MPs urge Fujitsu to pay Post Office victims

Liam Byrne, the Labour MP chairing the business and trade committee, described the situation as "justice delayed has become justice denied" and urged the government to expedite all outstanding claims by the end of the year. He criticized Fujitsu for "sitting on the sidelines" and failing to outline its contribution to the compensation bill, which has so far been borne by UK taxpayers.

Fujitsu has admitted knowing about the Horizon system's flaws since the 1990s. The company is currently in negotiations with the UK government regarding a settlement. There are three redress schemes for victims: the Horizon shortfall scheme (HSS), the group litigation order, and the Horizon convictions redress scheme. The HSS, the largest, offers a fixed sum of £75,000 or the option to pursue a higher amount.

Recent findings from the public inquiry, led by Sir Wyn Williams, indicated that the Post Office and its advisers had adopted an "unnecessarily adversarial attitude" towards claimants. The second part of the inquiry's report is expected to focus on the Horizon system's flaws and the cultures of both the Post Office and Fujitsu.

Fujitsu stated that it believes contributing to compensation is the right course of action and that this will be agreed upon with the government after the inquiry's findings are released. A government spokesperson acknowledged the progress made in delivering redress but stressed that more work is needed, particularly for complex cases involving vulnerable claimants, and pledged to process these cases as quickly as possible.