Post Office Horizon Convictions

That the Parliament notes with concern the large number of convictions of the UK’s sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses since 2000; understands that the majority of the over 900 sub-postmasters and postmistresses that were prosecuted were found guilty after the reportedly faulty Horizon software wrongly made it look like money was missing from their branches; further understands that, despite what it sees as overwhelming reports that the Horizon system was faulty, many of those convicted were financially ruined, with many others being sent to prison for false accounting and theft; notes with great sadness that at least four of those who were falsely accused are reported to have taken their own lives; commends the Computer Weekly and Private Eye magazines for their continued work in exposing what it sees as this miscarriage of justice; notes in particular what it considers to be the plight of sub-postmaster, Brian MacAulay, who estimates that he repaid the post office over £20,000 of his own money due to shortfalls that he was accused of being responsible for; acknowledges that this figure does not include any financial loss that Brian experienced from losing his business as a result of these accusations; understands that Brian’s personal and professional life suffered immensely from these allegations; laments the fact that Brian reports that his experiences with the Post Office have put him off running a business ever again; welcomes the recent statements from the Prime Minister and the First Minister that acknowledged the issue, which has been described as one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in the UK’s history; applauds the reported announcement of legislation to exonerate and compensate all those who were affected; believes that more must be done to swiftly exonerate all those who were affected, as, it understands, fewer than 100 convictions have been overturned to date, and calls on the public Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry to ensure that those who it considers covered up this scandal are held accountable, so that what it sees as this grave failure of justice can never be repeated.