Horizon compensation is ‘nowhere near enough’, say sub-postmasters

Sub-postmasters have told MPS they have received “nowhere near” the funds they lost to the Post Office during the Horizon scandal back through compensation, as the government committed to further payouts.

Paul Harry, a former sub-postmaster who was accused of false accounting by the Post Office, said he has received only around a fifth of the funds he cashed out to the mail delivery operation after shortfalls appeared in the Horizon accounting system.

A number of other former sub-postmasters and lawyers also explained to MPS on the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee the financial toll of the scandal and compensation which has been offered since the first legal convictions were overturned.

Shortly before the committee hearing

started, the government pledged that it will foot the bill for the final compensation payments to the wronglyconvicted workers.

The Post Office has said it is unable to cover the payments for the exonerated individuals but the government – as its only shareholder – confirmed it will pay.

In a written ministerial statement, Postal Affairs Minister Paul Scully said: “I am pleased to confirm that today the government is making funding available to facilitate the Post Office to make final compensation payments to postmasters whose convictions have been overturned.

“We are working with the Post Office to finalise the arrangements that will enable the final settlement negotiations to begin as soon as possible.

“By providing this funding, the government is helping the Post Office deliver the fair compensation postmasters deserve.”

So far, 72 postmasters’ convictions have been quashed.

Chairman of the BEIS committee Darren Jones said it was “wholly unacceptable” for the minister’s statement to published shortly before the hearing began.

He also said that “more questions need answering”.

Paul Harry.