Post Office Horizon IT Scandal: Compensation Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Business and Trade
Gareth Thomas
Main Page: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)Department Debates - View all Gareth Thomas's debates with the Department for Business and Trade
Post Office Horizon IT Scandal: Compensation
Gareth Thomas Excerpts(11 months, 2 weeks ago)
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Kevin Hollinrake
I thank my hon. Friend for the points in his question, and we absolutely agree that we need to accelerate compensation payments. As I say, we have made significant progress on the HSS scheme. For the two other schemes—the GLO scheme and the overturned convictions scheme—we need to get those payments resolved as quickly as possible. There have been around £40 million of interim payments through those schemes, but the full and fair compensation—the final compensation—is where we need to get to. On holding people to account, he will have heard what I said earlier and I absolutely agree with him on that point.
Gareth Thomas (Harrow West) (Lab/Co-op)
The report states that there are
“something like 230-250 late applications to be determined and that there may yet be significantly more”
late applications as well. Can the Minister confirm that those applications will be seriously considered and that those victims may be entitled to compensation? Can he provide an assessment as to whether the numbers I have quoted are accurate or are actually higher?
Kevin Hollinrake
The hon. Gentleman raises an interesting point, as does Sir Wyn Williams, and we are looking at that recommendation carefully. It is our intention that everybody who has been affected by this is fully and fairly compensated, and we will look at any further issues that might get in the way of that. We are keen to resolve those kinds of issues.