- Bates criticizes Post Office role
- Advocates selling Post Office
- Compensation process criticized
Alan Bates tells Members of Parliament that the Post Office should have no role in compensation schemes because of the antiquated belief that victims “cannot change.”
Alan Bates, a former sub-postmaster and leading activist, has advocated for the sale of the Post Office to companies such as Amazon for £1, describing it as a “dead duck.”
The Post Office was sued in the High Court by 555 sub-postmasters under his leadership in connection with the scandal, which was ultimately resolved in December 2019.
He stated that despite government action and public outrage following the recent ITV drama Mr. Bates v The Post Office, compensation schemes for victims of the Horizon IT scandal have not become more expedient or equitable.
Mr. Bates, appearing before members of the House of Commons on the Business and Trade Committee on Tuesday, argued that the Post Office should be barred from administering compensation schemes, describing it as “a long-term financial drain on the taxpayer.
He informed the committee that he had contemplated a resolution wherein all former sub-postmasters implicated in the initial High Court case serve as Members of Parliament during the subsequent election. He further stated, “We will then definitively resolve this matter.”
Mr. Bates responded, “No, I am not reassured that the government has the redress procedure under control.”
“Unfortunately, it’s quite disappointing… “There is no end in sight to it.”
He stated that the most effective way to ensure quicker and more equitable justice would be to exclude the Post Office from initiatives.
“Eliminate them from the system.” Replace our Post Office with someone else for the completion of these tasks; eliminate it from all of these initiatives. “That is the very best that can be done,” he advised members of parliament.
He stated that those who handle claims do so from an “ivory tower.”
“Those responsible for determining the actual claims or the claims that will be made do not meet with the victims in person to discuss the matter.”
Everything is done from a remote ivory tower by checking a box, removing their responsibilities.
Enduring Struggles for Justice
Mr. Bates cautioned that cultural issues within the organisation are enduring and will continue to do so.
“The situation has remained unchanged for a donkey’s years. “Neither will it change nor are you able to alter it,” he declared.
Red tape reduction, he continued, would be beneficial in accelerating the compensation procedure.
Tony Downey, an additional former sub-postmaster who testified before the committee, recounted his personal encounter.
He called the settlement amount “significantly below what it ought to have been” after an eight-month delay.
I believe that the majority of us are not believed. It’s as if we are fabricating this,” Mr. Downey explained to the parliamentary committee.
They acknowledge it in writing, but in practice, they appear unconcerned.
The Post Office prosecuted and convicted over 700 sub-postmasters in connection with the Horizon IT scandal from 1999 to 2015. The Fujitsu Horizon system fabricated missing funds at their branches.
Hundreds of sub-postmasters continue to await compensation. This is despite the government’s announcement that individuals whose convictions have been overturned are entitled to payments of £600,000.
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