so, we've got to get ahead of this. i think there are three things now that need to be done. compensation needs to be paid. that's already allocated for in the treasury, they need to get on and pay that. i think that the prosecution should be taken out of the hands of the post office and given to the crown prosecution service. i used to run the crown prosecution service. we prosecuted for other departments, we can do it here, that should be done straightaway. and these convictions, the remaining convictions, need to be looked at en masse. so, three practical things that need to happen straightaway and i think everybody looking inward want to see the government move at speed on this. live now to professor chris hodges — chair of the horizon compensation advisory board, an independent group overseeing compensation related to the post office—horizon scandal. and emeritus professor ofjustice systems at the university of oxford. thank you very much forjoining us

on bbc news. we heard the prime minister there say that the government will do everything it can to make it right for all the people affected so what do you think should happen now?— happen now? well, the long-term is overturning — happen now? well, the long-term is overturning the _ happen now? well, the long-term is overturning the convictions. - happen now? well, the long-term is overturning the convictions. i - happen now? well, the long-term is overturning the convictions. i don't l overturning the convictions. i don't think it is as simple as saying let's all go back to the court of appeal because the current crisis these and rules prevent the court of appeal from these and rules prevent the court of appealfrom overturning these and rules prevent the court of appeal from overturning cases these and rules prevent the court of appealfrom overturning cases for all sorts of complexities. firstly, there are a number of different categories of fact situations involving different postmasters and mistresses. secondly, the procedure thatis mistresses. secondly, the procedure that is currently being put in place is actually pretty complex and has a number of barriers in it that is difficult to overcome. otherwise, far more than 93 would have been overturned already out of perhaps 700 or more. let's not forget, the added complexities that actually

scotland and northern ireland, where fortunately that numbers are much smaller, i've got different procedural systems as well. so, it seems that when our committee looked at this, it seemed to us that we can't oversee awarding compensation to people unless they have had their convictions overturned as the law stands at the moment, although we did say, can't we just do it anyway? but the government wouldn't agree that, for perhaps understandable reasons. therefore, what we said in december and the report is on our website, was there needs to be a very simple, short act saying basically all these convictions should be overturned. now, the wedding will be slightly more complex than that but that would enable the cases to go back to the court of appeal who could then overturn them all where is at the moment, they can't. i don't think keir starmer�*s proposal aboutjust saying let's take the post office

out of it and give it to the cps is right because the procedure would still be complex. personally, i don't think the post office should be involved in the procedure at all and he is right that that should not happen and in cases like this, if god forbid they ever occur again, we definitely want to make sure that the cps or an independent body is involved, ratherthan the cps or an independent body is involved, rather than someone in the position of the post office. the system has a number of other changes, but that is for the future. if parliament does act, some might say that it sets a dangerous precedent especially when it comes to the independence of the courts and judges say in a future different case? i and judges say in a future different case? ~' . ., , case? i think the particular facts of this case _ case? i think the particular facts of this case are _ case? i think the particular facts of this case are so _ case? i think the particular facts of this case are so obvious - case? i think the particular facts of this case are so obvious to i of this case are so obvious to everyone and personally, i believe that the judiciary are as annoyed andindeed that the judiciary are as annoyed and indeed embarrassed because of the role of the courts in the

convictions in the first place and perhaps some of the limitations within which the court of appeal finds itself in in not being able to overturn more at the moment. but, the particular facts of this case are quite different from the most recent row about the relationship between parliament, government and the courts which was about rwanda. this is not a situation in which an act by the government that would enable the conviction to be overturned to be attacked on the basis that it was undermining human rights. indeed, it would be doing exactly the opposite. it would be supporting the human rights of the victims who have been so appallingly treated and supporting the rule of law so i really can't see, although we need to be careful about maintaining separation between parliament, governmentand maintaining separation between parliament, government and the courts, i really can't see that this is an issue now or that it sets a particular president for the future because we have to look at the

particular circumstances. this has been going _ particular circumstances. this has been going on _ particular circumstances. this has been going on for— particular circumstances. this has been going on for some _ particular circumstances. this has been going on for some time, - particular circumstances. this has| been going on for some time, why particular circumstances. this has - been going on for some time, why do you think it is taken brutally the itv drama to get ministers to act? well, a lot actually has been going on. what i think is that quite a lot of the systems we have here and certainly in relation to the appeal system are designed for individual cases, they are designed for example for someone, we had an important rape case recently that was overturned. it is an individual case. here we have generic problems and extensive bad practice by a large organisation. now, you first of all have to investigate what on earth happened. the lid was only lifted on that by the high court in mrjustice fraser's decision in 2019 and we now have a public inquiry

going forward which is doing a good and thoroughjob in getting to going forward which is doing a good and thorough job in getting to all the facts. it still has more to do but that takes time. you can't take decisions about accountability or, for example, police prosecution against individuals or against the post office is an organisation and so on or by the solicitor�*s regulatory authority or whoever it is until the inquiry has concluded, but we know that. these authorities are already looking at it so that they are preparing to see if they need to act or not. now, meanwhile, three compensation schemes have been put in place. one of them, the horizon hss scheme, is largely completed as far as we can see at the moment. it is possible that more than about 2&00 people will apply, but of the 2&00 people who have applied, over2000 but of the 2&00 people who have

applied, over 2000 have already been compensated and agreed compensation and been paid. now, there is a relatively recent compensation scheme set up by the department for business for the 550 people who were members of the group litigation order as supplementary to the pitiful amount of money that they received in the settlement of the group litigation order. that is up and running, the wheels are turning, it is moving. it the big logjam is with the 700, 900 people whose convictions at the moment can't be overturned so we need to address that issue, at which point, all the rest of the cogs in the machine should be enabled to move. i would like to see more movement, but we will leave that for another day perhaps. will leave that for another day --erhas. ., ,,., will leave that for another day --erhas. ., , ., , perhaps. professor chris hodges, chair of the _ perhaps. professor chris hodges, chair of the horizon _ perhaps. professor chris hodges, | chair of the horizon compensation board. thank you very much for joining us on bbc news. now, do you have a green metal cabinet on your street?

until now, they have been used to store phone and broadband cabling. but that is set to change — with old ones being converted into electric vehicle charging points bt group is setting up a pilot project which it's hoped will boost the number of charging stations across the country. let's speak to our senior tech reporter shiona mccallum who's in our glasgow newsroom. when i read your story on the bbc news app this morning, i went, "wow, that's sensible." how has this come about? so, this is a pilot project by bt who are hoping to assess if they can really address the shortfall in electric charging points across the country because we know one of the main reason motorist group tell us, people who have electric cars tell us, that infrastructure is one of the big barriers. there isjust not enough charging points across the country. bt have 90,000 of these green lockers which you will have seen on many streets and they think 60,000 of them could be used to be

converted into ev charging points so a no—brainer, really. so converted into ev charging points so a no-brainer, really.— a no-brainer, really. so why are they able _ a no-brainer, really. so why are they able to _ a no-brainer, really. so why are they able to do _ a no-brainer, really. so why are they able to do that _ a no-brainer, really. so why are they able to do that now - a no-brainer, really. so why are they able to do that now and - a no-brainer, really. so why are| they able to do that now and not before? ~ , . ., ., before? well, they are now moving towards full — before? well, they are now moving towards full fibre _ before? well, they are now moving towards full fibre broadband - before? well, they are now moving towards full fibre broadband and i before? well, they are now moving towards full fibre broadband and so these lockers are essentially being decommissioned and it is quite easy for engineers to go in and retrofit them because they have already got a power supply and so they can easily then be converted into renewable energy and put a number of charging points on them. in fact, from one locker, you could plug in maybe two or even three cars depending on if the locker is being decommissioned or if it is still providing internet to households. so, really any of the lockers across the uk can be used. the first pilot is going to be in east lothian in a couple of weeks and then they will be other pilot projects across the country as well. is there a timescale for this across the whole country?—

the whole country? look, the government _ the whole country? look, the government want _ the whole country? look, the government want to - the whole country? look, the government want to increase | the whole country? look, the . government want to increase the charging points from 50,000 at the moment to 300,000 by 2030 and this puts them on a good track, a good trajectory to do that, if you like. using bt points, using the infrastructure that the government will rule out, will all help. what we want in this country is an electric car revolution, that's the green targets for the government and of this all helps. at the moment, when you look at the statistics, you see one third of all charging points are in london so clearly a lot needs to change to help the rural areas, to change to help the rural areas, to help the whole country get up to speed. to help the whole country get up to seed. . ~' ,, to help the whole country get up to seed. . ~' , . to help the whole country get up to seed. . ~ , . ., speed. thank you very much for 'oinin: speed. thank you very much for joining us _ speed. thank you very much for joining us from _ speed. thank you very much for joining us from glasgow. - the tv presenter kate garraway has thanked the public for their support as she deals with the "raw pain of grief" following the death of her husband, derek draper. she announced on friday that the former political adviser had died after living with extreme complications from covid. here is a little bit

of kate garraway�*s message to good morning britain, recorded by her colleague susanna reed. thank you so much for all the wonderful messages that you have sent to me. it really does mean so much to me, darcey, billy and all of derek's family. they are an extraordinary comfort and i am so lucky to feel connected to you all through these messages at this time, when the raw pain of grief can be so isolating. and that is the wonderful thing, isn't it, about our good morning britain family? that all of us on the team and all of you watching from home are connected. supporting each other through the challenges of life, knowing that we can also laugh at the fun and joys together that we share, too. with more on this let's speak to our reporter rachel mcadam who's in the newsroom. remind us a bit about the background to this and why kate and derek's story resonated with people. 0f of course, kate garraway is a very

well—known tv presenter. she has fronted breakfast shows on itv for over two decades and she has also been involved in good morning britain since its launch in 2014 so when her husband, derek draper, contracted covid very early on in the pandemic, he contracted it in april 2020 and he suffered with it pretty badly. he was put into a coma and over the months that followed, kate shared updates on derek's condition and how her family were dealing with it with viewers of good morning britain in the months that lay ahead. derek emerged from the coma in october 2020, but emerged with a lot of damage caused by the disease and he was then in and out of hospital for years that followed, up of hospital for years that followed, up untiljust now. in december, he was taken into hospital following a cardiac arrest and he spent christmas in hospital with kate by his side. when the news came on friday that derek had died, it

really impacted a lot of people because kate really raised awareness of long covid and of carers because she essentially became a carer for her husband while also looking after her husband while also looking after her kids darcy and billy and they have been very open about their journey over the last number of years, making two documentaries, two books and sharing updates on good morning britain throughout the last number of years.— number of years. briefly, good mornin: number of years. briefly, good morning britain _ number of years. briefly, good morning britain back— number of years. briefly, good morning britain back on - number of years. briefly, good morning britain back on air - number of years. briefly, good morning britain back on air for| number of years. briefly, good i morning britain back on air for the first time since his death. there were other tributes on the programme?— were other tributes on the ro . ramme? , were other tributes on the rouramme? , ., programme? yes, there were. the two hosts richard — programme? yes, there were. the two hosts richard madeley _ programme? yes, there were. the two hosts richard madeley and _ programme? yes, there were. the two hosts richard madeley and susanna - hosts richard madeley and susanna reid tops the programme with 20 minutes worth of tributes to derek and of kate's support as well for derek and we heard some of what kate had to say, read out by susanna reid but one of the other things that she said was they are taking the time to heal ourselves now, let darcy and

billy know that daddy is at peace and kate is unsurprisingly taking an indefinite leave of absence from work. further on in her message, she said that she looks forward to waking up with viewers again soon, to celebrate life in all its wonder and challenge again.— to celebrate life in all its wonder and challenge again. rachel in the newsroom. _ and challenge again. rachel in the newsroom, thank _ and challenge again. rachel in the newsroom, thank you _ and challenge again. rachel in the newsroom, thank you very - and challenge again. rachel in the newsroom, thank you very much. | and challenge again. rachel in the . newsroom, thank you very much. you can see the web story behind rachel in the newsroom, you can read more on that on the bbc news website or app. stay with us here on bbc news. lucy hockings up next with bbc news now. live from london. this is bbc news. the bbc uncovers evidence of rape, torture and forced abortions by the founder of one of the world's biggest christian evangelical churches. a senior hezbollah commander

is killed by an israeli drone strike in southern lebanon. america's top diplomat antony blinken is due in tel aviv as part of his attempts to stop the gaza conflict from spreading. he hasjust he has just arrived he hasjust arrived in saudi arabia and will be in israel later. and blast off! as the first american spacecraft in more than 50 years is on its way to the moon after a successful launch. hello, welcome to bbc news now. evidence of rape, torture and forced abortions by the founder of one of the world's biggest christian evangelical churches has been uncovered by the bbc. tbjoshua was the late

founder of the synagogue church of all nations in nigeria and built an evangelical empire that counted