Source · Select Committees · Business and Trade Committee
Recommendation 6
6
Accepted
Establish an empowered case facilitator role for Horizon Shortfall Scheme claimants.
Recommendation
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 the 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. (Recommendation, Paragraph 27)
Government Response Summary
The government accepted the recommendation, stating the Post Office is committed to exploring the appointment of a case manager for the HSS, and the government will appoint one for the HSS Appeals process and remaining HSS Dispute Resolution Process cases.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
• 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.