Rab Thomson, Ravinder Naga and Aleid Kloosterhuis are hoping to have their convictions quashed after they were prosecuted for fraud.

The convictions of two other subpostmasters, Colin Smith and Judith Smith, have been “administratively” quashed.

Appeal hearings have been set for February 1 at the Appeal Court of the High Court of Justiciary. Mr Thomson’s advocate, Wendy Culross told the court her client is “not interested in compensation” and simply wants to clear his name.

Solicitor General Ruth Charteris KC said that more than 700 documents were disclosed by the Post Office in one case last week.

Fred Mackintosh KC, for Aleid Kloosterhuis, said the position is “intolerable”.

He said: “These are exceptional circumstances, in the last 72 hours the political side of the constitution has reacted, perhaps it should have reacted earlier, it has taken a decision which might be described as courageous, but it still doesn’t know what to do with appeals.

“Parliament is placing subpostmasters in an intolerable position – if the choice is abandon appeal now or hope and wait, or run the risk of being excluded.

“The appeals are in different categories. There are now new features in the landscape.”

Ms Culross said: “We are shortly approaching on March 20 the 20th anniversary of the audit case in Mr Thomson’s case. I have sat with Mr Thomson, he advises me he is focused only on clearing his name and not on any compensation scheme.”

Ms Charteris said: “In relation to Kloosterhuis, as always with these cases I understand there may well be reasons for that, the main problem is provision of documents by the Post Office – 737 docs have been received in the past week which require to be organised and disclosed by the Crown.

“Before any decision in her case is taken, particularly to oppose appeal, all available material must be scrutinised.”

Lady Dorrian said: “The court has been doing its utmost to progress these appeals.”