No contact from Government over Horizon IT scandal, says Sir Alan Bates

The 70-year-old was speaking after being knighted at Windsor Castle.

Sir Alan Bates received a knighthood for his services to justice at Windsor Castle (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Wire)

Post Office campaigner Sir Alan Bates has said the Labour Government has not contacted subpostmasters and has left them “at a standstill” over the Horizon IT scandal.

The 70-year-old said current financial schemes for those affected are “a mess” and he called on the governing party to set a deadline for completion of March next year.

Sir Alan, who founded the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance, is one of more than 550 claimants who have brought legal action against the Post Office.

More than 700 subpostmasters were prosecuted by the company and given criminal convictions between 1999 and 2015, as Fujitsu’s faulty Horizon IT system made it appear as though money was missing at their branches.

A public inquiry into what happened is now in its final stages and due to conclude in November.

Speaking after receiving a knighthood for his services to justice at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, Sir Alan told the PA news agency: “They [the Government] haven’t been in contact about what they’re proposing to do yet.

“We think we’ve come to a standstill with most of the schemes in that they don’t seem to be working, they seem to be failing now.”

Sir Alan, of Llandudno in north Wales, said the original claimants are now calling on the Government to set a deadline for the initial GLO compensation scheme.

He said: “We’re wanting a completion date guaranteed by the Government for the end of March next year, and it’s quite achievable, according to legal discussions I’ve had.

“I think we’ve got to get rid of the bureaucracy that’s holding the whole thing up and driving it into the ground, and it’s proving such a headache for so many of the victims who are still suffering after so many years.”

Sir Alan was portrayed by actor Toby Jones in the ITV drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, with the four-part miniseries helping to renew attention on the scandal.

But thousands of Post Office subpostmasters said in a recent YouGov survey they had still witnessed unexplained problems on the Horizon IT system over the past four years.

Sir Alan said: “The Post Office is as bad as ever. The financial redress schemes are just not working to the extent that they should, and it’s just a mess.

“It needs to be taken out of Government’s hands, and it needs to be put into an organisation that can resolve things very, very quickly because it’s gone on too long, and people are still suffering.”

The campaigner said he has “great hopes” for the ongoing Metropolitan Police investigation into potential individuals and corporate entities involved in the scandal, but feels it will take “at least a couple of years” for any charges to be brought.

Sir Alan was knighted by the Princess Royal on Wednesday for his services to justice, having been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours in June.

He previously turned down being made an OBE while former Post Office chief executive Paula Vennells held on to her CBE award because he said it “felt wrong”, but calls for him to be knighted after Ms Vennells returned her honour were backed by Number 10 earlier this year.

Sir Alan said it felt “most unusual” receiving the royal honour, but added: “I accept it gratefully, but not just for myself, but for the whole group, and for everything we’ve all been through.

“If it gives me an extra sort of stick to beat the authorities over the head, so be it – I’ll put it to good use.”

A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: “Ministers continue to meet with those affected by the Horizon scandal and it is as a priority to work with them to get swift and fair redress paid.

“Since July we have taken swift action to launch the new Horizon convictions redress scheme and announced a new appeals process in the Horizon shortfall scheme in order to speed up payments further.

“Although we support targets that show how quickly offers are made after claims are submitted, we are concerned that setting a target for the GLO scheme would put pressure on vulnerable postmasters who may need more time to finalise their claim with their lawyers.

“Almost £290 million has been paid to over 2,800 claimants across four compensation schemes, but we know there is more to be done, and we are committed to ensuring every postmaster receives full and fair redress as quickly as possible.”