Lords debates Post Office Horizon compensation scheme

Debate 

Lord Beamish (Labour), former MP for North Durham and campaigner for victims of the Horizon scandal, put forward the debate.  

This is a general debate. During debates, members put their experience to good use to discuss current issues and draw the government's attention to concerns.      

Members speaking  

Contributing members included:

• Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom (Conservative), member of the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board
• Baroness Elliott of Whitburn Bay (Labour), former MP, regional organiser for GMB Union and former member of the Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Committee
• Earl of Erroll (Crossbench), cybersecurity expert and adviser to secure and encrypted communications company Privius.
• Lord Hastings of Scarisbrick (Crossbench), professor of business leadership and former non-executive director of digital financial services company, Wizzit.

Opening the debate, Lord Beamish said:

'The Post Office Horizon issue has been described as a scandal, but I argue that it is worse than that. It is the worst example of when the state, with all its powers, not only goes unchecked but leads to collusion. Moreover, the state was in a position where it can bury the truth, even at the expense of individuals who are hard-working, upright citizens going to prison.'

Lord Arbuthnot added:

'Fujitsu did much more than stand idly by while the sub-postmasters were maliciously prosecuted; it was an active, knowing and essential participant in the whole ghastly fraud.'

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Labour), Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Future Digital Economy and Online Safety, responded on behalf of the government:

'Since the end of June last year, the total amount of redress paid to victims of the Horizon scandal has more than doubled. Across this period, 1,409 more victims have settled their claims. Approximately £663 million has now been paid to over 4,300 claimants.'

Catch up

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• Find out more about the issues the debate covers in the House of Lords Library briefing.
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Image: Tyler Allicock