The Government is “very, very close” to announcing its plans to override convictions of those wrongly convicted in the Horizon IT scandal, according to a North Yorkshire MP.

Kevin Hollinrake, postal services minister and MP for Thirsk and Malton, said an announcement could “possibly” come as soon as this afternoon (Wednesday, January 10).

Hundreds of Post Office branch managers were wrongly convicted in the Horizon IT scandal.

Rishi Sunak will face MPs for Prime Minister’s Questions and is under pressure to set out how the Government will exonerate hundreds of subpostmasters accused of swindling money as a result of the flawed computer system.

The Government says compensation has been paid to more than 2,700 claimants, but hundreds were also prosecuted over shortfalls in their branches caused by software errors.

York Press: Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake leaves the Millbank Studios in Westminster, central London, today (Wed, Jan 10)Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake leaves the Millbank Studios in Westminster, central London, today (Wed, Jan 10) (Image: James Manning/PA Wire)

Another 130 people have come forward after an ITV show dramatised what has been described as the most widespread miscarriage of justice in British history, Mr Hollinrake said today.

Mr Hollinrake told Sky News he could not promise a “particular timeframe” because a decision “has not been finalised”.

The Government is considering emergency legislation to overturn all convictions but there are concerns that it could be seen to be interfering with the independent courts process by quashing them “en bloc”, Mr Hollinrake said.

He insisted ministers had been considering such an approach before ITV’s Mr Bates vs The Post Office renewed focus on the scandal but said a decision has not yet been finalised.

Justice Secretary considering emergency law to quash convictions 

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk told MPs on Tuesday that active consideration is being given to an emergency law to quash all the convictions.

Asked whether the Government is “ruling in” such an approach, Mr Hollinrake said: “We are definitely not ruling that out, but I can’t confirm that is the solution we will adopt right now.”

Mr Chalk has been discussing the situation with senior judges due to concerns about Parliament being seen to interfere with the legal process.

Read next: ‘It brought it all back’ – ex-subpostmistress on TV Post Office scandal drama

The usual method for overturning a conviction would be through the Criminal Cases Review Commission sending it to the Court of Appeal for a hearing.

But the unprecedented scale of the Horizon scandal means the Government is considering a legislative route rather than the court process.

A spokesman for the judiciary said: “Any miscarriage of justice is a matter of great concern. The criminal courts have dealt expeditiously with all Post Office appeals and will continue to do so with any further cases which are brought before them.

“Any legislation in relation to such cases is a matter for Parliament and not for the judiciary.”