Post Office campaigner Sir Alan Bates tells PM 'clock is ticking' on compensation for Horizon victims

5 November 2024, 14:19 | Updated: 5 November 2024, 16:56

Post Office campaigner Sir Alan Bates has written to Sir Keir Starmer to remind him the "clock is still ticking" on a compensation deadline for victims.

In his letter to the prime minister, Sir Alan demanded a March 2025 deadline for compensation for sub-postmaster victims of the Horizon scandal.

Earlier on Tuesday, Sir Alan told Sky News he was yet to hear back from the prime minister.

"It was over a month ago," he said.

"I sent him a reminder yesterday. I told him the clock is still ticking and it's now five months from the March deadline, which I'm told is still achievable by other professionals.

"So let's get on with it, that's all we want. Get on with it."

Later in the day, Downing Street said Sir Keir had now responded to Sir Alan's letter.

The prime minister's spokesperson said: "It was obviously right that we took the time to consider the issues raised in the letter to the prime minister, consider our response, make sure it was accurate and substantial and obviously we engaged with relevant departments to ensure that the prime minister's response was as full as possible.

"I think that response was issued earlier today. On the substance of the issue, the government is committed to getting redress to those affected as quickly as possible and is doing all it can to increase the pace of redress across all schemes."

They said approximately £438m had been paid to over 3,100 claimants by the start of this month.

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Sir Alan describes 'shifting goalposts'

Sir Alan appeared before the Business and Trade Select Committee on Tuesday to answer questions on apparent delays experienced by victims using various compensation schemes.

He described issues including "shifting goalposts" within the "guidance and principles" underpinning the schemes, saying they "have changed on a number of occasions".

He also said the schemes were often "bogged down" in bureaucracy.

Legal action against government 'a consideration'

Sir Alan emphasised the issue of "fairness" in the schemes - questioning whether it is the government or victims who decide.

When asked if his offer was "fair", he replied: "In whose eyes?"

He also said potential legal action against the government "is a consideration" if they do not deliver on redress by March next year.

He raised concerns, however, that it might "halt" the current Group Litigation Order (GLO) scheme but said it "might be a choice that people are prepared to take".

"It's the deadlines that have to be set," he added. "They [the Department for Business and Trade] are terrified of having deadlines."