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From: Brooks-White Jobshare[/O=EXCHANGELABS/OU=EXCHANGE ADMINISTRATIVE GROUP
(FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/CN=RECIPIENTS/CN=A5A68B98B3924F93A3F36EC331920526-
DIT_BROOKS-]
Sent: Tue 23/07/2024 11:11:59 AM (UTC)
To: Elena MICHAEL
Charlotte HEYES
Amanda MCMENAMIN
Subject: RE: Horizon Claims - personnel issues.
Carl just to check (based on recent experience) what would we point to as evidence re where we
have made this position clear? I assume it came up in monthly discussions between NR and
Hollinrake? Is that right? Where else?
Eleanor
From: James LOVESEY (DBT), GRO
Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2024
; Joshua SCOTTi{ DBT)
$; Brooks-White Jobshare} GRO
Thanks all,
I've added amended line from Josh in the UQ repeat pack.
James
From: Elena MICHAEL (DBT);
Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2024 11:26 AM
Charlotte HEYES (DBT) <
Brooks-White Jobshare
Cc: James LOVESEY (DB
Subject: RE: Horizon Claims - personnel issues
Nothing more to add from me, thanks. We haven't had any public lines on this previously, apart
from to note the AB’s concerns in their meeting minutes.
Elena
A Elena Michael I Post Office Team
Dep ss and Tri
2DY
Department for
. inkedin I Instagram I YouTube I great.gov.uk
Business & Trade I
From: Joshua SCOT DBT)
Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2024
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To: Carl CRESWELL (DBT)
Charlotte HEYES (DBT)
mes LOVESEY (DBT}
Subject: RE: Horizon Claims - personnel issues
Hi Carl,
I can’t recall us using any particular line.
Some suggested tweaks - this is a live issue under consideration so “in the past” I don’t think
would look too favourably, and I think Chris’ point is that is doesn’t matter if they are in a material
role or not.
I wonder whether we also reference the fact that this is a HR-type process and hence it would not
be appropriate for Government to comment until PO itself has done the work?
Cheers,
Joshed
Joshua Scott I Head of Post Office GLO Compensation I Business Group
Department for Business and Trade I Tel: -
From: Carl CRESWELL (DBT)
Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 202.
rooks-White Jobshare
LOVESEY (DBT}
Elena MICHAEL (DBT),
S
Hi Charlotte,
Not that I can remember!
Josh, Elena - do you have access to any line that Rob might have produced previously on this,
please?
Off the top of my head, I would suggest something like this, but there might be a better line:
“The Department has made it clear to the Post Officein the-past that it needs to take steps to
remove those with involvement in the scandal in any work dealing with redress or appeals. It
would be wrong to pre-judge any individuals before the Inquiry has completed its work, but we
would expect the Post Office to take action against anyone found to have played anysignificantrole
in the scandal.”
Thanks,
Carl
Sent from Outlook for iOS
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From: Charlotte HEYES (DBT) f
Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2024 7.
Brooks-White Jobshare {I GRO_}
Carl
Thanks for sharing. Do we have an agreed external line to take on this? Conscious of the UQ
repeat in the Lords this week
Best
Charlotte
From: Carl CRESWELL (DBT) ¢.
Sent: Monday, July 22, 2024 5
To: Brooks-White Jobshare:
______} Charlotte HEYES (DBT)
Subject: FW: Horizon Claims - personnel issues
Carl Creswell I Director, Post Office and Business Engagement
Department for Business and Trade I Old Admiralty Building, Westminster,
London SW1A 2AY
4) E-mail
Department for
Business & Trade
From: Christopher Hodges I GRO :
Sent: Monday, July 22, 2024 8
To: Simon Recaldin
Elena MICHAEL (DBT)
Moorhead, Richard
Simon
Thank you for this update. Hope you are well.
We are not happy with the situation. The basic point that the victims and the public would want to know is that there
are no individuals who were involved in cognate roles (not just decision making) in any Horizon cases, regardless of
whether any wrongdoing is alleged, who are now involved in any compensation claims.
We do not see this as an issue of ‘balancing’. Individuals either were or were not involved previously, and outsiders’
trust will not be supported if there is not a clear binary yes/no answer or any lack of clarity.
I hope you can rethink as necessary and confirm the position.
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Regards,
Chris
Christopher Hodges OBE PhD FSALS FRSA
Emeritus Professor of Justice Systems, Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, University of Oxford
Supernumerary Fellow, Wolfson College, Oxford
Chair, Regulatory Horizons Council
Chair, Horizon Compensation Advisory Board
Chair, Housing and Property Redress Group
Co Founder, international Network for Delivery of Regulation
From: Simon Recaldin GRO... I
Sent: Friday, July 19, 21
To: Christopher Hodges GRO
Elena MICHAEL (DBT)
Rob BRIGHTWELL (DBT)
onnel issues
Chris
Trusting you are well.
I am coming back to you as advised below, following the Post Office Board of 8th July where the matter of ‘Past Roles’
was discussed. My apologies about the delay in reverting with a further update.
There are currently 73 employees working within Post Office's Remediation Unit (RU) who were also employed by
Post Office during the period currently being considered by the Inquiry. The majority of those employed during this
period were in unrelated roles, for example they were branch counter employees. A minority were employed in related
roles, such as branch auditors and trainers - Post Office required employees with these skill sets in RU because they
had the skills, experience, and knowledge necessary to stand up and run the schemes. Their knowledge of legacy
internal processes and systems were critical and remain important to the delivery of Redress.
Whilst these individuals were employed during the relevant period, there has been no suggestion that they have
committed any wrongdoing. Critically none of these employees have ever had any role in decision making on redress
outcomes. They predominantly undertake technical data gathering exercises or fulfil administrative functions. As you
know, Post Office have the independent external panel review for redress in the Horizon Shortfall Scheme and
disputed issues on Overturned Convictions cases, which adds further independent oversight over these processes.
Notwithstanding that position, Post Office are alive to the perception this creates externally. Post Office has
undertaken a full review of this issue in consideration of reasonable steps to mitigate the impact of this, whilst
balancing the need to be fair and follow due process in relation to Post Office employees and Post Office’s
employment obligations. Following this review, actions, agreed by Board on 8th July will be implemented. We can
provide further detail after the 24th of September Board noting these actions will first need to be communicated to any
potentially impacted individuals.
Separate to the exercise described above, where it is alleged that any employee was guilty of misconduct relating to
the work they performed previously, Post Office will investigate those allegations. If the allegations are proven
following an investigation, Post Office will take appropriate disciplinary action.
Regards
Simon
Simon Recaldin
Remediation Unit Director
Post Office Ltd 1 100 Wood Street I London I EC2V 7ER
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The information classification of this email is confidential unless otherwise stated.
From: Christopher Hodges I. GRO i
Sent: Wednesday, July 3, 2024 10:55 AM
To: Simon Recaldir,
Flena. MICHAEL(DBT).
James Arbuthnot
f
Siibjects REY Horizon Claims = personnel issues
Caution: This email has been sent by an external contact. Please take care when clicking links or opening
attachments. When in doubt, please use the "Report Phishing" button.
Simon
Thanks for the update.
We have two concerns: one is about supporting trust of the victims in the compensation arrangements (and anything
else relevant) but the other is about timing, given the extensive ongoing bad publicity emanating from the Inquiry at
the same time as the ongoing and imminent new compensation arrangements. So anything you can deliver on the
reassurance issue around the involvement of individuals, but also swiftly, would be useful.
Thanks, and best wishes,
Chris
Christopher Hodges OBE PhD FSALS FRSA
Emeritus Professor of Justice Systems, Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, University of Oxford
Supernumerary Fellow, Wolfson College, Oxford
Chair, Regulatory Horizons Council
Chair, Horizon Compensation Advisory Board
Chair, Housing and Property Redress Group
Co Founder, International Network for Delivery of Regulation
From: Simon Recaldin
Sent: Sunday, June 30, 2!
To: Christopher Hodges. GRO
Rob BRIGHTWELL (DBT}
James Arbuthnot Moorhead, Richard
Subject: RE: Horizon Claims - personnel issues
Chris
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Hope I find you well.
Re the below and conscious a week has gone by since my acknowledgement of receipt.
I go to Post Office Board on related matters on the 8" July and therefore propose than rather provide you with a note
now and then follow up with an update, I complete this in one action w/c 8" July.
I trust this is satisfactory.
Regards
Simon
Simon Recaldin
Remediation Unit Director
Post Office Ltd I 100 Wood Street I London I EC2V 7ER
The information classification of this email is confidential unless otherwise stated
From: Simon Recaldin
Sent: Sunday, June 23,
To: Christopher Hodges,
ESWELL (D! GRO
GRO t>; Rob BRIGHTWELL (DBT)
Elena MICHAEL (DBT)
- James Arbuthnot Moorhead, Richard
. Subject: RE: Horizon Claims - personnel issues
Chris
Many thanks for the below note.
Acknowledging receipt and confirming that I will come back to you presently.
Regards
Simon
Simon Recaldin
Remediation Unit Director
Post Office Ltd 1100 Wood Street I London I EC2V 7ER
From: Christopher Hodges'_ GRO iz
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 20249:18AM oo
To: Simon Recaldin
Ce: Carl CRESWELL
Elena MICHAEL (DBT)
I Rob BRIGHTWELL (DBT) I
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loorhead, Richard
James Arbuthnot
Subject: RE: Horizon Claims - personnel issues
Caution: This email has been sent by an external contact. Please take care when clicking links or opening
attachments. When in doubt, please use the "Report Phishing" button.
Morning Simon
Hope you are well.
We held an HCAB meeting yesterday, at least semi-informally, and no minutes will be published until a new
Government is in place. It is interesting that there are so many issues continuing to require attention.
We noted your letter, for which we were grateful. Thank you for your kind offer to brief us further: we didn’t feel it
necessary yesterday, not least in the light of electoral purdah. But we would be grateful for a further update. We note
your ongoing review. The view was expressed that one might expect the answer in relation to individuals (about
previous involvement and hence ongoing involvement on sub-postmaster and mistress matters) to be either yes or
no, so we’re intrigued to know more about the substance of the review, and its timing.
Thanks and regards,
Chris
Christopher Hodges OBE PhD FSALS FRSA
Emeritus Professor of Justice Systems, Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, University of Oxford
Supernumerary Fellow, Wolfson College, Oxford
Chair, Regulatory Horizons Council
Chair, Horizon Compensation Advisory Board
Chair, Housing and Property Redress Group
Co Founder, international Network for Delivery of Regulation
From: Simon Recaldin 4
Sent: Thursday, May 30
To: Christopher Hodges:
Cc: Carl CRESWELL (DBT) <
Rob BRIGHTWELL (DBT}
jes
Chris
Please find attached a response to your note to Nick Read dated 15" May — also attached.
Regards
Simon
Simon Recaldin
Remediation Unit Director
Post Office Ltd I 100 Wood Street I London I EC2V 7ER
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The information classification of this email is confidential unless otherwise stated
From: Christopher Hodges!
Sent: Wednesday, May 15,
To: Nick Read}
1 }; Carl CRESWELL (DBT) _
+; Elena MICHAEL (DBT}
Subject: Horizon Claims - personnel issues
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attachments. When in doubt, please use the "Report Phishing" button.
Dear Mr Read,
Please see letter attached.
Many thanks
Christopher Hodges OBE PhD FSALS FRSA
Emeritus Professor of Justice Systems, Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, University of Oxford
‘Supernumerary Fellow, Wolfson College, Oxford
Chair, Regulatory Horizons Council
Chair, Horizon Compensation Advisory Board
Chair, Housing and Property Redress Group
Co Founder, international Network for Delivery of Regulation
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