Politics latest news: Minister denies Sunak’s Treasury was slow to pay Post Office scandal compensation

Mel Stride said the Government is moving at “very considerable pace” to help the victims of the Post Office scandal. 

It was suggested to the Work and Pensions Secretary that the Government could pass a law tomorrow quashing the convictions. 

Asked why the Government was not doing that, Mr Stride told Times Radio: “Well, let’s wait and see exactly what happens but you are absolutely right in what we are doing, in what has been a terrible situation for all of those involved, is to move now at very considerable pace. 

“What Kevin Hollinrake [the minister who oversees the Post Office] announced yesterday was that Alex Chalk, the Justice Secretary, is in discussions with senior people within the justice system, judges and so on, to look at what the options are to make sure that we push through that backlog of appeals as quickly as possible. 

“That is not to say that we haven’t already made progress of course because we have paid out £138million to 2,700 people. But there is clearly quite a lot more to do and we are absolutely determined, the Government gets this, and to move at pace.”