ensure that redress for any future scandal is non-adversarial.
It has also been working hard with claimants’ lawyers to speed up
claims and offers.
As of 21st February 2025, 425 full claims had been received by the
Department. Of these 425 claims, 265 have been paid and a further
4 have accepted offers and are awaiting payment. Another 138
postmasters have received offers from the department and the
remaining 18 are awaiting offers.
The Department expects to make redress offers in respect of 90% of
completed claims within 40 working days. Redress will be paid in full
when offers are accepted. If an offer is challenged, the claimant will
receive 80% of it.
We therefore expect to pay substantial redress to the great majority of
GLO members by 31 March.
The Department has set a target to issue a substantive response to
90% of challenge cases received after 1 December within 40 working
days of receiving a complete challenge. Claims will be assessed in the
date order in which they were submitted, so no challenge submitted
before 1 December will be left behind.
The Government is pleased to note that as of 21 February 2025, 95%
of claimants (18 out of 19) who submitted complete challenges after 1
December received their substantive response within 40 working days
of doing so.
Claimants already receive compensation for the time taken to deal
with claims, in that interest is paid on most aspects of claims in
accordance with standard legal principles: the amount payable
therefore increases over time.
The Department and Addleshaw Goddard have brought in additional
staff to assist, and as the outstanding initial offer claims reduce,
further staff will focus on settling challenged claims.
In summary, introducing financial penalties would not speed up the
process above or beyond the steps already taken by the Department.
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Role of independent adjudicator
recommendation 12
It is disappointing that the Department does not believe the Independent
Reviewer should be given a greater role in the Group Litigation Order Scheme,
despite the former Post Office Minister confessing that it was a mistake not
to do so. Sir Ross Cranston is a former High Court Judge with a wealth of
experience that is not being used to the full. The Government should give the
Independent Reviewer greater powers to case manage Group Litigation Order
claims throughout the whole process. (Paragraph 49)
The Government does not accept this recommendation.
The Department recognises that there is a greater role for the
Case Management function to play in the GLO Scheme. The Case
Management function within the GLO scheme is delivered by Dentons,
the scheme’s independent claim facilitators. Dentons provide a
dedicated team with a wealth of experience in facilitating mediation
and resolving disputes, and crucially in managing large volumes of
claims while doing so. We are encouraging Dentons to play as active
role in the scheme as they can and will continue to do so.
The Department is productively working with claimants’ solicitors and
Dentons to maximise the benefit of the role of the facilitation process
in the scheme. It is accepted and was envisaged at the Scheme’s
inception that facilitated discussions would be appropriate in specific
cases, whereas the Panel and Reviewer process should be reserved for
points of Scheme Principles.
The Department greatly values Sir Ross Cranston’s expertise and
it was for that reason that he was appointed as the Scheme’s
Reviewer. However, this is a very distinct role with a much lower time
commitment than the role played by Sir Gary Hickinbottom on the
Overturned Convictions Scheme. Sir Ross is currently chairing an
inquiry into the November 2021 Channel crossing tragedy and would
not be able to commit additional time to the GLO scheme. The current
arrangement ensures that Sir Ross’ expertise is used on points of
scheme principle and fairness rather than administratively on case
management.
At this late stage in the GLO scheme (where over three-quarters of
claims have been submitted and over half of eligible GLO claimants
have accepted their claim), we therefore do not agree that Sir Ross’
role should be extended or that a second case facilitator should be
appointed to that scheme.
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Requests for Information (RFls)
recommendation 13
The Department should ensure that offers to claimants are delivered at or
above the top-end of the illustrative redress bands and guidance established
under the guidance and principles of the Group Litigation Order scheme.
Further requests for information should only be made in order to increase
the offer value to claimants, or in the rare instance where there may be
reasonable concern about a claim’s basis of calculation. A claim’s named
case facilitator should have a defined role in swiftly considering whether a
request for information is reasonable for the above purposes. (Paragraph 52)
The Government does not accept this recommendation.
Requests for information are intended to enable the Department to
increase its offers to claimants, including where there is a reasonable
concern about the basis of calculation.
The Department recognises the feedback from claimants and their
representatives that such requests are in some cases being made late
into the process and is therefore keen for such requests to be made
as early as possible. Adding an additional layer of governance by
requiring the claim facilitator to agree to the request would increase
the time taken to issue such requests which would exacerbate delays.
We can, however, confirm that Addleshaw Goddard are aware of the
importance of making it clear that RFls are only issued to seek further
information that could help increase an offer to claimants.
Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme
Informing claimants of their right to redress
recommendation 14
While it is reassuring that the Government have put a timeframe on
completing eligibility checks, we are concerned that some individuals may
never know of their right to redress. The lack of data published means it is
difficult for the Committee to fully scrutinise progress of this scheme across
all Home Nations. The Government must set out a plan for how it will notify
postmasters in scope of the Act of their right to redress plus timeframes in
which these issues will be resolved. The Government must also update the
Committee monthly with the following data, broken down by England and
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland:
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a. How many people are under consideration as qualifying for remedies
under the Post office (Horizon System) Offences Act 2024 and the Post Office
(Horizon System) Offences (Scotland) Act 2024.
b. How many people have been confirmed as qualifying for the reliefs
specified by the Acts.
c. The number of people who have been written to about their right to
redress.
d. How many people that have been paid under the Horizon Convictions
Redress Scheme.
e. The total amount that has been paid to claimants under the Horizon
Convictions Redress Scheme, and the total cost of administering the scheme.
(Paragraph 58)
The Government does not accept this recommendation.
Since July 2024, individuals who have had their convictions quashed
by the Act have been notified via a letter from the Ministry of Justice.
In this letter, individuals are also notified that they are eligible
for redress and invited to come forward to apply to the Horizon
Convictions Redress Scheme. For England and Wales, the Government
publishes monthly data on the assessment of convictions against the
Act’s criteria and the notification of individuals that they have had a
conviction quashed, on gov.uk here: https://www.gov.uk/government,
publications/post-office-horizon-system-offences-act-2024-quashed-
convictions-management-information .
As of 7 February, the total number of individuals who have been or are
being assessed in England and Wales was 953*.
Notification of individuals in Scotland and Northern Ireland is the
responsibility of the relevant devolved government. Publication of
these data in respect of Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for
those governments.
The justice authorities in Northern Ireland and Scotland have not
published regular updates like the Ministry of Justice; however, some
public ad hoc updates have previously been provided, here:
Please note in February 2024, the Post Office and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) made
the MoJ aware of a total of 944 records for possible individuals who may have been
convicted because of the faulty Horizon accounting system. Previous Management
Information releases published by the MoJ reported that number as 936. Following a
routine review of our datasets, the Department has identified that eight individuals had
not been included in this total. This has now been rectified making the total 944.
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© Northern Ireland - As of 13 February 2025, 16 individuals
had been notified their convictions had been quashed. The
convictions of five remaining individuals are currently being
assessed.
° Scotland - As of 27 February, the total number of individuals
being assessed is 96, with 57 individuals identified as having
convictions quashed by the Act, and one individual identified
as having an alternative to prosecution for a relevant offence.
13 individuals have been identified as not having a quashed
conviction, and the final 25 individuals are in the process of being
assessed.
In addition, the Government publishes monthly data on the progress
of redress here: Post Office Horizon financial redress data for 2025 -
GOV.UK As of 21 February 2025, £182 million had been paid, including
interim payments. 398 people have received interim payments and 257
have reached full and final settlements.
Considering these UK Government data are already published, the
Government does not think it is necessary to provide separate data on
these matters.
Remove the fear factor
recommendation 15
The Department should act swiftly to remove the fear factor from the
Horizon Conviction Redress Scheme, ensuring that the redress offered under
a full assessment settlement is never valued at below the optional fixed-
sum redress which was initially available to a claimant. It should further
communicate this change to current claimants and consider whether
undue pressure may have formed a part of the decision of some settled
claimants to opt out of a full assessment. The approach established under
this recommendation for fixed-sum settlement offers should be applied as a
matter of general principle across all schemes. (Paragraph 61)
The Government does not accept this recommendation.
There is no timeframe within which an applicant needs to decide
whether they should accept the fixed sum or pursue a detailed claim
assessment.
In the HCRS and OC schemes, we are funding legal advice for
claimants to support them in calculating what amount of redress they
are due and to support their decision on which redress route they wish
to engage with and to make that claim.
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We recognise the hardship already endured by affected postmasters
and the fixed sum route for redress represents an accessible and swift
route for accessing redress whilst constituting a sum which represents
a fair settlement for the majority.
Whilst no amount of money can right the wrongs of the past, we
strongly encourage claimants to engage with a detailed assessment
of their losses where these are expected to comprise in excess of the
£600k fixed sum.
Applicants receive an upfront preliminary payment of £200,000
as soon as they are confirmed as eligible for the scheme and have
passed ID checks. This aims to relieve some of the immediate financial
hardship while they consider their preferred option.
If a claimant decides to pursue a detailed claim assessment, their
preliminary payment is topped up to £450,000 upon submission of a
fully substantiated claim.
If they decide to take the £600,000 fixed sum, the balance of the claim
is paid and the claim settled.
Binding timeframes
recommendation 16
The Government must introduce binding timeframes for administrators at
each stage of the process under the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme,
with financial penalties awarded to the claimant if these deadlines are
not met. As with the Horizon Shortfall Scheme and Group Litigation Order
Scheme, these timeframes should only be applied on the Government’s side
so that claimants have the space and time needed to consider their offer.
(Paragraph 63)
For the reasons given in response to recommendation 11, the
Government does not accept this recommendation.
Transparency for legal costs
recommendation 17
The Department should publish a regular transparency report detailing
external legal costs incurred under all schemes. It is important that the report
is produced in a manner that minimises the potential for wider confusion
about the basis under which legal costs are billed, distinguishing the cost
of disbursements incurred by firms where possible. Where separation of
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cost categories is not possible, the Department should provide a clear and
accessible summary of the meaning and limitations of the data provided.
(Paragraph 66)
The Department is happy to commit to publishing these data on a
quarterly basis.
We have previously been providing regular updates to the Select
Committee on spend across schemes, including on external legal
costs. This has been shared by way of a quarterly update letter
from Government Ministers, which has then been published on the
Committee’s website.
In light of your recommendations, however, we will now publish this
information on gov.uk.
In common with the rest of Government, the Department also routinely
publishes all transactions it makes over £25k on a quarterly basis.
Formal minutes
Tuesday 18 March 2025
Members present
Liam Byrne, in the Chair
Antonia Bance
John Cooper
Sarah Edwards
Alison Griffiths
Sonia Kumar
Charlie Maynard
Gregor Poynton
Joshua Reynolds
Matt Western
Report Consideration
Draft Report (Post Office Horizon scandal redress: Unfinished business:
Government response to the Committee’s First Repor), proposed by the
Chair, brought up and read.
Ordered, That the draft Report be read a second time, paragraph by
paragraph.
Paragraphs 1 to 6, read and agreed to.
Appendix agreed to.
Resolved, That the Report be the Fourth Report of the Committee to the
House.
Ordered, That the Chair make the Report to the House.
Ordered, That embargoed copies of the Report be made available (Standing
Order No. 134)
Adjournment
Adjourned till Tuesday 25 March at 2.00pm
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List of Reports from the
Committee during the current
Parliament
All publications from the Committee are available on the publications page
of the Committee’s website.
Session 2024-25
Number _ Title Reference
3rd Make Work Pay: Employment Rights Bill HC 370
2nd Priorities of the Business and Trade Committee HC 423
Ist Post Office and Horizon scandal redress: HC 341
Unfinished business
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