Source · Select Committees · Business and Trade Committee
Recommendation 2
2
Accepted in Part
Transfer complex Horizon Shortfall Scheme claims to the Department for Business and Trade.
Recommendation
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. (Recommendation, Paragraph 11)
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepted, confirming the Department for Business and Trade will take over the Overturned Convictions scheme from 3 June. For the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS), they will decide on taking over complex cases in Spring 2025 but will ensure the Post Office takes swift action on fixed sum offers, automating processing, and provides regular updates.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
• 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.