Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what powers the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry has in the event that people refuse to come forward to give evidence.

I announced to the House on 19 May 2021 that, with the agreement of my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister, I will put the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry on to a statutory footing on 1 June 2021. This change will give Sir Wyn Williams powers to compel organisations to provide documents and witnesses to give evidence, under oath if necessary, to ensure the Inquiry can get to the bottom of what happened and get the postmasters the answers they are looking for.