POL00189919
POL00189919
From: Nina Arnott[/O=MMS/OU=EXCHANGE ADMINISTRATIVE GROUP
(FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/CN=RECIPIENTS/CN=NINA ARNOTT3A57824E-3F07-4026-A548-
2ABA48C32F 17F24]
Sent: Tue 02/07/2013 2:31:57 PM (UTC)
To: Lesley J Sewell[f”
Cc: Ruth X Barker[
Flemingto
Williams}
Simon BakerI
Edwards{~
Subject: RE: Draft statement
Yes, thanks Lesley, Ruth is incorporating now.
Nina
From: Lesley J Sewell
Sent: 02 July 2013 15:22
To: Nina Arnott
Cc: Ruth X Barker; Nina Arnott; Hugh Flemington; Rodric Williams; Susan Crichton; Simon Baker; Martin Edwards;
Alwen Lyons
Subject: Re: Draft statement
Nina
Simon and I have just gone through the detail with Ruth - she has our comments.
L
Sent from my iPad
On 2 Jul 2013, at 15:13, "Nina Arnott"
wrote:
Hi Mark
How about the attached and below? Suspect we are providing a little too much detail at some
points, which we might want to put at the end of the release as a Q&A in Notes to Editors.
Hope this helps
Nina
Confidential
DRAFT Post Office statement on Horizon system — NA comments
An interim review into concerns around the accuracy of the accounting programme used in
Post Office branches has concluded there are no systemic issues inherent within the system.
(The PO has announced sounds less independent)
The review, undertaken independently by Second Sight Support Services Ltd in consultation
with the Post Office, James Arbuthnot MP and the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance —
addressed four cases raised by MPs.
The Post Office now plans to invite the JFSA to work alongside them in conjunction with
POL00189919
POL00189919
Second Sight to complete the review of a handful of other cases..
The Horizon system is used by 60,000 people across 30,000 terminals in the Post Office
network, recording six million transactions every day. The issues with Horizon have occurred in
less than [insert figure if possible to demonstrate ratio]
Second Sight has called on the organisation to improve the IT training support for
subpostmasters in order to minimise the chance of future accounting errors. The Post Office is
committed to continual training and development and fully supports this recommendation.
[Lesley — perhaps insert details of the Fujitsu 100k here?]
During the course of the review, the Post Office has worked with its supplier Fujitsu to provide
Second Sight with evidence around how the Horizon system has been used by
Subpostmasters and staff.
The evidence included details of situations where accounting shortages or overpayments have
occurred as a result of minor issues in the system. This amounted to two sets of transactions —
one impacting 62 of the Post Office’s 11,800 branches between March and October 2010 and
the other affecting 14 branches due to accounting entries for 2010/11 being incorrectly
reproduced in 2011/12 and 2012/13.
In the first of these cases,17 subpostmasters were adversely affected — and later reimbursed —
to a total cost of £xxx (with the highest payment being £115). In the second set of cases, the
total impact was xxx.
When the accounting anomalies in these cases were picked up by the Horizon system, the
Post Office proactively informed subpostmasters and any losses, however minor were
reversed.
None of these cases had any impact on the four cases which were reviewed by Second Sight.
Lesley Sewell said: “We are very grateful to James Arbuthnot MP for his support throughout
the review, and to Second Sight for their hard work.
“The Post Office takes its responsibilities, whether to customers, subpostmasters, staff or
taxpayers. very seriously and it is right that we took steps to ensure claims about the Horizon
system were thoroughly reviewed.
“Having concluded the review, Second Sight has confirmed there are no systemic issues in the
computer system, but we will continue to work with them, and the JFSA, to examine other
cases put to us.
“The Horizon system deals with more than 40 million transactions every week — more than 2
billion a year. While every major computer system can be subject to errors, we have
confidence in Horizon, and this review supports that confidence.
“If issues do emerge we will of course address then, just as we are determined to address the
training needs which Second Sight has identified as part of our continual improvement as a
business.”
From: Mark R Davies
POL00189919
POL00189919
Sent: 02 July 2013 14:12
To: Ruth X Barker; Nina Arnott; Hugh Flemington; Rodric Williams; Susan Crichton; Alwen
Lyons; Lesley J Sewell; Simon Baker; Martin Edwards
Subject: Draft statement
All
A draft statement — please can I have comments and amendments within the next hour.
Sorry for short timescale.
Mark
Mark Davies I Communications Director
<image001.png>
1% Floor, Banner Wing, 148 Old Street, London, EC1V 9HQ
H GRO 1 Postlin
i‘Mobex
<image002.jpg>