Committee holds evidence session on Post Office and Horizon and compensation for sub-postmasters
On Tuesday 14th December, the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee will be holding the first of two planned evidence sessions looking into compensation for sub-postmasters who were prosecuted or otherwise affected by problems with the Post Office’s Horizon IT system.
Meeting details
This session is likely to cover issues including the obstacles facing former sub-postmasters seeking financial compensation and how these might be addressed. MPs are also likely to ask questions around how effective the Post Office and the Government have been in attempting to address the financial loss suffered by sub-postmasters affected by the Horizon IT scandal.
The Committee will be questioning Alan Bates, former Sub-postmaster, Founder, Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance and from Dr Neil Hudgell, Executive Chairman, Hudgell Solicitors, who is representing 59 former sub-postmasters who have had their Horizon IT prosecutions overturned and who are seeking compensation following exoneration.
The Committee will also be hearing from former sub-postmasters Jo Hamilton and Paul Harry.
The second evidence session on issues around compensation for sub-postmasters is planned for January 2022, when the Committee expects to take evidence from current Post Office CEO Nick Read and Paul Scully, Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.