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LNB NEWS: All future Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry requests to carry section 21 notices

17 July 2023
Categories: Legal News , Public , Inquests , Criminal , Disclosure
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Following an urgent disclosure hearing, the Chair of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry, Sir Wyn Williams, has announced that all future inquiry requests for evidence to the Post Office will carry a notice under section 21 of the Inquiries Act 2005 (IA 2005) which carries the threat of criminal sanction. 

Lexis® update: The hearing was called to address 'grossly unsatisfactory' disclosure failings by the Post Office and, following the submissions made by legal representatives of former sub-postmasters, the Post Office and the National Federation of SubPostmasters, Williams postponed upcoming meetings where witnesses were due to give evidence until the relevant disclosure was complete.

In response to the Post Office's failures so far, William confirmed that regular discrete disclosure hearings are likely to be held for the remainder of the inquiry, the next scheduled for 5 September 2023, and that enforcing section 21 of IA 2005 should ensure that the Post Office complies with its disclosure obligations.

William's full determination and directions are accessible here.

Source: Sir Wyn gives determination on Post Office disclosure failings

This content was first published by LNB News, a LexisNexis® company, on 14 July 2023 and is published with permission. Further information can be found at: www.lexisnexis.co.uk

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