Government strengthens Post Office Horizon IT inquiry with statutory powers
The inquiry will now have the power to compel witnesses and demand evidence, with fines or imprisonment for non-compliance.
From:
19 May 2021
The independent Post Office Horizon IT inquiry will be given more powers and converted into a statutory inquiry on 1 June
inquiry will now have the power to compel witnesses and demand evidence, with fines or imprisonment for non-compliance
move follows landmark Court of Appeal judgment that saw 39 postmasters’ convictions overturned
The government has strengthened its independent inquiry into the Post Office Horizon IT dispute, putting it on a statutory footing to ensure it can establish the truth about what happened.
Date Time
UK Government strengthens Post Office Horizon IT inquiry with statutory powers
The independent Post Office Horizon IT inquiry will be given more powers and converted into a statutory inquiry on 1 June
inquiry will now have the power to compel witnesses and demand evidence, with fines or imprisonment for non-compliance
move follows landmark Court of Appeal judgment that saw 39 postmasters’ convictions overturned
The government has strengthened its independent inquiry into the Post Office Horizon IT scandal, putting it on a statutory footing to ensure it can establish the truth about what happened.
The move will give the inquiry new powers to compel witnesses and demand documentary evidence. Parties who fail to comply with the new inquiry or take actions to hinder it could face a fine, imprisonment, or both. The inquiry’s Terms of Reference will also be changed to clarify that it can investigate the Post Office’s decision-making in pursuing prosecutions of postmas