Following the Minister’s statement on the Post Office Horizon scandal following the ITV dramatisation, Peter Aldous asks how many sub-postmasters were simply bullied and intimidated into keeping quiet and paying up and have therefore not previously come forward and what justice and recompense will be available to them.
Peter Aldous (Waveney) (Con)
No current or former sub-postmaster in the Waveney constituency had been in touch with me before today, but I have received two emails today from constituents whose lives have effectively been destroyed. This raises two questions. How many people were simply bullied and intimidated into keeping quiet and paying up? And what justice and recompense will be available to them?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Kevin Hollinrake)
Although it is tragic to hear that anybody has been involved in these kinds of cases, it is good to hear that people are coming forward. Again, one of the added benefits of the dramatisation is that people are more willing to come forward, and we have seen a good number coming forward. I am very happy to make sure that my hon. Friend’s constituents are pointed in the right direction and that they have access to the appropriate scheme to get compensation, because they should be compensated to the degree of both their non-pecuniary losses, for any impacts on, for example, their health or any distress or reputational issues, and of their financial situation, as we return them to the position they were in prior to the episode taking place. We are keen that his constituents get access to those schemes.