Peer ‘dissatisfied’ that DWP overview of subpostmaster prosecutions remains to be months away

The gradual response from the Division of Work and Pensions (DWP) to calls for surrounding a overview of its prosecutions of subpostmasters continues, as peer Prem Sikka calls on anybody affected to put in writing to the minister for transformation on the DWP, Andrew Western. 

Regardless of being referred to by a minister within the Home of Lords greater than a yr in the past, the overview of 108 prosecutions of subpostmasters for monetary crime remains to be months away. The DWP has written to courts requesting documentation on the subpostmaster circumstances it fought alongside the Submit Workplace, however following a gathering with Western, Sikka stated that he’s “dissatisfied” with the gradual progress of the division’s overview of prosecutions.

The DWP labored with the Submit Workplace to prosecute subpostmasters accused of economic crime associated to advantages, and there’s a perception amongst friends and campaigners that these prosecutions might be unsafe and in want of overview. The DWP stated it will overview its prosecutions of subpostmasters in mild of the Submit Workplace scandal and the overturning of lots of of wrongful convictions.

In keeping with Sikka, Western indicated that there have been 108 circumstances to look over and that the DWP “has and is within the means of writing to courts to see if any data might be retrieved”.

The overview is not going to overturn convictions however it will possibly refer the issues to the Legal Circumstances Assessment Fee (CCRC) and/or the Court docket of Attraction. The CCRC is reviewing and has already referred subpostmaster convictions primarily based on the Horizon system, the Seize system and the APT/APS system.

Sikka stated that he’s dissatisfied with the gradual progress of the DWP overview, and pointed to a authorities assertion within the Home of Lords in February final yr, wherein a Division for Enterprise and Commerce (DBT) minister stated: “My noble pal Lord Sikka raised a query concerning the DWP convictions. I can guarantee him that the minister for transformation is wanting into this, a overview is being established, and I hope to supply extra details about that.”

Following his assembly with Western, Sikka stated: “After practically a yr, nothing has been heard. No sufferer or their households have been contacted. No assertion has been made to Parliament.”

Though the DWP confirmed final August that it will overview its prosecutions of subpostmasters, the overview is but to begin and a reviewer has not but been appointed.

“The minister defined that nearly nothing has occurred,” stated Sikka. “He stated DWP has solely not too long ago obtained a request from the DBT to have a look at the DWP prosecutions, and no knowledgeable has but been appointed to have a look at the circumstances.”

He added that the minister stated that the seek for a reviewer has intensified, and the federal government hopes to nominate an impartial counsel throughout the subsequent 4 months.

Sikka stated that the minister “defended the DWP prosecutions” in the course of the assembly, claiming they had been nothing to do with the Horizon system, and that the minister – who was accompanied by three civil servants – informed him that the DWP inspections included examination of bodily inventory or GIROs and dockets for cost of pensions/advantages and money bodily held by the subpostmasters.

“However the bodily inventory should have been in comparison with some file to allow DWP to conclude that there was a discrepancy,” stated Sikka. “What was the supply of that accounting file and the way did DWP know that it was pristine? I didn’t obtain a solution.”

Campaigner Tim McCormack, a former subpostmaster and IT skilled, has spent the previous two months researching this, together with newly launched proof on the Submit Workplace scandal public inquiry web site.  “This new proof reveals that the unique design of the Horizon system used to carry out pension ebook encashments, often called OBCS [order book control system] was not applied correctly, resulting in incorrect assumptions by Submit Workplace, DWP investigators and latterly the Court docket of Attraction,” he stated.

Hudgell Solicitors, which represents lots of of Submit Workplace scandal victims, is pursuing its personal investigations into DWP prosecutions on behalf of shoppers, and has circumstances lined as much as ship to the CCRC.

There are additionally issues that the DWP overview, when it lastly begins, will probably be insufficient. Peer James Arbuthnot, who has campaigned for justice for subpostmasters for over 15 years, stated the Horizon Advisory Board, of which he’s a member, has met the DWP concerning its overview and believes it ought to have a look at particular person circumstances, which, in the mean time, it isn’t.

“Until they do, we expect the overview will probably be pointless they usually would possibly as effectively not do it,” he added.

A DWP spokesperson stated: “We introduced an impartial assurance overview the place Submit Workplace members of employees had been prosecuted by the division for welfare-related fraud. Over the previous few years, we’ve got taken complete steps to get better materials and overview all related circumstances. So far, no documentation has been recognized to indicate that Horizon information was important to any DWP prosecutions.

“We not too long ago broadened the scope of the overview to take account of the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board’s request for a chance for people or organisations to supply info to the impartial reviewer. We’re at present figuring out essentially the most appropriate candidate for the reviewer function.”

Sikka urged anyone affected to put in writing to Andrew Western, minister for transformation, at Caxton Home, Tothill Avenue, London, SW1H 9NA.

The Submit Workplace scandal was first uncovered by Laptop Weekly in 2009, revealing the tales of seven subpostmasters and the issues they suffered as a consequence of Horizon accounting software program, which led to essentially the most widespread miscarriage of justice in British historical past (see beneath timeline of Laptop Weekly articles concerning the scandal since 2009).