, Chair of the Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy Committee, has written today
to current Post Office Ltd
CEO, Nick
Read, the former CEO, Paula
Vennells, and to Fujitsu [letters
available via links] with a series of questions relating to the
handling of the Horizon IT scandal and the Committee’s
inquiry.
, Chair of the Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy Committee said:
“Sub-postmasters deserve justice and it’s an appalling
reality that many have suffered considerable personal distress as
a result of the handling of faults in the Horizon IT system. It’s
important that the Post Office and Fujitsu now respond fully to
the BEIS Committee’s questions over their actions and oversight
during this period. It’s important Post Office Ltd and the
Government genuinely learn the lessons from this scandal and take
the actions necessary to ensure this kind of mistreatment of
dedicated sub-postmasters and postal staff can never arise
again.”
The Committee intends to publish the responses to the
correspondence as part of its inquiry.
The Committee’s evidence session on 24 March on the Post Office
and Horizon with Post Office
Ltd CEO, Nick Read, the former CEO, Paula Vennells, and Fujitsu
had been scheduled for Tuesday
24thMarch but was postponed due to the
Covid-19 lockdown
The BEIS Committee’s inquiry had been looking at the impact on
sub-postmasters and its effect on the future viability of the
Post Office, and examining the lessons the Government and Post
Office Ltd had learned from a scandal which saw hundreds of
sub-postmasters accused of fraud.
On Tuesday 10 March, the BEIS Committee heard from
the following witnesses: Alan Bates, Justice for Sub-postmasters
Alliance and former sub-postmaster, Wendy Buffrey, former
sub-postmaster, Tracy Felstead, former Post Office worker, Andy
Furey, Deputy General-Secretary, Communication Workers Union,
Calum Greenhow, CEO, National Federation of Sub-postmasters, Ron
Warmington, Second Sight Forensic Accountants, Ian Henderson,
Second Sight Forensic Accountants.
