Councillor and ex-SPM calls for compensation for all
Horizon shortfalls should be paid back to all sub-postmasters affected, says Alastair Redman
The Post Office should repay all postmasters who made good shortfalls on its faulty Horizon computer system, an Argyll councillor and former island sub-postmaster tells MPs and MSPs.
More than 900 sub-postmasters and postmistresses were prosecuted for “stealing” money because of incorrect information provided by a computer system called Horizon, developed by Fujitsu for accounting and stocktaking.
“The Post Office scandal has shaken our nation to the core,” wrote Alastair Redman, a former sub-postmaster for 12 years on Islay and now an Argyll and Bute councillor for Kintyre and the Islands, to members of the Scottish and UK Parliaments.
“It seems impossible for the Post Office to prove what is a glitch and what is not while they used the faulty Horizon system.
“Nearly all sub-postmasters made good on all sorts of discrepancies with their own money. The losses incurred by postmasters will range from a few pounds here and there to tens of thousands.
“The only way to get true justice is for every Horizon transaction correction that has ever come through, and been settled to cash or cheque from 1999 onwards, to be paid back to the relevant postmaster.
“Also, sub-postmasters were not paid for holidays, not paid for all of the hours they worked, nor given any pensions. This all has to be included in financial recompense, which must be paid.
“The Post Office taking postmasters’ money, not paying them properly, not giving them pensions, is evil enough, but The Post Office’s actions through the courts destroyed people’s lives; what little that has been offered in recompense is not nearly enough.
“This is not going to go away. Our political leaders must listen.”
Councillor Redman said he had paid “thousands if not close to tens of thousands” to make good on Horizon shortfalls while working at Portnahaven Post Office.
“Every postmaster was affected - some more than others,” he said.
“We were told we were contractually obliged to make good on any discrepancy with our own money. We now know the contract was not worth the paper it was printed on.
“We were told time and time again no one else could access remotely. To hear Fujitsu engineers could enter my system while we were sleeping and change balance details ... They could change things without your knowledge and it would seem to be your fault.
“It is impossible to prove if they are legitimate or illegitimate transaction corrections."
Councillor Redman’s case was picked up by the Highlands and Islands Green MSP Ariane Burgess, who will ask if the
UK Parliament’s Business and Trade Committee is looking at this aspect of the scandal, and “what pressure can be brought to bear to ensure all those who were affected by the scandal are fully compensated”.
Ms Burgess’ office replied: “A UK-wide public inquiry is now under way and the focus is, rightly, on exonerating those with criminal convictions. However, there may be many other victims of the scandal who staved off prosecution but are none-the-less out of pocket.”
A Post Office spokesperson said: “We fully share the aims of the current public inquiry, set up to get to the truth of what happened in the past and accountability. It’s for the inquiry to reach its own independent conclusions after consideration of all the evidence on the issues it is examining.
“Both Post Office and Government are committed to providing full, fair and final compensation for the people affected. To date, offers of more than £150 million have been made to around 2,700 postmasters, the majority of which have been agreed and paid. Interim payments continue to be made in other cases which have not yet been resolved.”