MP for South Swindon, Sir Robert Buckland, has welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement that a new bill will be introduced to overturn convictions of the sub-postmasters affected by the Post Office Horizon scandal and deliver compensation quickly to all those affected.
Sir Robert asked Minister Kevin Hollinrake on Monday whether emergency legislation could be used to help overturn the wrongful convictions of sub-postmasters. He said:
“As the sheer scale of the miscarriage of justice that has befallen hundreds of innocent sub-postmasters continues to shock our country, it is clear that such an exceptional situation requires an exceptional solution.
“Such legislation would help to right a clear wrong, and it would help to support the victims and their families who have been enduring this horror for too long.
“Too many sub-postmasters have already died without seeing justice being done, so there is no more time to be lost.”
Sir Robert spoke to the Lord Chancellor on Tuesday and was informed that he was in discussion with the judiciary about the matter.
Sir Robert explained that he would continue to make his feelings known very clearly in Parliament to ensure that there was no barrier to making sure that legislation could be passed in the way that he had described. Following this, Sir Robert asked a question of the Lord Chancellor in the Commons and explained that he was reassured that he was working hard to achieve a just and swift solution.
In an announcement, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak then confirmed that primary legislation would be introduced to make sure those convicted as a result of the Horizon scandal are swiftly exonerated and compensated. Sir Robert said:
“The announcement by the Prime Minister confirming that new legislation will be introduced is welcome news. Those who have suffered have done so for way too long.
The Government set up the statutory inquiry when I was Justice Secretary, the initial appeals were coming through then and the scale of the miscarriages of justice was becoming clearer.
“The criminal appeals were an important milestone in revealing miscarriages of justice.
“The primary legislation will now be introduced within weeks to quash all convictions that were based on erroneous Horizon evidence and the shocking behaviour of the Post Office in the period in question.
“This will be done on a blanket basis and will clear people’s names and pave the way for innocent individuals to receive at least £600,000 in compensation.”
