Tories informed to compensate Alan Bates and Post Office victims as a substitute of preventing
Tory ministers are beneath strain to lastly give postmasters the compensation they deserve after they obtained right into a livid row over delays.
Liam Byrne, the chair of the Commons Business Committee, demanded Post Office bosses and ministers finish the blame sport and get cheques within the submit. Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch as we speak denied claims her division had ordered a go gradual on compensation for victims of the Horizon IT scandal.
In an interview on the weekend, ousted former Post Office boss Henry Staunton mentioned he had been instructed by a senior civil servant to stall on funds till after the subsequent election. But within the Commons Ms Badenoch hit again, as she accused him of a “blatant attempt to seek revenge following dismissal”.
She added: “There would be no benefit whatsoever of us delaying compensation. This does not have any significant impact on revenues whatsoever. It would be a mad thing to even suggest.” Ms Badenoch said that she hoped that payments would be made by the end of this year.
Mr Byrne, whose committee has been investigating the scandal, called for the Government to get on with resolving the compensation claims.
The Labour MP told the Mirror: “The last thing we need right now is a war of words between ministers and Post Office bosses. What’s needed is cheques in the post to those hundreds of sub-postmasters who suffered the worst miscarriage of justice in British history and now deserve redress.”
The Horizon IT system ruined the lives of hundreds of Post Office workers when it mistakenly made it look like money was missing from their branches. Postmasters were wrongly blamed for the shortfalls and made to cover the losses, with more than 900 convicted including some who were put in prison.
So far around £160million has been paid in compensation to 2,700 people through three different schemes, which works out at an average of £59,000 per claimant. Victims have complained about delays and warned that the system is too bureaucratic.
Post Office campaign hero Alan Bates earlier this month said he’d rejected an “offensive” and “cruel” compensation offer from the Government. The former subpostmaster, who has led a two decade fight for justice in the Post Office Horizon scandal, said the sum offered was only “around a sixth” of what he requested.
The Commons Business Committee has invited Mr Bates to a hearing next week to set out what he believes ministers need to do to finally resolve the scandal. Mr Staunton has also been asked to explain who instructed him to stall on compensation payments.
