Calls for inquiry into Post Office IT scandal increase in Parliament, with cross-party support
Summary
High Court judge Peter Fraser slammed the Post Office for its oppressive behaviour towards subpostmasters and its denial that problems with Horizon were to blame for the accounting shortfalls. Campaigners want a full public inquiry and for the government to pay the huge legal costs of claimant subpostmasters, which consumed a large proportion of the damages awarded. This scheme, which was set up in 2013 by the Post Office and later prematurely ended, saw claimants use forensic accountants to examine their cases, produce a report of what had taken place and calculate the quantum loss (what a court is likely to award). Rees-Mogg said: “Innocent people do appear to have suffered because of IT floors in the in the Post Office systems and that is entirely wrong and improper and they ought to be compensated fairly and I think to have a debate on it in Westminster Hall would be very suitable.” Diana Johnson, Labour MP for Hull North, has been contacted by a constituent, who is one of the subpostmasters affected. Last week, Gill Furniss, Labour MP for Sheffield Brightside & Hillsborough and shadow minister for steel, post and consumer protection, asked the government whether it would call a full inquiry into the “circumstances that led to this tragedy”.