Select committee: Public Accounts Committee
Conclusion 2
34th Report - Department for Business and Trade Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Published 25 Jun 2025
Addressed to HM Treasury
Public Accounts Committee Work of the Department for Business and Trade All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
Within the Overturned Convictions Scheme, there are a number of complex cases where claims have not yet been submitted, meaning ongoing delays in compensation for these individuals. The Overturned Convictions Scheme was set up to compensate those who had their convictions overturned by the courts. The scheme is separate from the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme, which was created to compensate those who had their convictions quashed via Government legislation. 4 There are 111 individuals eligible for financial redress through the Overturned Convictions Scheme. By 31 March 2025, 86 had submitted full and final claims, of which 69 had been paid, one had accepted an offer and was awaiting payment and a further 8 had received offers. The remaining 8 were awaiting offers from the Post Office. It is possible that claims may not be received for the remaining 25 eligible individuals until into 2026 due to the complexity of their cases. These individuals have received an interim payment of £200,000, with a further £250,000 payment to be made on receipt of a claim. With effect from 3 June 2025, the Department will take on direct responsibility for management of the scheme from the Post Office. There is a 3-month transition period underway to transfer the relevant data and handling of claims from the Post Office to the Department. recommendation The Department should outline how it plans to handle remaining cases under the Overturned Convictions Scheme, including how claims will be handled differently following the transition of the scheme from the Post Office to the Department.
From: Public Accounts Committee, 34th Report - Department for Business and Trade Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24 (HC 818), 25 June 2025
Government response
Latest Treasury Minutes progress report to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Thirty-fourth Report of Session 2024-26
The government responded to the whole report on 4 June 2026 (deadline 25 August 2025).
Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Thirty-fourth report from Session 2024-26
Published 18 September 2025.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government states that it agrees with each of the Committee's recommendations on the Department for Business and Trade's 2023-24 accounts, setting target implementation dates between September 2025 and August 2026.
- On the Horizon schemes, the department is finalising letters to remaining eligible Horizon Shortfall Scheme claimants, "expected to be implemented by September 2025". It will also write to those yet to register for redress under the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme, aiming to complete this "by the end of September 2025".
- Overturned Convictions claims transferred to the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme from 3 June 2025. The department confirms the same principles will apply, "ensuring no OC claimant is disadvantaged", and says it will publish further guidance by the end of Summer 2025.
- On Post Office funding, the department will write to the Committee in Autumn 2025. It will also give a formal notification to the Committee "when the Letter of Comfort to the Post Office Limited is issued", with a Winter 2025 target date.
- On Bounce Back Loan fraud, the department will submit written findings of a Government Internal Audit Agency audit "before the end of August 2026". It will write to the Committee in one year on Insolvency Service performance, providing information "that is obtainable".