the horizon compensation advisory board _ the horizon compensation advisory board put— the horizon compensation put out a paper with the minutes of a meeting - board put out a paper with the minutes of a meeting that - board put out a paper with the minutes of a meeting that wel board put out a paper with the - minutes of a meeting that we held on the 10th _ minutes of a meeting that we held on the 10th of— minutes of a meeting that we held on the 10th ofjanuary_ minutes of a meeting that we held on the 10th ofjanuary talking _ minutes of a meeting that we held on the 10th ofjanuary talking about - the 10th ofjanuary talking about the 10th ofjanuary talking about the implications— the 10th ofjanuary talking about the implications of— the 10th ofjanuary talking about the implications of the _ the implications of the psychological - the implications of the psychological effects l the implications of the i psychological effects on sub— postmasters - psychological effects on sub—postmasters and i psychological effects on - sub—postmasters and mistresses psychological effects on _ sub—postmasters an

still a long way off at the moment, though, but we'll keep you updated. of the horizon compensation advisory boardstice in the uk, the government says it is very close to announcing a solution for the hundreds of sub—postmasters who are wrongly convicted of fraud. violence in ecuador erupts as gunmen break into a live television studio — but its military rule out negotiations with the criminal gangs inciting it. america's top diplomat, antony blinken, is meeting with palestinian leaders in the occupied west bank — after telling israeli leaders that the toll of the war on civilians in gaza is too high. britain's ministry of defence says the uk and us navies have fought off the largest attack so far by the iranian—backed houthi rebels. let's get more on the post office scandal and the mounting pressure on the government to deal with it. more than 700 sub—postmasters were wrongly convicted in the post office horizon scandal after faulty software made it look like money was missing. the minister responsible for the post office kevin hollinrake says the government is very, very close to announcing its

live now to professor chris hodges — chair of the horizon compensation advisory board, an independentrofessor ofjustice systems at the university of oxford. thank you very much forjoining us on bbc news. we heard the prime

live now to professor chris hodges — chair of the horizon compensation advisory board, an independentroup 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 p

he's due to attend a meeting of the horizon compensation advisory board this lunchtime.ve been sharing their stories on bbc breakfast this morning. here's janet skinner — she was jailed over false claims she stole thousands of pounds. she wants the post office to be removed from both the appeals process, and the compensation schemes. you are the post office minister. will the government take back control over the post office? currently, the post office, they are orchestrating convictions, who has a conviction upturned, they are in control of compensation. they are now classified as the criminals. why are they having the power to control everything? i was talking about your case yesterday with sir david davies, who has been working on your behalf. very keen to resolve that issue and very keen to take this out of the hands of the post office. the short answer is yes, that is what we are keen to do. i cannot confirm at this moment in time but i am very keen to confirm it very shortly. you can understand why people want the post office to be taken out of the whole process. t

the horizon compensation advisory board will continue to work with the minister's office on that.otect the interests of the most masters shoo everybody else involved. that's the key thing for me because these people have been waiting upwards of 20 years, some of them. >> what about the nondisclosure agreements drafted by the lawyers which prevented the most master -- post match victims from finding about each other. isn't it important that those are waived? >> my understanding is they've been waived for the inerie and any post masters who wants to break their agreement, i would encourage them to talk to the lawyers. if there is any question, the postmasters can clarify it. >> we should pointout that this is legislation only for england and wales. planned and northern ireland will have to look at their own legislation on this. do you foresee any cases in scotland? for only a handful of cases in northern ireland. >> i'm not a scottish legal expert so i can't speak to the detail of that. the note is coming out of the minister looking promising in regards to a similar solution. but we

it can get the situation rescue to the degree they have appointed a group called the horizon compensation advisory boardood work in holding the government to account and the post office to account and the post office to account over the shoddy compensation schemes that have been set up. there is no way victims should have been waiting this long. in 2019, they won a massive group litigation, and in 2021, we had the number of overturned convictions in the court of appeals history in a single day. and yes there are people who are dying before they receive full and final compensation. i understand the government saying it is doing its best but you can talk the talk, but you have to walk the walk, and walking the walk would be putting full, fair and final compensation in the sub—postmaster�* pockets. it is not happening quickly enough. how lona is it not happening quickly enough. how long is it inquiry expected to take as well? , , ., long is it inquiry expected to take aswell? , , ., , as well? just before christmas, the retired judge _ as well? just before christmas, the retired judge you — as well? just b

it's clearly troubling because the horizon compensation advisory board cited concerns coming out of thisals. as this inquiry is slowlyjoining the dots. acquittals. as this inquiry is slowly joining the dots. slowly 'oining the dots. thank you, emma slowly joining the dots. thank you, emma simpson. _ throughout this week, we've been hearing from many of the sub—postmasters and sub—postmistresses who were wrongly prosecuted by the post office because of that faulty it system. among them, is hashmukh shingadia. his post office, in bucklebury in berkshire, was used by the princess of wales when she was growing up nearby — and he even got an invitation to her wedding. but his life was torn apart after he was prosecuted, as john maguire explains. spend any time in hasmukh shingadia's village shop in berkshire and, like hundreds of other former postmasters up and down the uk, you understand why they're called a pillar of the community. special treat. exactly. how are the girls? they're fine, thank you. in common with those hundreds, he was also accused of theft and hounded by the post office af

james arbuthnot, lord arbuthnot, is a member of the horizon compensation advisory board and former conservativeub—postmasters also have people representing them who are also asking really powerful questions. of these investigators, at the moment, who lied on an almost daily basis, who lied on an almost daily basis, who were incentivised to get convictions rather than justice. who were incentivised to get convictions rather thanjustice. and convictions rather than justice. and there convictions rather thanjustice. and there are shocking stories coming out but i have faith in sherwin—williams, he has been doing a really good job in running this public inquiry and i think most sub—postmasters who have been involved in it also have faith in him. and i also have faith in the minister kevin hollinger rick because before he became a minister he was one of the people campaigning on behalf of the sub—postmasters so we are getting to the heart of the solution but it is taking far too long. as we've been reporting, the government confirmed it will introduce a one—off £75,000 payment for the 555 ex—postmas

still here, and also with us is professor richard moorhead, who sits on the independent horizon compensation advisory boardity. it _ office? it was, it had a siege mentality, it was _ office? it was, it had a siege| mentality, it was aggressive, office? it was, it had a siege i mentality, it was aggressive, i didn't pay any attention to evidence, i thought, didn't pay any attention to evidence, ithought, it didn't pay any attention to evidence, i thought, it decided the fact and it wrote the rules and opposed the sub—postmasters. breathe? opposed the sub-postmasters. why? mone . opposed the sub-postmasters. why? money- they — opposed the sub-postmasters. why? money. they kneed _ opposed the sub-postmasters. why? money. they kneed to _ opposed the sub—postmasters. why? money. they kneed to keep horizon going, they needed to protect the reputation of the post office. they thought they were a national institution, they thought they were protecting public money, they thought they were doing the moral thing but they were looking after their reputation and their own careers. ~ ., , ., , ., ., their reputation an

the horizon compensation advisory board has recommended that we should overturn all the convictions ofrosecuted in the horizon scandal. i think their motivation for doing so is absolutely right, and we will work with them to speed up the process. can i can i put on record my thanks to lord arbuthnot, who is in the gallery today and also the right honourable member for north durham, for their work on this campaign generally and on that advisory board , following their advisory board, following their recommendation , uh, following recommendation, uh, following their recommendation would involve quite a unprecedented action by parliament to overturn specific verdicts of the courts. the government is, of course, completely recognises the importance of an independent court system and judiciary. importance of an independent court system and judiciary . so court system and judiciary. so this recommendation raises important issues of constitutional principle. this is therefore not a decision we can take lightly . it is also can take lightly. it is also creates the risks of a different sort of

so this announcement today is all down to this group: the horizon compensation advisory board pictured the government today drew on the recommendation from this advisory board which includes two legal academics, and the recommendation the government has picked up basically has four core elements, so in the first place, as rishi sunak was saying, it will put right the wrongs of the past, overturned convictions, so what we will be seeing, as you were saying. we will be seeing legislators to overturn those post office horizon convictions of 700 to 1000 people. second: there are a small number of postmasters who have lost appeals against their conviction. the government will decide in the coming days whether to include those in the scheme. third: once a conviction has been overturned people will be entitled to a one—off £600,000 payment or try and negotiate a higher payment. finally, a statement of innocence. it is widely accepted that there will be some people who were rightly convicted who will have it overturned, they will be entitled to that £600,000 payment, so to guard against that,

the horizon compensation advisory board has recommended that we should overturn all of the convictionsmpaign generally and on the advisory board. following the recommendation will involve quite unprecedented action by parliament to overturn specific verdicts of the courts. the government, of course, completely recognises the important of an independent court system and judiciary. this recommendation raises important issues of constitutional principle. this is therefore not a decision that we can take lightly. it is also creating the risk of a different sort of injustice. i'm sure that great many people would wrongly convicted in a scandal but i cannot tell the house that all of those prosecuted were indeedin that all of those prosecuted were indeed in the sun or indeed that it was 90% or 80% or 70% without retrying every case we cannot know. so the risk is that instead of unjust convictions, we shall end up with unjust acquittals and we do not know how many. the only way we can tell is a resolving cases through the courts, further dragging out the distress to many innocent people. can

and there is also at 1:30 this afternoon, a meeting of the horizon compensation advisory board. find a way to quash all these outstanding convictions of sub post masters and a way to do that will probably involve bringing legislation before the parliament. now there are some concerns about that. of course . concerns about that. of course. um, the government should not be telling the legislature the judiciary what to do . so it is judiciary what to do. so it is difficult . also, some concerns difficult. also, some concerns that are tiny , tiny number of that are tiny, tiny number of people , um, may have actually people, um, may have actually taken money where they shouldn't, although they think those numbers are very, very low. so some concern some difficulties. but the government is very keen to get this sorted. so expect movement. and also a speeding up of compensation . so speeding up of compensation. so we should know more for later today. >> okay catherine, thanks very much indeed. lots of questions about who exactly should fit the bill. foot the bill for any compensation c

those still waiting for full compensation and the slow pace at which criminal convictions related to horizon are being overturned by the courts. before christmas the advisory boarderson who is horizon conviction owes overturned is entitled to interim composition payment of £163,000. there can then choose whether to have their composition individually assessed or to accept an upfront offer of £600,000. that offer is already speeding along compensation for a significant number of people. in the light of the advisory board letter of overturning convictions i've spoken to the right honourable memberfor durham north spoken to the right honourable member for durham north and spoken to the right honourable memberfor durham north and others and have had a very positive meeting this afternoon with my right honourable friend the lord chancellor. all of us on these benches and across the house are united in our desire to see justice done. we have devised some options for resolving the outstanding criminal convictions with much more pace. my right honourable from the lord chancellor will quite rightly need to speak to senior figures in thejudiciary about need to speak to se