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IN THE POST OFFICE HORIZON IT INQUIRY
IN THE MATTER OF AN INQUIRY UNDER THE INQUIRIES ACT 2005
SUBMISSIONS ON BEHALF OF UK GOVERNMENT
INVESTMENTS ON ISSUES OF COMPENSATION
Introduction
1. These submissions are made on behalf of UK Government Investments (UKGI),
in response to the invitation of the Chair dated the 10'» May 2022.
2. UKGI is grateful to the Inquiry for having been given the opportunity to
address the issues that are to be considered by the Inquiry at the preliminary
hearings that are to take place in July 2022.
3. Whilst these submissions do not address those issues directly, as they are
primarily matters for which the Post Office Limited (POL) and the Department
of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) are responsible, UKGI
nevertheless considered that it may be of some assistance to the Inquiry, to
briefly explain its role and involvement in the various compensation schemes
and processes.
UKGIl's role and involvement
4. UKGI supports BEIS in its handling of the compensation schemes and wider
processes, including in its interactions with POL, as part of its role as
shareholder representative for POL. UKGI also regularly meets with and
provides challenge to POL on operational and strategic issues concerning
compensation, including in relation to:
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i. the Historical Shortfall Scheme (HSS), in respect of which, a UKGI
representative attends meetings of the BEIS Steering Committee as an
observer; and
ii. compensation in relation to postmasters whose convictions have been
quashed by the appeal courts and/or may have a claim for malicious
prosecution against POL, in respect of which, a UKGI representative
attends meetings of the BEIS POL Overturned Criminal Convictions
Board as an observer.
5. UKGI does not have a role in relation to the delivery of compensation to the
Group litigation claimants.
6. Furthermore, UKGI attends the POL Board subcommittee responsible for
challenging POL’s Historical Matters Unit - the Historical Remediation
Committee - via the attendance of the Shareholder Non-Executive Director on
the POL Board and a UKGI observer.
7. More detailed information concerning UKGI's involvement in these issues has
recently been set out in the Government's response to the BEIS Committee’s
interim report on ‘Post Office and Horizon - Compensation’. A copy of this
response is attached as Appendix A to these submissions, to which the Inquiry
is respectfully referred .
Conclusion
8. UKGI hopes that the above summary and the attached document are of
assistance to the Inquiry in understanding its involvement in the various
compensation schemes.
9. UKGlis committed to assisting the Inquiry in any way that it can, as the Inquiry
progresses.
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1 June 2022
NEIL SHELDON Q.C.
PAUL MERTENS
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