Post Office Horizon scandal: fast and fair redress
Business and Trade Committee
Closed
Non-inquiry session
We are running a short inquiry on financial redress in the Post Office Horizon scandal, focused on “fast and fair redress” for victims of what has been described as the biggest miscarriage of justice in UK history. In a scandal reaching back over two decades, postmasters who run individual post …
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17
Recommendations
1
Report
2
Oral sessions
16
Letters
2
Events
Activity timeline 23 events
15 Oct
2025
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23 Jul
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15 Jul
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8 Jul
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12 Jun
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12 Jun
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6 May
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22 Apr
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10 Apr
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25 Mar
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25 Feb
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Oral evidence sessions 2 sessions
19 Nov 2024
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BTC questions Government ministers on redress failures in “biggest miscarriage of justice in UK history”
Alan Watts · Herbert Smith Freehills
Carl Creswell · Department for Business and Trade
Ed Lidington · Ministry of Justice
Gareth Thomas MP · Department for Business and Trade
Heidi Alexander · Ministry of Justice
Mark Chesher · Addleshaw Goddard
Nigel Railton · Post Office Ltd
Rob Francis · Dentons
Simon Recaldin · Post Office
5 Nov 2024
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David Enright · Howe & Co Solicitors
Dewi Lewis
Dr Neil Hudgell · Hudgell Solicitors
James Hartley · Freeths
Jill Donnison
Sir Alan Bates · Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance
The Rt. Hon. Sir Gary Hickinbottom PC · Post Office Overturned Convictions Independent Pecuniary Assessment Panel
Reports 1 report · click to expand
| Title | HC No. | Published | Items | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Report - Post Office and Horizon scandal redress: Unfinished… | HC 341 | 1 Jan 2025 | 17 | Responded |
Recommendations & Conclusions
8 results
3
Recommendation
Rejected
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Provide Horizon Shortfall Scheme claimants with access to no-cost legal advice.
Horizon Shortfall Scheme claimants currently receive no legal advice to help complete the complex questionnaire that acts as the gateway to the scheme. This acts against them receiving the full redress they are due. We recommend HSS claimants be given …
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Government Response
The government rejected the recommendation, stating the HSS was designed for claimants to apply without legal input, though funding is available for advice on offers and future appeals. They acknowledge original complexity and are considering further initial support.
Department for Business and Trade
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7
Recommendation
Rejected
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Establish an independent case facilitator and set 20-day limit for information requests.
The Department should work with Post Office Ltd and claimants’ representatives to establish an independent case facilitator with a defined role in assessing whether it is reasonable to subject a claim’s basis of calculation to further scrutiny through requests for …
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Government Response
The government rejected the recommendation, stating that setting deadlines for RFIs is not in claimants' best interest and a case facilitator would add unacceptable time and cost. They will, however, reinforce timely RFI delivery in reviews.
Department for Business and Trade
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10
Recommendation
Rejected
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Introduce binding timeframes for each stage of the Horizon Shortfall Scheme process.
Sub-postmasters should not be left in limbo, waiting years for the redress that they are due with no light at the end of the tunnel. Ongoing delays are unacceptable and action must be taken to rectify this. The Committee reiterates …
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Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation for binding timeframes, stating that the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board believes they would not speed up claims, and instead outlines various practical actions it is taking to make the scheme more efficient.
Department for Business and Trade
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12
Recommendation
Rejected
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Grant Independent Reviewer greater powers to case manage Group Litigation Order claims.
It is disappointing that the Department does not believe the Independent Reviewer should be given a greater role in the Group Litigation Order Scheme, despite the former Post Office Minister confessing that it was a mistake not to do so. …
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Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation, stating that Dentons already provide case management for the GLO scheme and Sir Ross Cranston's distinct role as Reviewer is focused on scheme principles and fairness, with limited time commitment due to other responsibilities.
Department for Business and Trade
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13
Recommendation
Rejected
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Ensure Group Litigation Order claimant offers are at or above top-end redress bands.
The Department should ensure that offers to claimants are delivered at or above the top-end of the illustrative redress bands and guidance established under the guidance and principles of the Group Litigation Order scheme. Further requests for information should only …
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Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation, arguing that adding an additional layer of governance for information requests would exacerbate delays, though it acknowledges RFIs should aim to increase offers and be made early.
Department for Business and Trade
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14
Recommendation
Rejected
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Require plan to notify all eligible postmasters and provide monthly Horizon redress scheme data.
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 …
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Government Response
The government rejected the recommendation. They stated that individuals have already been notified since July 2024, and monthly data for England and Wales is already published online. Notification and data publication for Scotland and Northern Ireland are responsibilities of the respective devolved governments.
Department for Business and Trade
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15
Recommendation
Rejected
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Ensure Horizon Conviction Redress Scheme full assessments never offer less than fixed-sum.
The Department should act swiftly to remove the fear factor from the Horizon Conviction Redress Scheme, ensuring that the redress offered under a full assessment settlement is never valued at below the optional fixed- sum redress which was initially available …
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Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation, detailing its current approach which includes funding legal advice and preliminary payments, and encourages claimants to pursue detailed assessments if their losses exceed the £600k fixed sum.
Department for Business and Trade
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16
Recommendation
Rejected
1st Report - Post Office and Horiz…
Introduce binding timeframes and financial penalties for Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme administrators.
The Government must introduce binding timeframes for administrators at each stage of the process under the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme, with financial penalties awarded to the claimant if these deadlines are not met. As with the Horizon Shortfall Scheme and …
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Government Response
The government rejected the recommendation to introduce binding timeframes with financial penalties for administrators in the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme, referencing reasons provided in their response to recommendation 11.
Department for Business and Trade
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Correspondence 16 letters
15 Oct 2025
To committee
Letter from Minister for Small Business and Economic Transformation relating to the Department's response to Vol.1 of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry Report, 9 October 2025
Parliament page
23 Jul 2025
To committee
Letter from the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports relating to the performance of the Horizon redress schemes, 21 July 2025
Parliament page
15 Jul 2025
To committee
Letter from the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports relating to the publication of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry Report, 8 July 2025
Parliament page
8 Jul 2025
From committee
Letter to the Secretary of State relating to publication of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry’s final report volume one, 8 July 2025
Parliament page
12 Jun 2025
From committee
Letter to the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports relating to improving the Post Office Horizon redress process, 10 June 2025
Parliament page
6 May 2025
To committee
Letter from the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports relating to an update on correspondence, 22 April 2025
Parliament page
22 Apr 2025
To committee
Letter from the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports relating to HSS appeals process update, 8 April 2025
Parliament page
10 Apr 2025
From committee
Letter to the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports relating to Post Office Horizon redress schemes, 10 April 2025
Parliament page
25 Feb 2025
To committee
Letter from the Post Office relating to the Committee's first report of session on the Post Office and Horizon Scandal Redress, 11 February 2025
Parliament page
7 Jan 2025
To committee
Letter from the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports relating to and update on Post Office Horizon redress and costs, 19 December 2024
Parliament page
7 Jan 2025
To committee
Letter from the Director of the Courts, Criminal and Family Justice Directorate relating to data correction from Post Office evidence session, 20 December 2024
Parliament page
7 Jan 2025
To committee
Letter from Herbert Smith Freehills LLP relating to Post Office redress, 17 December 2024
Parliament page
10 Dec 2024
To committee
Letter from the Remediation Unit Director at the Post Office relating to issues raised in Committee session, 2 December 2024
Parliament page
19 Nov 2024
To committee
Letter from the Interim Chair of the Post Office relating to the future of the Post Office, 13 November 2024
Parliament page
30 Oct 2024
To committee
Letter from the Secretary of State relating to the launch of the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme, 30 July 2024
Parliament page
30 Oct 2024
To committee
Letter from the Secretary of State relating to Post Office Horizon compensation, 9 September 2024
Parliament page