Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether there will be an appeal system in the Alternative Disputes Resolution process for the Post Office Horizon scandal; and whether the Government has made an estimate of the cost of resolutions.
Answered by Paul Scully
Alternative Dispute Resolution is a consensual process, through which those making claims (and their advisors) can question and challenge how their claims have been assessed. It is a fundamental tenet of Alternative Dispute Resolution that questions and challenges are addressed in good faith so as to obtain a comprehensive and consensual resolution of all claims. As participants in the process are not obliged to accept any offers made by Post Office, there is no need for an appeals process.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Post Office Horizon scandal, how those conducting the Alternative Dispute Resolution process will be advised to calculate quantum.
Answered by Paul Scully
Claims will be assessed by applying the specific facts of the individual cases to established legal principles and any other factors which support reaching a fair outcome. Those making claims (and their advisors) can question and challenge those assessments, and it is a fundamental tenet of Alternative Dispute Resolution that questions and challenges are addressed in good faith so as to obtain a comprehensive and consensual resolution of the claims.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether friends, family and employees of subpostmasters will be permitted to take part in the Alternative Dispute Resolution process proposed in response to the Post Office Horizon scandal.
Answered by Paul Scully
Alternative Dispute Resolution is a consensual process, through which those making claims (and their advisors) can question and challenge how their claims have been assessed. The Terms of Reference for the Historical Shortfall Scheme explain its Dispute Resolution procedure. Processes for those with quashed convictions will be agreed between the Post Office and a claimant’s legal representatives.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether consequential losses will be included in the Alternative Disputes Resolution process for the Post Office Horizon scandal; and what other disputes will be included.
Answered by Paul Scully
Post Office will consider all claims for compensation made by a postmaster, branch manager and/or assistant whose conviction is quashed or who has submitted an eligible claim under the Historical Shortfalls Scheme, including claims made for consequential losses.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps will be taken to ensure consistency is maintained in the processing of disputes in response to the Post Office Horizon scandal.
Answered by Paul Scully
Claims will be assessed by applying the specific facts of the individual cases to established legal principles and any other factors which support reaching a fair outcome. Those making claims (and their advisors) can question and challenge those assessments, and it is a fundamental tenet of Alternative Dispute Resolution that questions and challenges are addressed in good faith so as to obtain a comprehensive and consensual resolution of the claims.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Post Office Horizon scandal has altered the valuation of the Government's shareholder position in Post Office.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government’s role as shareholder is to ensure that the Post Office is delivering its social purpose alongside building a stable business. The Government continues to support the Post Office with subsidy. The Government, through my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State, holds 100% of the issued share capital. There is a special share in POL (nominal value of £1) which is held directly by the Secretary of State. The value of this investment is published annually in the BEIS accounts.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the proposed Alternative Dispute Resolution process is intended to reduce the need for malicious prosecution cases against the Post Office following the Post Office Horizon scandal.
Answered by Paul Scully
The proposed Alternative Dispute Resolution is a consensual process which aims to resolve claims consensually at an early stage to avoid the cost and delay for claimants which comes with having to litigate matters through the courts.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, who will determine the parameters for the disputes to be referred to the Alternative Dispute Resolution process proposed in response to the Post Office Horizon scandal.
Answered by Paul Scully
Post Office will consider all claims for compensation made by a postmaster, branch manager and/or assistant whose conviction is quashed and will seek to resolve those claims swiftly, fairly and consensually with that individual. The founding principles, including dispute resolution procedure where a postmaster is not happy with the outcome they receive in the Historical Shortfall Scheme were endorsed by the legal representatives for the claimants’ steering group in the group litigation.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of UK-built service operations vessels that are operating to offshore windfarm sites at Dogger Bank as of 4 January 2022.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government has not made an estimate of the number of UK-built service operations vessels that are operating to offshore windfarm sites at Dogger Bank.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to respond to the letter dated 1 November 2021 from the Chair of JFSA.
Answered by Paul Scully
I wrote to the Chair of Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance on 1 December about financial redress.