Former Postal Affairs Minister apologises for not settling Horizon scandal compensation claims faster

The Thirsk and Malton MP was minister during the release of the ITV drama series called Mr Bates vs the Post Office. More than 900 sub-postmasters were given criminal convictions after faulty Fujitsu accounting software made it appear as though money was missing from their shops.

Many more were left destitute, losing their homes and livelihoods, as the Post Office relentlessly pursued them, continually claiming there were no issues with its computer system. The scandal has been described as the UK’s “biggest miscarriage of justice”.

Mr Hollinrake told the inquiry yesterday: “I hold my hands up and say sorry to people whose claims have not been settled quickly enough through that process. It’s something I got wrong – I’m sorry that’s the case.”

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is responsible for sorting redress for claimants from the 555 subpostmasters, led by Sir Alan Bates, who took the Post Office to the High Court between 2017 and 2019 – also known as the GLO scheme.

During Mr Hollinrake’s evidence, inquiry chairman Sir Wyn Williams said: “It was both the Post Office’s choice and the department’s choice to arm themselves with lawyers. They didn’t have to have a room full of lawyers to argue this out. That was, if I can use the word, your choice. Yours collectively, you understand – so why?”

Mr Hollinrake, who is now the shadow levelling up, housing and communities secretary, responded: “As I say, I don’t think we should do that in the future. I think we should have some independence in the middle of it.”

He added: “If I had my time again, that’s exactly what I’d have done – it’s one of the mistakes I made. It was very early on in my time as minister that the GLO scheme came down the track – it was only two or three months after I think.

“Looking back now, I don’t think I should have been happy with that.” At PMQs, Sir Keir Starmer was unable to give a timeline for when the victims would receive compensation.

He blamed the previous government for not setting aside money, and said the payments would begin “just as soon as we can”. The day before, lead campaigner, Sir Alan, accused the Prime Minister of failing to respond to his letters asking for all compensation to be paid out by March next year.

He said: “People have been waiting far too long, over 20-odd years, there’s over 70 that have died along the way in the GLO group.

“There are people well into their 80s now that are still suffering. They’re still having to put up with this as well. They shouldn’t. They really shouldn’t.”

Downing Street said the Prime Minister had now replied, explaining: “it was obviously right that we took the time to consider the issues raised in the letter”. A spokesperson added: “What we don’t want to do is set an arbitrary cut-off date which could result in some claimants missing the deadline.”