Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether he has identified any category of Horizon claimants who are unable to access an independent reassessment of compensation because they do not meet the eligibility criteria for the Horizon Shortfall Scheme Appeals process.

The Horizon Shortfall Scheme Appeals (HSSA) process was introduced in response to concerns raised by the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board (HCAB) that many applicants to the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS) may not have received comprehensive legal advice when settling their claims. The eligibility criteria therefore exclude individuals who settled with the benefit of fully funded legal advice provided by the Post Office. These criteria were developed in consultation with the HCAB, claimants’ legal representatives and postmaster organisations.

This means that a small number of individuals have not been eligible to access HSSA. However, the appeals process was specifically designed to provide funded legal support from the outset, helping applicants to fully understand and pursue their claims.