Oral Answers to Questions

Jonathan Lord Excerpts

Wednesday 24th January 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I can assure the hon. Lady that we are committed to caring for society’s most vulnerable and that is why almost 20 million families will see their benefit payments increase this April. That will bring our total support over these few years to around £3,700 per UK household. The Department for Work and Pensions is looking very closely at how it can target its services precisely on the most vulnerable customers. I know the hon. Lady spoke to the DWP permanent secretary at length about that when he appeared before the Work and Pensions Committee earlier this month. I can assure her that he will be writing to the Committee on exactly that subject shortly.

[Mr Jonathan Lord (Woking) (Con)]

Q14. The Post Office scandal has affected so many people, including my constituent Seema Misra, a sub-postmaster from West Byfleet who has an outstanding record of service to her community, and who was wrongfully convicted in 2010 of stealing £75,000 and sentenced to prison on her first son’s birthday while pregnant with her second son. Does the Prime Minister agree with me, and more importantly with Seema Misra herself, who is in the Gallery today with her husband Davinder, that she is due a full apology from the Post Office, a full apology from Fujitsu, and proper compensation as a matter of urgency?

[The Prime Minister]

I know that my hon. Friend has been a great support to his constituents over all these years, and has fought relentlessly for the truth to come out. As I have said, the Horizon scandal is one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in our nation’s history, and, as I said a few weeks ago, we will introduce primary legislation within weeks to ensure that all convictions that were based on erroneous Horizon evidence are quashed. That will clear people’s names, deliver justice and ensure swifter access to compensation. Innocent people such as my hon. Friend’s constituents have waited far too long, and I am determined that they receive compensation as swiftly as possible. We have a clear moral duty to right these wrongs, and that is exactly what we will do.