Speeches by Western.

“Have we seen that medical submission, the two-pager?”

“It would be useful to see. Mr Enright and Mr Hartley, in your dealings with Addleshaw Goddard and Dentons, have you had any positive experience? If not, why not?”

“Is the vast majority 90% or 95%?”

“Yes.”

“Finally, in terms of the duress and the anxiety, when was the first shortfall discovered and how many years later was the final one?”

“Just to come back on that, it was really only because she had other businesses in the family that she was able to offset some of those moneys. In retrospect, how long was she able to sustain the business because of that? If she had not had those other businesses, she would have lost the business a lot sooner.”

“I am so sorry about the loss of your mother 10 years ago yesterday. I am sure, or I can imagine, that the anxiety played a big part in her illness. Your lawyer told us that the Post Office had said that stress really did not play a part and that you could not demonstrate or prove that that had an effect. What was your …”

“You mentioned that you submitted back in October 2022 but did not get a response until August 2023, 10 months later. Why do you think it took so long?”

“Mr Hartley, when you were previously before the Committee, I think you said that in terms of Post Office disclosure, there was a degree of inefficiency and incompetency. Has that improved since you were last before the Committee?”

“Jill, thanks very much, and thank you all for being here. Can you talk through a little more about the experience that you have felt going through the HSS?”

“When the Post Office first made you an offer, did you consider it to be fair?”

“How do the first offers compare with what the claimants perhaps were expecting? Perhaps Mr Enright can come in as well.”

“Mr Hartley, I understand that when you were previously before the Committee, you spoke about areas in which you felt that the offers were not fair. I wonder what improvements you have seen since then.”

“We heard from the previous panel—you may have heard too—about the complexity. Is there a simple way of enabling claimants to come to that calculation? For the 43 that you talked about, is there something simple that could be done, such as a calculator? Do you know what I mean?”

“Do you think you will see more claimants applying to the assessment panel now to speed up the process for them?”

“According to month-end June 2024 data, out of 109 notified claims for redress of overturned convictions, five have been referred to your panel for independent assessment, while zero were observed at end of quarter in October 2024. First of all, what is the overall figure for cases that have been referred to you? Second…”

“The other thing that your lawyers have said is that in disclosure provided by the Post Office, it laid blame on your mother for the shortfall losses. Can you tell us a little more about that?”

“I commend my right hon. Friend for making such a bold and difficult decision here when so many of her predecessors shied away from it. Putting the sector on a sound financial footing is crucial, but I also welcome the move on maintenance support. Can she assure me that, when she talks about increasing efficiency in the…”

“rose—”

“On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker.”