Hull MP Diana Johnson says Post Office probe is doomed to fail

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https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hu ... ys-5348970

Hull North MP Dame Diana Johnson said a full statutory inquiry was needed

Hull North's MP has called for greater powers for an inquiry into the Post Office Horizon scandal after a Bransholme sub-postmaster was recently cleared of wrongdoing.

Hull North MP Dame Diana Johnson told Parliament on Tuesday, April 27 the inquiry would "surely fail" without powers to call witnesses and evidence.

The MP added the inquiry needed to establish events surrounding the scandal which "destroyed" the lives of 39 former sub-postmasters, including Hull's Janet Skinner.

Postal Affairs Minister Paul Scully told MPs in response to Dame Diana the government's position on holding a non-statutory inquiry could change depending on advice from the judge leading it.

He added former High Court Judge Sir Wyn Williams was currently working with all parties involved on the terms of the inquiry. It comes as the former judge was appointed to head the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry in September.

It is set to investigate failures in the Horizon IT system which appeared to show money going missing due to technical faults, the Court of Appeal heard last month.

Glitches in the system, developed by Fujitsu and used by the Post Office for accounting, led to 42 sub-postmasters being prosecuted including Ms Skinner who was jailed for nine months.

Ms Skinner was among the 39 former sub-postmasters who had their convictions overturned on appeal on Friday, April 23, following hearings in the Royal Courts of Justice.

Sir Wyn's probe was set up as a non-statutory inquiry, meaning it relies on the voluntary compliance of witnesses and cannot take testimony under oath.

They have more flexibility over how they proceed, including on whether to hear evidence in private.

The inquiry is set to examine what went wrong in the Post Office with Horizon, the lessons learned and what changes have been or will be made as a result.

Dame Diana told the House of Commons a "short, quick" inquiry would not get to the truth of what led to the failings.

The Hull North MP said: "The Horizon scandal as we know has destroyed many people's lives, including my constituent Janet Skinner.

"I believe the behaviour of the Post Office is best summed up by what the Rt Rev James Jones said in the Hillsborough Inquiry about the patronising disposition of unaccountable power, the denials and the cover up.

"To get to the truth I hope the minister will reconsider the need for a full, statutory public inquiry with the powers to compel evidence and witnesses.

"This short, quick inquiry the minister has referred to without these powers will surely fail."

Mr Scully said: "I know that her [Ms Skinner's] voice has been heard via many members in this house.

"In terms of the non-statutory inquiry, at this stage Sir Wyn Williams is getting all of the support from each of the parties that he's investigating.

"If that changes then our thoughts, our advice will change but at the moment it's working well and he's getting the co-operation that's required."