BEIS0000633
BEIS0000633
From: Permanent Secretaries I
Sent: Fri 30/12/2022 5:13:23 PM (UTC)
To:
Siv - UKGI"!
"Stockbridge.
'Gourlay, James - UKGI"
i irectorate
Ce: Permanent
Subject: RE: [Briefing Request - midday Friday 23/12] RE: Attached Letter from Henry Staunton,
Chairman
Hi Siv, all,
Thanks for the work on this. I boxed the letter before Christmas — will let you know Sarah’s thoughts when I have
them. On attendees we are planning to keep this to just Sarah/Henry given nature of some of the discussion.
Thanks,
Nicol
Nicol Brydon I Private Secre
From: Permanent Secretaries
Sent: 23 December 2022 17:33
To: Bickerton, David (Business Sectors DG Office ajeswaran, Siv - UKGI
Cooper, Tom - UKGI tockbridge, Rebecca (BEIS)
iCreswell, Carl (Business Sectors - Services Directorate)
Brightwell, Rob
GRO
Cc: Skilbeck, Jessica (NZBI - Portfolio & Affordability);
Subject: RE: [Briefing Request - midday Friday 23/12)
Hi Siv
Thank you for sending over the briefing for Sarah. To note- the meeting has moved to Thursday 5 Jan. I’ve updated
the briefing accordingly.
In terms of attendees, I’m unsure as am covering for Nicol while he is on leave. Nicol is back on the 30"- I will ask him
to confirm then.
@Bickerton, David (Business Sectors DG Office) Many thanks for the additional comments David. I’ve added them to
the briefing.
Hope you all have a great Christmas!
Thanks
From: Bickerton, David (Business Sectors DG Office) GRO i
Sent: 23 December 2022 12:54 — °
To: Rajeswaran, Siv - UKGI"
‘tached Letter from He
ry Staunton, Chairman
BEIS0000633
BEIS0000633
Putt, Lily - UKGI{ - Portfolio & Affordability)
ott, Joshua - UKGI
‘ortfolio & Affordability)!
Subject: RE: [Briefing Request - midday Friday 23/12] RE: Attached Letter from Henry Staunton, Chairman
There are a couple of further things I think Sarah needs to be aware of (and probably address):
* POL Review — SoS has said no to a review. He is content however for there to be an internal (to HMG, not just
BEIS) review of policies. HMT’s requirement in SR allocation was that there should be a review. From
conversations with HMT officials, an internal only review is likely to be sufficient but their line is that, without a
review giving a clear plan, more funding is not available. So, for POL Chair, we need to agree to work together
on the review and further funding will be a real challenge until we have real progress on this.
* Inquiry fracas over HSS — at the statutory inquiry compensation hearing, BEIS counsel rather unfortunately
contrasted BEIS’s ambition (though he used the word target) of 100% HSS offers made by 31 December with
POL’s target of 95% and expressed the department’s disappointment that the 100% “target” had not been hit.
This created an eruption from POL, right up to Nick Read, on the grounds that 100% was never an agreed target
and POL had achieved the agreed 95% target. We have apologised to POL leadership and the inquiry, but have
reiterated our (and POL’s) ambition for all postmasters to receive offers asap. I suspect we have not heard (and
may never hear) the end of this. The line to take is that Counsel used the word target when he should have said
ambition (and had generally created an unfair impression), we have apologised, reiterating the shared ambition
to compensate swiftly and need to move on. (If Sarah feels like being a bit more punchy and isn’t feeling as
charitable as the season dictates, she might observe that if the application to extracting an apology is shown
across the compensation board, POL will crack through the cases speedily).
Merry Christmas everyone!
Kind regards
David Bickerton
BB David Bickerton (he/him)
Director General, Business Sectors Grou
Department for
Business, Energy 1 Victoria Street, London SW1H OFT
& Industrial Strategy I www.2ov.uk/beis I Twitter: @beisgovuk
For diary queries and availability please contact my PA,
From: Rajeswaran, Siv- UKGIf
Sent: 23 December 2022 11:2
To: Permanent Secretarie:
Stockbridge, Rebecca (BEIS}
Directorate);
Ce! Skiibeck, i (NzBI- Portfolio & Affordability) I GRO j
Subject: RE: [Briefing Request - midday Friday 23/12] RE: Attached Letter from I Henry Staunton, Chairman
Hi Nicol,
With thanks to BEIS and UKGI Colleagues for their inputs, please find attached the briefing note for Perm Sec’s
Meeting with the POL Chair on January 3.
Could you please confirm if you would like officials from UKGI and BEIS to attend, or if it will be just a one-to-one
meeting. If the former, we will ensure a suitable UKGI and BEIS Official will be present.
Please let me know if any questions on the attached. Thanks again for all your help.
BEIS0000633
BEIS0000633
Best,
Siv
Siv Rajeswaran I Manager
UK Government Investments
1 Vict
Street, London, SW1H OET
www.ukgi.org.uk
Follow on
From: Rajeswaran, Siv - UKGI
Sent: 20 December 2022 16:54
To: Permanent Secretarie:
Stockbridge, Rebecca (BEIS);
cooper, Tom - UKGI
Creswell, Carl (Professional Business Services, Retail
DG
‘Arasaratnam, Roshana - UKG'
GRO.
Daffu, Bal - UKGI
Portfolio & Affordability)
] arsons, Joe (NZBI -
Cc: Skilbeck, Jessica (NZBI - Portfolio & Affordability):
Subject: RE: [Briefing Request - midday Friday 23/12] ‘RE: Attached Letter from Henry Staunton, Chairman
OS COMMERCIAL
Hi Nicol,
Thanks for the following steers.
To set the backdrop for Agenda Item 4, we have prepared the attached letter for Permanent Secretary to send
through to Henry asap in advance of the meeting noting Perm Sec’s receipt of the previous Chair’s letter on Historical
Matters and flagging immediate next steps, which includes discussion at the January 3 meeting.
Please let me know if any questions on the attached. We are separately preparing the broader briefing note for the
meeting which we are on track to get to you by Friday morning.
Thanks again for all your help.
Best,
Siv
Siv Rajeswaran I Manager
UK Government Investments
1 Victoria Street, London, SW1H OET
www.ukgi.org.u
Follow on inI
From: Permanent Secretaries
Sent: 19 December 2022 13:51
Stockbridge, Rebecca (BEIS)
Creswell, Carl (Professional Business Services, Retail & Post Directorate)
BEIS0000633
BEIS0000633
I think so on split - though a lot of crossover between teams on each item. Only question is no.4 — I think Siv/James
have tended to support our correspondence w/Pol so might be best placed? Think it’s a fairly minor point but relates
to previous convo on how we respond to Tim P’s original historical matters letter, which has been separately
discussed w/Rebecca & James. It may just need a line on where we are in responding to this and plans for addressing
issues raised — as opposed to anything too detailed.
Don’t mind who holds the overall lead on the briefing doc — but given split suggest it’s still UKGI? Though if BEIS policy
team have more capacity to lead then that’s fine with me!
Thanks,
Nicol
Nicol Brydon I Private Secretary to the Permanent Secretaries
From: Cooper, Tom - UKG!
Sent: 19 December 2022 13
To: Permanent Secretaries
‘IDaffu, Bal -
Affordability)
‘ortfolio & Affordability)! sss GRO
Subject: RE: [Briefing Request - midday Friday 23/12] RE: Attached Letter from Henry Staunton, Chairman
Thanks Nicol
A number of key members of the UKGI team are out this week.
I’ve asked Bal to discuss the letter on Funding received on Friday with the BEIS team and BEIS Finance. A sub will need
to be prepared of the back of that and will cover points 2 and 3.
We can also cover 1. The agenda should also include an update from Henry on NED appointments. We will cover that
too.
The other agenda points are for the BEIS team to draft aren’t they?
Tom
From: Permanent Secretaries
Sent: 19 December 2022 10:58
To: Stockbridge, Rebecca (BEIS) Creswell, Carl (Professional Business Services,
Retail & Post Directorate) i~
kilbeck, Jessica (NZBI - Portfolio & Affordability)
day Friday 23/12] RE: Attached Letter from Henry Staunton, Chairman
Sarah’s meeting with Henry S has gone in for 3Jan. Apologies this makes things rather tight for briefing as it’s the first
work day post-new year. Is it possible to receive briefing by midday Friday? My starter for 10 on what likely needs
covered is below - but will defer to colleagues on the chain (Nb: not suggesting Sarah proactively raises everything
below, though am keen she is well placed to cover if needed):
1. CEO Pay (Sarah is close to this so doesn’t need to be extensive)
2. POL short term finances
3. POL3 yr plan
4. Recent exchange of letters (anything needing covered/acknowledged?)
5. Any other live issues (eg relating to Inquiry/Compensation)
6. NI EBSS — line on latest around POLs involvement
BEIS0000633
BEIS0000633
Grateful if UKGI can hold the pen, with relevant input from BEIS policy teams.
Many thanks,
Nicol
Nicol Brydon I Private Secretary to the Permanent Secretaries I 07843 828168
From: Permanent Secretaries
Sent: 16 December 2022 11:57
To: Stockbridge, Rebecca (BEIS)
Directorate)
reswell, Carl (Business Sectors - Services
Brooks-White (Jobshare) { Bickerton, David
‘Arasaratnam, Roshana - UKGI
Gourlay, James - UKGI
Cc: Permanent Secretarie:
Subject: RE: Attached Lette:
Apologies — now with the correct Tom in copy...
Nicol
From: Permanent Secretaries!
Sent: 16 December 2022 11:35"
To: Stockbridge, Rebecca (BEIS):
Directorate) [
(Business Sectors DG Office
Creswell, Carl (Business Sectors - Services
Bickerton, David
ylor, Tom (Corporate Services - Finance)
‘Gourlay, James -
Subject: FW: Attached Letter from Henry Staunton, Chairman
Hi all — tba response from Henry following the intro letter.
Best,
Nicol
Nicol Brydon I Private Secretary to the Permanent Secretaries
From: Diane Blanchard ¢_
Sent: 15 December 2022 17:37
To: Permanent Secretaries!
Cc: Henry Staunton
Subject: Attached Letter from Henry Staunton, Chairman
Dear Permanent Under-Secretary of State
Please see attached letter from Henry Staunton, Chairman
Kind regards
Diane
Diane Blanchard (She/Her)
Executive Assistant to Post Office Chairman,
Post Office Non-Executive Directors &
Ben Foat, Group General Counsel
postoffice.co.uk
FEES SCSI SS IESG GSES OSI GCSI SSE SCE OEE SSE GEOG dor
This email and any attachments are confidential and intended for the addressee only. If you are not the named
recipient, you must not use, disclose, reproduce, copy or distribute the contents of this communication. If you have
received this in error, please contact the sender by reply email and then delete this email from your system. Any
views or opinions expressed within this email are solely those of the sender, unless otherwise specifically stated.
BEIS0000633
BEIS0000633
POST OFFICE LIMITED is registered in England and Wales no 2154540. Registered Office: Finsbury Dials, 20 Finsbury
Street, London EC2Y 9AQ.
FESS SIEGES SSS RIE SSI SSE SORE SSS EISI SISSIES aS inci iar iii nek
Post Office Limited is committed to protecting your privacy. Information about how we do this can be found on our
website at www.postoffice.co.uk/privacy
This email and any files transmitted with it are intended solely for the use of the individual(s) to whom they are addressed. If you
are not the intended recipient and have received this email in error, please notify the sender and delete the email. This footnote
also confirms that our email communications may be monitored to ensure the secure and effective operation of our systems and
for other lawful purposes, and that this email has been swept for malware and viruses.
This email and any files transmitted with it are intended solely for the use of the individual(s) to whom they are addressed. If you
are not the intended recipient and have received this email in error, please notify the sender and delete the email. This footnote
also confirms that our email communications may be monitored to ensure the secure and effective operation of our systems and
for other lawful purposes, and that this email has been swept for malware and viruses.