Reading the bill’s publication files and writing a plain-English Green Book note…
Reading the bill’s publication files and writing a plain-English Green Book note…
Proposal 3694
A Bill to provide for the quashing of convictions in England and Wales and Northern Ireland for certain offences alleged to have been committed while the Horizon system was in use by the Post Office; to make provision about the deletion of cautions given in England and Wales or Northern Ireland for such offences; and for connected purposes.
Appraisal prepared just now from the official papers. Next scheduled update after the next sitting or within about 24 hours.
Sponsor: Department for Business and Trade
Open publications on bills.parliament.ukPlain-English note and Green Book five-case reading from the official papers — the heart of this page.
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In plain English
The Bill will remove this barrier to access for those who are entitled to financial redress.
Some suffered breakdowns in relationships with their partners, children or other families and friends. A number of the cases are over 20 years old, with some of the victims having passed away.
However, even if such a characteristic could amount to an ‘other status’, given that the characteristic in such a case would not be innate, the government would likely be afforded a wide margin, and any difference in treatment would require a lower level of justification than would a difference based on innate characteristics4.
Same bill, simpler words — a deeper read without the jargon.
Imagine the country is making a new rule. This one is about: The Bill will remove this barrier to access for those who are entitled to financial redress.. The people who would notice most are: Some suffered breakdowns in relationships with their partners, children or other families and friends. A number of the cases are over 20 years old, with some of the victims having passed away.. If it became a real law, the everyday change would be: However, even if such a characteristic could amount to an ‘other status’, given that the characteristic in such a case would not be innate, the government would likely be afforded a wide margin, and any difference in treatment would require a lower level of justification than would a difference based on innate characteristics4..
Green Book 2026 · 5 Case Model
The Bill will remove this barrier to access for those who are entitled to financial redress.
It is currently at Royal Assent in the Unassigned, sponsored by Department for Business and Trade.
Accountability · outcome beside Green Book evidence
Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act 2024 became law. The official papers we read covered most of the Green Book five cases with concrete detail. That does not prove the outcome was “right” — it means the case on paper was relatively complete for accountability scrutiny.
Strategic: The Bill will remove this barrier to access for those who are entitled to financial redress.
Economic: Under the Overturned Convictions scheme anyone who was wrongfully convicted as a result of Horizon evidence is eligible to receive compensation of at least £600,000, but only once their conviction has been overturned.
Commercial: This legal action culminated in two major judgments (on Common Issues1 and Horizon Issues2) which were very critical of the Post Office’s software, its contracts with postmasters and its general behaviour. (4) Condition C is that, at the time of the alleged offence, the person— (a) was carrying on a post office business, or (b) was working in a post office (whether under a contract of employment or otherwise) for the purposes of a post office business.
Financial: Gap — The papers we read for this bill do not say who would pay for it, or where the money would come from.
Management: The Inquiry’s scope is defined by the Terms of Reference3 set by the Secretary of State. On 10 January 2024, the Prime Minister announced that the Government would introduce new primary legislation to make sure that those convicted as a result of the Horizon scandal, widely described as the biggest miscarriage of justice in our history, have their convictions swiftly quashed and can be compensated.
This is an accountability reading, not a recommendation and not a score. It does not say whether Parliament should have passed or rejected the bill. It only sets the actual parliamentary outcome beside how complete the Green Book five-case evidence was in the official papers.
These UK Acts sit in a similar policy space and are already law. Pairing uses this proposal’s official papers (and the plain-English note themes). It is not a verdict that the proposal is redundant or unnecessary.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2022-05-09
Glue Traps (Offences) Act 2022
Same policy area (“Justice / crime”) with overlapping title wording. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — useful context when asking whether this bill adds something new or mainly revisits covered ground.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2019-02-14
Voyeurism (Offences) Act 2019
Same policy area (“Justice / crime”) with overlapping title wording. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — useful context when asking whether this bill adds something new or mainly revisits covered ground.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2026-05-11
Crime and Policing Act 2026
Nearby policy wording to this bill. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — context only, not a verdict on whether the new bill is needed.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2024-02-28
Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023
Nearby policy wording to this bill. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — context only, not a verdict on whether the new bill is needed.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2022-07-14
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022
Nearby policy wording to this bill. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — context only, not a verdict on whether the new bill is needed.