Ongoing
· Chair: Sir Wyn Williams
· Established June 2021
· Commissioned by Department for Business and Trade
Public inquiry into the Post Office Horizon IT scandal, examining how more than 900 sub-postmasters were wrongly prosecuted based on faulty Fujitsu software between 1999 and 2015.
Accepted in part · No statement from Department for Business and Trade found
Recommended
The Horizon Compensation Advisory Board should not be prevented from monitoring individual cases in which compensation has been or is to be determined by paragraph 4 of its Terms of Reference. It must be one of the core duties of the Board that it monitors whether compensation payments are full and fair.
Since then (summary written by this site)
The Inquiry asked that the advisory board monitor individual cases and compensation fairness. In October 2023, the Department for Business and Trade agreed that the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board could receive anonymised individual case information, but endorsed its view that monitoring whether payments are full and fair is not advisable (Department for Business and Trade response, Oct 2023). It noted that existing terms of reference already permit the board to advise ministers (Department for Business and Trade response, Oct 2023).
Addressed to Department for Business and Trade · Full record
Accepted in part · No statement from Department for Business and Trade found
Recommended
The Horizon Compensation Advisory Board shall, as part of its advisory role, consider whether, in its view, full and fair compensation is being paid out to applicants under the three schemes and shall advise the Minister and the Post Office accordingly at three monthly intervals.
Since then (summary written by this site)
The Inquiry recommended that an advisory board assess compensation fairness and advise ministers quarterly. In October 2023, the Department for Business and Trade agreed the board could receive anonymised data, but endorsed its view that it would not be possible to give an "opinion that full and fair compensation is being paid out to individuals" (Department for Business and Trade response, Oct 2023). It noted that reports are communicated to the Minister following six-weekly meetings, while advising the Post Office is not mentioned in the sources (Department for Business and Trade response, Oct 2023).
Addressed to Department for Business and Trade · Full record
Accepted in part · No statement from Department for Business and Trade found
Recommended
HM Government shall bring forward and use its best endeavours to ensure that legislation is enacted so as to allow payments of compensation under GLOS to be made to applicants after 12 midnight on 7 August 2024 if that proves to be necessary.
Since then (summary written by this site)
The Department for Business and Trade stated in October 2023 that it was determined to deliver the scheme by August 2024 and would consider whether legislation was necessary if that deadline appeared likely to be missed (Department for Business and Trade response, Oct 2023). In January 2026, the Business and Trade Select Committee found that the Limitation Act amendment had not been brought forward as a standalone bill, with longer-term legislative options under consideration (Business and Trade Select Committee, Jan 2026). The committee noted that over 4,000 claimants across all schemes were still awaiting final settlement at that date (Business and Trade Select Committee, Jan 2026).
Addressed to Department for Business and Trade · Full record
Accepted in part · No statement from Department for Business and Trade found
Recommended
No applications for compensation to HSS shall be entertained after such date as shall be agreed by the Minister/ DBT, the Post Office and the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board.
Since then (summary written by this site)
The Inquiry asked for an agreed closing date for Horizon Shortfall Scheme applications. In October 2023, the Department for Business and Trade stated that it would discuss and agree an appropriate closing date with the Post Office, seek advice from the advisory board, and notify the inquiry and potential claimants once a decision was made (Department for Business and Trade response, Oct 2023).
Addressed to Department for Business and Trade · Full record
Written QuestionHouse of CommonsDr Al Pinkerton · Liberal Democrat
Asked: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with the Post Office Horizon Inquiry on the publication of evidence.
Answered by Ministry of Justice: The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry is a statutory inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005 and Sir Wyn Williams and the Inquiry team have the right to receive full access to the information and witnesses they require in order to investigate what went wrong at the Post Office. The Inquiry is entirely independent. Within its published terms of reference, Sir …
Written QuestionHouse of CommonsJohn Milne · Liberal Democrat
Asked: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has assessed the suitability of Fujitsu Ltd to continue holding public sector contracts following its role in the Horizon IT system failures.
Answered by Cabinet Office: The impact that the Horizon scandal has had on postmasters and their families is horrendous. This Government is determined to hold those responsible to account. Fujitsu’s culpability needs to be assessed in light of the final report of Sir Wyn Williams’s Inquiry. Once it is published we will carefully consider whether to launch debarment investigations based on the findings in …
Written QuestionHouse of CommonsJohn Milne · Liberal Democrat
Asked: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how Fujitsu Ltd’s central role in the Horizon IT failures is affecting its eligibility for future government contracts.
Answered by Cabinet Office: The impact that the Horizon scandal has had on postmasters and their families is horrendous. This Government is determined to hold those responsible to account. Fujitsu’s culpability needs to be assessed in light of the final report of Sir Wyn Williams’s Inquiry. Once it is published we will carefully consider whether to launch debarment investigations based on the findings in …
Written QuestionHouse of LordsBaroness Ritchie of Downpatrick · Labour
Asked: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 9 July (HL Deb col 1326), what is the timeline for completing assessments under the Procurement Act 2023 of suppliers who have engaged in poor performance or professional misconduct.
Answered by Cabinet Office: The timeline for completing assessments of suppliers who have engaged in poor performance or professional misconduct is dependent on the circumstances of each individual case. The impact of the Horizon scandal on postmasters and their families has been horrendous. The Government is determined to hold those responsible to account and will continue to seek to make rapid progress on compensation …
Written QuestionHouse of CommonsNavendu Mishra · Labour
Asked: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to review Government contracts with Fujitsu.
Answered by Cabinet Office: The impact of the Horizon scandal on postmasters and their families has been horrendous. The Government is determined to hold those responsible to account and will continue to seek to make rapid progress on compensation and redress. Fujitsu’s role in Horizon is one of the issues currently being reviewed by Sir Wyn Williams’s statutory inquiry. The Government are carefully considering …
Written QuestionHouse of LordsBaroness Ritchie of Downpatrick · Labour
Asked: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have assessed Fujitsu for exclusion under the Procurement Act 2023.
Answered by Cabinet Office: The timeline for completing assessments of suppliers who have engaged in poor performance or professional misconduct is dependent on the circumstances of each individual case. The impact of the Horizon scandal on postmasters and their families has been horrendous. The Government is determined to hold those responsible to account and will continue to seek to make rapid progress on compensation …
Written QuestionHouse of LordsBaroness Ritchie of Downpatrick · Labour
Asked: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the total value of the 12 contracts issued to Fujitsu in the last 12 months; and how many of these were new contracts rather than transitional arrangements.
Answered by Cabinet Office: The timeline for completing assessments of suppliers who have engaged in poor performance or professional misconduct is dependent on the circumstances of each individual case. The impact of the Horizon scandal on postmasters and their families has been horrendous. The Government is determined to hold those responsible to account and will continue to seek to make rapid progress on compensation …