Like the television series, ‘The Committee’ was a four-parter.
Part One – a scene setter – saw long-time campaigner Lord Arbuthnot and Solicitor Neil Hudgell take centre stage in the House of Commons Thatcher room.
Shockingly, Mr Hudgell told MPs only three out of 73 of his former subpostmaster clients who had been criminally convicted had received compensation.
Lord Arbuthnot, a member of the Horizon compensation advisory board, said he wanted the redress process finalised by the end of the year.
Part Two featured real victims Alan Bates and Jo Hamilton, both central character’s in ITV’s drama.
Affable Mr Bates, who appeared via video-link, pulled no punches as he said victims of the Horizon scandal had had a “financial gun held to their head” by the Post Office.
Wrongly convicted Ms Hamilton told MPs that she had been made to feel like a criminal “all over again” in her battle to claim compensation.
Part Three featured ‘The Committee’s’ most significant moment – a grovelling apology.
The episode began with Fujitsu boss Paul Patterson saying he was “truly sorry” on behalf of the company for its role in the scandal.
Delivered with the air of an undertaker, Mr Patterson added that Fujitsu has a “moral obligation” to contribute to the compensation scheme for victims.
Ms Hamilton, sitting directly behind the IT giant’s Europe director, gave a flicker of a smile.
The dramatic moment deserved to be followed by a couple of Eastenders “doof doof’s”.
Mr Patterson and Post Office chief executive, Nick Read, were then subjected to a 40-minute grilling from the assembled committee.
Tory MP Jonathan Gullis, firing off a volley of questions like a Gatling gun, led the onslaught with fellow Conservative Antony Higginbotham and Labour’s Ian Lavery keeping the throttle down.
Labour’s Liam ‘No money’ Byrne chaired events with aplomb.
Apology and the promise of compensation aside we didn’t find out too much with Mr Patterson and Mr Read leaning heavily on the fact that an enquiry is ongoing.
Many questions – the level of compensation, who knew what, when and where has the money gone – went unanswered.
Compared to the three that came before, Part Four was less dramatic.
Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake welcomed the compensation commitment from Fujitsu.
He said that any money from the firm should be used to reimburse the taxpayer over the cost of compensation, which he said was likely to run “north of a billion pounds”.
Answers are needed, compensation is vital but where ‘The Committee’ really delivered was to extract a long-awaited apology – were you watching Ed Davey?
Rating: **** (out of 5)
