Post Office and watchdog encouraged to avoid delays for Capture software victims

The Post Office has been encouraged to co-operate with a review into criminal convictions for postmasters linked to a second IT scandal to help minimise delays.

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which investigates potential miscarriages of justice, said it is examining 27 cases to determine whether the Capture accounting software played a part in convictions.

The Government has recognised the pre-Horizon system could have created accounting shortfalls for subpostmasters who used it and promised redress to those affected.

Business minister Gareth Thomas said the Government has “made clear” to the Post Office that it “must co-operate” with requests from the CCRC to help speed up their deliberations.

The Post Office Horizon scandal saw hundreds of subpostmasters wrongfully convicted of fraud, theft and false accounting over more than a decade.

Report

An independent report into Capture was commissioned last year after postmasters said they had suffered similar problems to those faced by the Horizon victims.

The Kroll report concluded that the older software could have created shortfalls.

The Post Office said it is “sincerely sorry” for past failings and insisted it is “fully co-operating” with the CCRC.

Speaking at business and trade questions, Conservative former minister Sir David Davis said: “The Post Office Horizon scandal was one of the greatest miscarriages of modern times in terms of justice.

“But the problems in the Post Office and this injustice extend far beyond that.

“Twenty-one cases relating to the precursor system, Capture, have been referred to the Criminal Cases Review Commission and those cases bear the same hallmarks as the Horizon scandal.

“I’m afraid the CCRC is famous for taking years to come to obvious decisions.

“So can the minister tell me that the CCRC will deal with this in months and, if not, will his department intervene directly?”

Mr Thomas said Sir David was right to raise the issue, adding: “We’ve published our response to the independent Kroll report into the Capture software issue and the way the Post Office responded to the data that came out.

“We’ve been meeting with subpostmasters who used the Capture system and who were the victims in that regard to talk through a redress scheme with them.

“We’re also working closely with the Criminal Cases Review Commission and have made clear to the Post Office that they must co-operate with requests from the CCRC so that we can speed up their deliberations around the 21 cases.”

Shadow business minister Dame Harriett Baldwin noted Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds recently met Fujitsu officials in Japan, adding: “Fujitsu developed the faulty Horizon system and have offered to contribute to the compensation for victims.

“So could the minister tell the House how much the Secretary of State has asked them to contribute so that taxpayers aren’t on the hook for £1 billion?”

Mr Thomas replied: “They have agreed to begin talks on the company’s contribution to the costs of compensation.

“She will understand that we also need to wait for the Sir Wyn Williams inquiry to conclude and his recommendations in regard of compensation from Fujitsu to be heard and understood.”

Mr Thomas said he would “not give a running commentary” on the discussions with Fujitsu.

The CCRC said the number of 21 cases mentioned in the Commons was not correct and explained the 27 cases it is reviewing.

Review

A spokesperson said: “We have considered the cases included in the Kroll report and are reviewing two of these where there were criminal convictions in England and Wales in which Capture appears to have been a factor.

“We are currently reviewing a further 25 cases to determine whether Capture played a part in the convictions.

“We continue to liaise with the Department for Business and Trade and the Post Office to identify other cases in which Capture could have played a part.

“Reviewing criminal cases dating back several decades can be particularly challenging for a number of reasons, including the scant documentation that remains available.

“However, we would encourage anyone who believes that their criminal conviction, or that of a relative, might have been affected by the Capture system to make contact with us.”

A Post Office spokesperson said: “We have been very concerned about the reported problems relating to the use of the Capture software and are sincerely sorry for past failings that have caused suffering to postmasters.

“We are determined that past wrongs are put right and are continuing to support the Government’s work and fully co-operating with the Criminal Cases Review Commission as it investigates several cases which may be Capture related.”