Post Office scandal victims set to be cleared by new lawPublished59 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Nick EdserBusiness reporterHundreds of people wrongly convicted in the Post Office scandal are set to have their names cleared under new legislation planned by the government.The law is expected to come into effect by the end of July and will apply to convictions in England and Wales.It will apply to convictions meeting specific criteria and is expected to clear the majority of victims.The government said the possible exoneration of some genuinely guilty of crimes was “a price worth paying”.Between 1999 and 2015, more than 900 sub-postmasters were wrongly prosecuted due to faulty software.Incorrect information provided by a computer system called Horizon, developed by Japanese firm Fujitsu, meant that sub-postmasters and postmistresses were prosecuted for stealing money.Many of those convicted went to prison for false accounting and theft. Many were financially ruined.Some sub-postmasters caught up in the scandal have died or taken their own lives in the intervening years. So far, 102 convictions have been overturned.The issue was thrust back into the spotlight by an ITV drama, Mr Bates vs the Post Office, earlier this year.Post Office scandal: The Horizon saga explainedHow do the Post Office scandal compensation schemes work?Criticism had mounted that the process for overturning convictions and getting compensation was far too slow.There are three main schemes aimed at groups of victims who had different experiences of the scandal – but the schemes have been accused of being long-winded and complicated. Announcing the plans, Post Office Minister Kevin Hollinrake said the legislation was likely to “exonerate a number of people who were, in fact, guilty of a crime”.But he said: “The government accepts that this is a price worth paying in order to ensure that many innocent people are exonerated.”Some 700 people were prosecuted by the Post Office. Another 283 cases were brought by other agencies including the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Prosecutions by the DWP will not be quashed under the new law.Mr Hollinrake said the new legislation would overturn all convictions that met certain criteria. It includes:Only convictions from the Post Office and CPS will be coveredThe law will only cover “relevant offences”, such as theft and false accountingLegislation will only affect sub-postmasters and their employees or family membersIt will only cover cases where the offence took place during the time that the Horizon system (and its pilots) was in operationThe convicted person will need to have been working in a Post Office that was using the Horizon system software (including relevant pilot schemes)The new law will only cover cases in England and Wales. However, the government said it would work with the Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive to ensure their schemes to quash convictions were “compatible with the UK compensation scheme”. Labour MP Kevan Jones said he welcomed news of the legislation but added it was vital that the government set aside enough time for the new law to be passed “as quickly as possible”.”There are some initial key questions that need answering, including whether the Post Office’s Capture system counts as a ‘pilot’ of the Horizon system for the purposes of this bill.”Mr Hollinrake added that he recognised the “constitutional sensitivity” of the planned legislation, but added it did not set a precedent for the future relationship between the government, Parliament and the judiciary.”The scale and circumstances of this prosecutorial misconduct demands an exceptional response,” he said. “We are keen to ensure that the legislation achieves its goal of bringing prompt justice to all of those who were wrongfully convicted as a result of the scandal, followed by rapid financial redress.”Related TopicsCompaniesPost Office LtdPost officesMore on this storyTop civil servant hits out in Post Office rowPublished21 hours agoPostmasters could see convictions quashed this yearPublished11 JanuaryGovernments should ‘regret’ Horizon scandal – CameronPublished15 hours agoWhy were hundreds of Post Office workers prosecuted?Published2 days agoHow do the Post Office compensation schemes work?Published11 January