course we want to ensure the process for agreeing compensation is fair, transparent and is open for independent assessment. that is one of the reasons why today, i am announcing retired high courtjudge sir gary higginbotham has agreed to chair an independent panel that will assess the losses of those postmasters with overturned convictions where disputes arise. this will bring oversight in a similar way to the oversight in a similar way to the oversight of the group mitigation order scheme and the independent panel in the horizon shortfall scheme. the original 555 courageous postmasters took the post office to court and first brought the horizon scandal into the public eye, £27 million has been paid out to a77 claimants. in addition to the net £11 million received through the settlement. a7 numbers of the original group have