Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the reasons for the delays in the compensation payments which are due to sub-postmasters following the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry; and who is responsible for them.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
When we came into government we inherited a compensation system that was widely seen as too slow, too legalistic and too adversarial. In addition, significant numbers of victims were not covered by the redress schemes then in existence.
As of 30 June 2025, approximately £1,098 million has been paid in total redress to over 7,900 claimants. This represents a fourfold increase since July 2024, with more than 5,000 victims receiving compensation for the first time.
However, there is still more to do, and the recent publication of the first volume of the Horizon IT Inquiry report gives clear recommendations on how we can improve this further.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to conduct a formal analysis of the impact of working from home on (1) productivity, and (2) the economy.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We do not have any plans to conduct an analysis of the impact of home working in isolation. However, we will monitor the impact of the flexible working reforms which came into force in April 2024, and further changes planned though the Employment Rights Bill.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of occasions on which scaffolding around domestic and commercial buildings was erected illegally in England in the most recent year for which figures are available, and whether this figure is decreasing or increasing.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Lainston
The Department for Business and Trade does not hold this data.