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 assessment he has made of the length of time required for sub-postmasters who have not yet received payments under the Historic Shortfall Scheme to receive those payments.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Historical Shortfall Scheme received over 2,450 claims. Around 400 compensation payments have been made through the scheme and other claims are progressing.
Post Office and the independent panel are focused on progressing claims as quickly as they can and the Department continues to monitor the Scheme’s progress closely. It is essential claims are assessed thoroughly and a number of the cases are complex and stretch back over a long period of time.
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 the average payment has been to subpostmasters receiving redress through the Historic Settlement Scheme.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Historical Shortfall Scheme received over 2,450 claims. Around 400 compensation payments have been made through the scheme and other claims are progressing.
Post Office and the independent panel are focused on progressing claims as quickly as they can and the Department continues to monitor the Scheme’s progress closely. It is essential claims are assessed thoroughly and a number of the cases are complex and stretch back over a long period of time.
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 associated costs have accrued to the public purse as a result of the setting up of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry.
Answered by Paul Scully
The associated costs that have accrued as a result of the setting up of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry are £459,000 as of April 30th 2021.
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 a transcript of evidence will be (a) collated, (b) made available to hon. Members and (c) published after the conclusion of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry.
Answered by Paul Scully
On 19 May, I announced that the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry would be made a statutory inquiry from 1 June 2021. The Inquiry will set out its working procedures which will be issued in September 2021.
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, how many people have been asked to give evidence to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry is independent of the Department, and so BEIS does not have information on the number of people that have been asked to give evidence to the Inquiry.
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 the mechanisms are for publishing the report of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry.
Answered by Paul Scully
As per the revised Terms of Reference for the Inquiry that I made in the House in a Written Ministerial Statement on 19 May, the Inquiry will aim to submit its findings to my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy by Autumn 2022. The final report will be published by the Secretary of State and the Government will respond in due course.
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 officials of UK Government Investments will be asked to give evidence to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry is independent of the Department, and so BEIS does not have information on who will be called to appear before it to give evidence at the Inquiry hearings. This is for Sir Wyn Williams to decide as Chair of the Inquiry.
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, which former Ministers will be asked to give evidence to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry is independent of the Department, and so BEIS does not have information on who will be called to appear before it to give evidence at the Inquiry hearings. This is for Sir Wyn Williams to decide as Chair of the Inquiry.
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, which retired and in-service civil servant post holders will be asked to give evidence to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry is independent of the Department, and so BEIS does not have information on who will be called to appear before it to give evidence at the Inquiry hearings. This is for Sir Wyn Williams to decide as Chair of the Inquiry.
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 former Chief Executive Officer of Post Office Limited in post from 2012 to 2019 will be asked to give evidence to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry is independent of the Department, and so BEIS does not have information on who will be called to appear before it to give evidence at the Inquiry hearings. This is for Sir Wyn Williams to decide as Chair of the Inquiry.