Select committee: Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee
Recommendation 14
1st Report - Post Office and Horizon scandal redress: Unfinished business
Published 1 Jan 2025
Addressed to Department for Business and Trade
Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee Post Office Horizon scandal: fast and fair redress All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
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: 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. (Recommendation, Paragraph 58)
From: Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee, 1st Report - Post Office and Horizon scandal redress: Unfinished business (HC 341), 1 January 2025
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 25 March 2025 (deadline 1 March 2025).