<s>
The	O
British	B-Architecture
Post	I-Architecture
Office	I-Architecture
scandal	I-Architecture
is	O
a	O
miscarriage	O
of	O
justice	O
involving	O
the	O
wrongful	O
civil	O
and	O
criminal	O
prosecutions	O
of	O
an	O
unknown	O
or	O
unpublished	O
number	O
of	O
sub-postmasters	O
(	O
SPMs	O
)	O
for	O
theft	O
,	O
false	O
accounting	O
and/or	O
fraud	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Problems	O
with	O
the	O
Horizon	O
system	O
are	O
reported	O
to	O
Post	O
Office	O
Ltd	O
by	O
Alan	O
Bates	O
,	O
the	O
sub-postmaster	O
(	O
SPM	O
)	O
at	O
Craig-y-Don	O
,	O
North	O
Wales.2003	O
Mr	O
Bates’	O
contract	O
is	O
terminated	O
,	O
which	O
he	O
alleges	O
is	O
down	O
to	O
him	O
raising	O
the	O
complaints	O
about	O
Horizon.2009	O
SPMs	O
,	O
including	O
Alan	O
Bates	O
,	O
who	O
suffer	O
accounts	O
shortfalls	O
set	O
up	O
an	O
action	O
group	O
–	O
Justice	B-Architecture
for	I-Architecture
Sub-postmasters	I-Architecture
Alliance	I-Architecture
(	O
JFSA	O
)	O
.2011	O
Joint	O
BBC	O
South	O
and	O
BBC	O
Surrey	O
investigation	O
into	O
issues	O
with	O
Horizon.2011	O
85	O
SPMs	O
seek	O
legal	O
support	O
in	O
claims	O
against	O
POL	O
computer	O
system.2012	O
POL	O
set	O
up	O
an	O
independent	O
inquiry	O
to	O
be	O
conducted	O
by	O
the	O
accountancy	O
company	O
Second	O
Sight.2013	O
POL	O
admits	O
that	O
Horizon	O
system	O
needs	O
more	O
investigation	O
and	O
says	O
that	O
it	O
wants	O
to	O
get	O
to	O
bottom	O
of	O
IT	O
system	O
allegations	O
and	O
drill	O
down	O
on	O
strongest	O
cases	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
POL	O
maintains	O
remote	O
access	O
to	O
Horizon	O
branch	O
accounts	O
"	O
impossible	O
"	O
[	O
later	O
retracted	O
in	O
the	O
High	O
Court	O
on	O
26	O
January	O
2016 ]2015	O
On	O
3	O
February	O
2015	O
,	O
Paula	O
Vennells	O
,	O
then	O
Chief	O
Executive	O
,	O
POL	O
,	O
Angela	B-Architecture
van	I-Architecture
den	I-Architecture
Bogerd	I-Architecture
,	O
then	O
Head	O
of	O
Partnerships	O
,	O
POL	O
,	O
and	O
Second	O
Sight	O
appear	O
before	O
the	O
Business	O
,	O
Innovation	O
and	O
Skills	O
Committee	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Angela	B-Architecture
van	I-Architecture
den	I-Architecture
Bogerd	I-Architecture
tells	O
the	O
Committee	O
that	O
POL	O
have	O
provided	O
Second	O
Sight	O
with	O
the	O
information	O
they	O
have	O
requested	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
their	O
forensic	O
investigation	O
of	O
Horizon	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
found	O
that	O
Post	O
Office	O
software	O
experienced	O
12,000	O
communication	O
failures	O
every	O
year	O
,	O
with	O
software	B-Error_Name
defects	I-Error_Name
at	O
76	O
branches	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
old	O
and	O
unreliable	O
hardware2015	O
Criminal	O
Courts	O
Review	O
Commission	O
is	O
set	O
to	O
review	O
SPMs’	O
claims	O
of	O
wrongful	O
prosecution.2015	O
BBC	O
's	O
Panorama	O
broadcast	O
a	O
programme	O
on	O
Horizon	O
called	O
"	O
Trouble	O
at	O
the	O
Post	O
Office	O
?	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
subsequent	O
judgment	O
on	O
the	O
issues	O
,	O
the	O
High	O
Court	O
ruled	O
that	O
the	O
original	O
Horizon	O
system	O
had	O
not	O
been	O
sufficiently	O
robust	O
and	O
had	O
suffered	O
from	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
and	O
errors	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Their	O
appearances	O
are	O
postponed	O
because	O
of	O
the	O
Covid-19	O
pandemic.May	O
2020	O
On	O
1	O
May	O
2020	O
,	O
POL	O
launches	O
its	O
Historic	O
Shortfall	O
Scheme	O
for	O
SPMs	O
who	O
suffered	O
losses	O
covering	O
shortfalls	O
caused	O
by	O
Horizon.June	O
2020	O
On	O
10	O
June	O
,	O
Paul	O
Scully	O
MP	O
,	O
Minister	O
for	O
Small	O
Business	O
,	O
Consumers	O
and	O
Labour	O
Markets	O
,	O
announces	O
the	O
scope	O
of	O
the	O
non-statutory	O
Post	B-Architecture
Office	I-Architecture
Horizon	I-Architecture
IT	I-Architecture
Inquiry	O
,	O
to	O
be	O
led	O
by	O
Sir	O
Wyn	O
Williams	O
,	O
a	O
retired	O
High	O
Court	O
Judge	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
letters	O
are	O
in	O
reply	O
to	O
the	O
Committee	O
's	O
questions	O
following	O
the	O
postponement	O
of	O
the	O
evidence	O
session	O
on	O
26	O
March	O
2020.July	O
2020	O
The	O
Criminal	O
Cases	O
Review	O
Commission	O
refers	O
another	O
7	O
cases	O
to	O
the	O
Court	O
of	O
Appeal.August	O
2020	O
The	O
Historic	O
Shortfall	O
Scheme	O
closed	O
on	O
14	O
August	O
,	O
though	O
‘	O
exceptional	O
circumstances’	O
applications	O
were	O
accepted	O
up	O
to	O
27	O
November	O
2020.December	O
2020	O
On	O
1	O
December	O
,	O
the	O
Post	B-Architecture
Office	I-Architecture
Horizon	I-Architecture
IT	I-Architecture
Inquiry	O
issued	O
a	O
call	O
for	O
evidence.December	O
2020	O
The	O
Crown	O
Court	O
set	O
aside	O
the	O
convictions	O
of	O
six	O
Horizon-related	O
cases	O
,	O
which	O
are	O
uncontested.January	O
2021	O
The	O
Post	B-Architecture
Office	I-Architecture
Horizon	I-Architecture
IT	I-Architecture
Inquiry	O
begins	O
taking	O
public	O
impact	O
statements	O
from	O
victims	O
of	O
the	O
Horizon	O
scandal.April	O
2021	O
Court	O
of	O
Appeal	O
Criminal	O
Division	O
quashes	O
the	O
convictions	O
in	O
39	O
of	O
the	O
42	O
Post	O
Office	O
Horizon	O
referrals	O
it	O
was	O
considering.May	O
2021	O
Two	O
further	O
convictions	O
are	O
set	O
aside.May	O
2021	O
On	O
19	O
May	O
2021	O
,	O
Paul	O
Scully	O
MP	O
,	O
Minister	O
for	O
Small	O
Business	O
,	O
Consumers	O
and	O
Labour	O
Markets	O
,	O
writes	O
to	O
the	O
BEIS	O
Committee	O
and	O
confirms	O
that	O
from	O
1	O
June	O
2021	O
the	O
Post	B-Architecture
Office	I-Architecture
Horizon	I-Architecture
IT	I-Architecture
Inquiry	O
will	O
be	O
placed	O
on	O
a	O
statutory	O
footing.July	O
2021	O
Government	O
announce	O
that	O
they	O
will	O
fund	O
interim	O
payments	O
of	O
up	O
to	O
£100k	O
within	O
28	O
days	O
of	O
SPMs	O
having	O
their	O
unsafe	O
Horizon-related	O
convictions	O
overturned.July	O
2021	O
On	O
28	O
July	O
2021	O
,	O
the	O
Government	O
set	O
out	O
the	O
Terms	O
of	O
Reference	O
for	O
the	O
Post	B-Architecture
Office	I-Architecture
Horizon	I-Architecture
IT	I-Architecture
Inquiry	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Government	O
states	O
that	O
the	O
"	O
Horizon	O
group	O
damages	O
settlement	O
…	O
and/or	O
the	O
engagement	O
or	O
findings	O
of	O
any	O
other	O
supervisory	O
or	O
complaints	O
mechanisms	O
,	O
including	O
in	O
the	O
public	O
sector	O
,	O
are	O
outside	O
the	O
Inquiry	O
's	O
scope	O
"	O
.November	O
2021	O
On	O
17	O
November	O
2021	O
,	O
Sir	O
Wyn	O
Williams	O
,	O
Chair	O
of	O
the	O
Post	B-Architecture
Office	I-Architecture
Horizon	I-Architecture
IT	I-Architecture
Inquiry	O
,	O
set	O
out	O
the	O
list	O
of	O
issues	O
that	O
the	O
Inquiry	O
intends	O
to	O
investigate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
now	O
217	O
issues	O
grouped	O
around	O
six	O
key	O
themes	O
in	O
the	O
Horizon	O
IT	O
system	O
;	O
knowledge	O
of	O
errors	O
with	O
Horizon	O
;	O
contractual	O
liability	O
for	O
Horizon	O
shortfalls	O
;	O
investigations	O
and	O
private	O
prosecutions	O
carried	O
out	O
by	O
Post	O
Office	O
Ltd	O
;	O
support	O
,	O
representation	O
and	O
redress	O
for	O
Subpostmasters	O
;	O
and	O
,	O
governance	O
and	O
whistleblowing.November	O
2021	O
Sir	O
Wyn	O
Williams	O
,	O
Chair	O
of	O
the	O
Post	B-Architecture
Office	I-Architecture
Horizon	I-Architecture
IT	I-Architecture
Inquiry	O
,	O
calls	O
upon	O
POL	O
,	O
Fujitsu	O
,	O
BEIS	O
and	O
UKGI	O
to	O
submit	O
evidence	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
announces	O
that	O
he	O
is	O
seeking	O
a	O
waiver	O
of	O
privilege	O
in	O
respect	O
of	O
legally	O
privileged	O
material	O
relevant	O
to	O
the	O
Terms	O
of	O
Reference	O
,	O
as	O
carried	O
into	O
effect	O
by	O
the	O
Provisional	O
List	O
of	O
Issues.November	O
2021	O
By	O
November	O
2021	O
,	O
72	O
unsafe	O
Horizon-related	O
cases	O
have	O
been	O
overturned.December	O
2021	O
Sir	O
Wyn	O
Williams	O
,	O
Chair	O
of	O
the	O
Post	B-Architecture
Office	I-Architecture
Horizon	I-Architecture
IT	I-Architecture
Inquiry	O
,	O
sets	O
out	O
the	O
Inquiry	O
's	O
schedule	O
of	O
work	O
over	O
2022	O
and	O
notes	O
that	O
he	O
will	O
not	O
report	O
before	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
2022.December	O
2021	O
Paul	O
Scully	O
MP	O
,	O
Minister	O
for	O
Small	O
Business	O
,	O
Consumers	O
and	O
Labour	O
Markets	O
,	O
confirms	O
that	O
the	O
Government	O
will	O
make	O
funding	O
available	O
to	O
make	O
final	O
compensation	O
payments	O
to	O
SPMs	O
whose	O
convictions	O
have	O
been	O
overturned.December	O
2021	O
On	O
14	O
December	O
2021	O
,	O
SPMs	O
directly	O
affected	O
by	O
Horizon	O
and	O
their	O
representatives	O
appear	O
before	O
the	O
BEIS	O
committee.January	O
2022	O
The	O
Post	B-Architecture
Office	I-Architecture
Horizon	I-Architecture
IT	I-Architecture
Inquiry	O
adds	O
a	O
footnote	O
to	O
its	O
list	O
of	O
issues	O
(	O
Issue	O
No	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2019	O
,	O
the	O
Horizon	O
Issues	O
trial	O
judgment	O
in	O
the	O
Bates	O
&	O
Others	O
v	O
Post	O
Office	O
Ltd	O
group	O
litigation	O
at	O
the	O
High	O
Court	O
found	O
that	O
software	B-Error_Name
errors	I-Error_Name
and	O
defects	O
did	O
exist	O
and	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
possible	O
for	O
these	O
to	O
cause	O
apparent	O
discrepancies	O
or	O
shortfalls	O
in	O
branch	O
accounts	O
or	O
transactions	O
,	O
to	O
undermine	O
the	O
reliability	O
of	O
Horizon	O
accurately	O
to	O
process	O
and	O
to	O
record	O
transactions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
April	O
2021	O
,	O
Post	O
Office	O
chief	O
executive	O
Nick	O
Read	O
announced	O
that	O
the	O
Horizon	O
system	O
would	O
be	O
replaced	O
with	O
a	O
new	O
cloud-based	B-Architecture
IT	I-Architecture
system	I-Architecture
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
8	O
April	O
2021	O
,	O
after	O
the	O
problems	O
had	O
caused	O
scandal	O
,	O
Post	O
Office	O
chief	O
executive	O
Nick	O
Read	O
announced	O
that	O
the	O
Horizon	O
system	O
would	O
be	O
replaced	O
by	O
a	O
new	O
IT	O
system	O
that	O
would	O
be	O
"	O
more	O
user-friendly	O
,	O
easier	O
to	O
adapt	O
for	O
new	O
products	O
and	O
services	O
,	O
and	O
cloud-based	B-Architecture
to	O
ensure	O
easy	O
maintenance	O
and	O
ready	O
interoperability	O
with	O
other	O
systems.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
campaign	O
group	O
on	O
the	O
issue	O
,	O
Justice	B-Architecture
for	I-Architecture
Sub-postmasters	I-Architecture
Alliance	I-Architecture
(	O
JFSA	O
)	O
was	O
formed	O
by	O
Bates	O
and	O
others	O
in	O
September	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
July	O
2013	O
,	O
Second	O
Sight	O
issued	O
an	O
interim	O
report	O
and	O
Post	O
Office	O
Ltd	O
admitted	O
that	O
software	B-Error_Name
defects	I-Error_Name
with	O
Horizon	O
had	O
indeed	O
occurred	O
,	O
but	O
said	O
that	O
the	O
system	O
was	O
effective	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
lead	O
investigator	O
for	O
Second	O
Sight	O
claimed	O
that	O
there	O
were	O
about	O
12,000	O
communication	O
failures	O
every	O
year	O
,	O
with	O
software	B-Error_Name
defects	I-Error_Name
at	O
76	O
branches	O
and	O
old	O
and	O
unreliable	O
hardware	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
March	O
2015	O
,	O
Private	B-Application
Eye	I-Application
magazine	O
and	O
other	O
sources	O
reported	O
that	O
Post	O
Office	O
Ltd	O
had	O
ordered	O
Second	O
Sight	O
to	O
end	O
their	O
investigation	O
just	O
one	O
day	O
before	O
the	O
report	O
was	O
due	O
to	O
be	O
published	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
destroy	O
all	O
the	O
paperwork	O
which	O
they	O
had	O
not	O
handed	O
over	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Post	O
Office	O
Ltd	O
(	O
Angela	B-Architecture
van	I-Architecture
den	I-Architecture
Bogerd	I-Architecture
)	O
claimed	O
in	O
the	O
Business	O
,	O
Energy	O
and	O
Industrial	O
Strategy	O
Committee	O
hearing	O
of	O
3	O
February	O
2015	O
that	O
they	O
"	O
have	O
been	O
working	O
with	O
Second	O
Sight	O
over	O
the	O
last	O
few	O
weeks	O
on	O
what	O
we	O
agreed	O
at	O
the	O
outset	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
judge	O
said	O
Angela	B-Architecture
van	I-Architecture
den	I-Architecture
Bogerd	I-Architecture
(	O
Head	O
of	O
Partnerships	O
,	O
Post	O
Office	O
)	O
"	O
did	O
not	O
give	O
me	O
frank	O
evidence	O
,	O
and	O
sought	O
to	O
obfuscate	O
matters	O
,	O
and	O
mislead	O
me.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Twenty-nine	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
,	O
errors	O
and	O
defects	O
were	O
identified	O
and	O
analysed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
written	O
ministerial	O
statement	O
on	O
10	O
June	O
2020	O
,	O
Paul	O
Scully	O
,	O
Minister	O
for	O
Small	O
Business	O
,	O
Consumers	O
and	O
Labour	O
Markets	O
,	O
announced	O
the	O
scope	O
of	O
the	O
Independent	O
Review	O
into	O
the	O
Post	B-Architecture
Office	I-Architecture
Horizon	I-Architecture
IT	I-Architecture
System	O
and	O
Trials	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
non-statutory	O
inquiry	O
,	O
now	O
titled	O
The	O
Post	B-Architecture
Office	I-Architecture
Horizon	I-Architecture
IT	I-Architecture
Inquiry	O
by	O
the	O
government	O
and	O
led	O
by	O
Sir	O
Wyn	O
Williams	O
,	O
began	O
work	O
in	O
Autumn	O
2020	O
and	O
issued	O
a	O
call	O
for	O
evidence	O
on	O
1	O
December	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Justice	B-Architecture
For	I-Architecture
Sub-postmasters	I-Architecture
Alliance	I-Architecture
(	O
JFSA	O
)	O
refused	O
to	O
take	O
part	O
in	O
the	O
inquiry	O
,	O
described	O
it	O
as	O
a	O
whitewash	O
and	O
called	O
for	O
a	O
full	O
public	O
inquiry	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shortly	O
afterwards	O
the	O
government	O
promised	O
"	O
fair	O
and	O
speedy	O
"	O
pay-outs	O
for	O
the	O
555	O
victims	O
of	O
the	O
Horizon	B-Architecture
IT	I-Architecture
scandal	I-Architecture
who	O
had	O
been	O
excluded	O
from	O
the	O
Post	O
Office	O
's	O
compensation	O
scheme	O
.	O
</s>
