Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government on which department's accounts their commitment to fund compensation for sub-postmasters affected by issues arising from the Horizon software system appears.

Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Just over £1bn has been committed by Government to ensure postmasters are compensated fairly. This funding covers the three Horizon compensation schemes: the Overturned Convictions scheme, the Group Litigation Order Scheme, and the Horizon Shortfall Scheme. Funding is agreed by HM Treasury at the relevant Estimate on the basis of the Department for Business and Trade’s forecasts for compensation.

A provision was made in the 2022/23 accounts of the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). Provisions should not be seen as an indication of the total amount of money available for compensation or how much claimants will receive; they are an estimate based on the latest information available.

The total discounted liability as at 31 March 2023 for sub-postmasters affected by issues arising from the Horizon software system was estimated at £600 million. This provision has subsequently transferred over to the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and an updated value will be reflected in the department’s 2023-24 annual report and accounts to reflect policy announcements and changes since last years accounts.

Provision values will not include compensation paid to date. Annual accounts are produced on an accruals basis and compensation payments are recognised on this basis.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by The Earl of Minto on 27 November 2023 (HL200), what assessment they have made of the accuracy of report of the Board of Inquiry into the Nimrod crash on 2 September 1995, taking into consideration the rules pertaining to such boards of inquiry at that time, and its finding that Flight Lieutenant Dominic Gilbert was to blame for the crash.

Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

It is not possible to re-consider aspects of Boards of Inquiry held in the past without full reinvestigation of the original incident. It would not be in the public interest to re-open any such inquiries, where it is deemed there are no lessons to be identified for the Service, such as when aircraft are no longer in service. The likely complexity of such work due to the passage of time and the need to re-allocate Departmental resources are also significant considerations.

In 1997 Defence Ministers directed that BOI should not be permitted to attribute blame or negligence in cases of unnatural death or serious injury. Subsequently, in 2008, Boards of Inquiry were replaced by Service Inquiries under the Armed Forces Act 2006, separating accident investigation from the operational chain of command.

Service Inquiries (SI) are not permitted to find negligence or apportion blame, in order to encourage an open reporting culture, and to ensure that full and frank evidence be provided to SI panels.

Found: Tuesday 16 January 2024 Dr Neil Hudgell , Executive Chairman, Hudgell Solicitors; The Rt Hon. the Lord

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Found: Horizon Compensation Advisory Board Rt Hon Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom Rt Hon Kevan Jones MP Professor Christopher