The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
‘Victims face delay over Horizon Bill’
Justice ecretar ngela onstance has warned victims of the Post Office Hori on scandal that some dela ma be inevitable if Hol rood is forced to introduce its own legislation to e onerate them
s onstance said it was unclear wh K overnment ministers had ruled that fast tracked legislation being introduced at estminster to clear the names of those who were wrongl convicted and a them com ensation would onl a l in ngland and ales
he insisted that having a single ill which would a l across all of the K would be the best wa to ensure that there is a uick fair and e ual solution for all affected sub ostmasters
Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake confirmed last month the K overnment s legislation would not cover cotland and orthern reland
ore than 00 Post Office managers across the K were convicted after the fault Hori on accounting software made it a ear as if mone was missing from branches with about 100 Post Office sub ostmasters in cotland among those convicted after being wrongl accused of embe lement n a letter to Hol rood s criminal ustice committee s onstance said the cottish overnment is currentl working to develo e uivalent legislation to be introduced in the cottish Parliament to reverse the convictions of sub ostmasters convicted in the cottish courts
he added that this would ensure that the are not disadvantaged if the K overnment does not change its osition
o hel with this she has asked the K overnment for a co of its ro osed ill so that e uivalent legislation could be introduced in the cottish Parliament as uickl as ossible s onstance stressed this was im ortant in minimising an dela in cottish sub ostmasters having their convictions reversed
he told committee convener udre icol t is worth noting however that some dela ma be inevitable as an legislation would have to be assed after the K ill has been assed to ensure full com atibilit with K legislation and access to the K com ensation scheme for wrongl convicted sub ostmasters in which the cottish overnment and Parliament have no locus
his is a clear reason wh K wide legislation would be best