CBO00000008 - Ltr from P Mandelson MP to S Byers MP - BA/POCL Automation Project

Evidence on official site

CBO00000008
CBo00000008

The Rt Hon P
Secretary af

FAXED

Department of
Trade and industry

eraay was again unable
ex th
inty is becomi

soncerned. As

. * co continue with Horizon, we
Within two to three

ng modern electro
igations

major step into the unknown, delay:

the Post Of network,
existing rtual

SE of attracting new ones. The damage
ence of subpostmasters and the knock-on effect
K

a
network closures will produce political fall-out, ne matter
how carefully we try to handle it The reduction in :

network will reduce our ability to extend social banking and
modern government into the very communities we most wish to
target. Our relations with jitsu, a major inward investor
into the UK over the past decade, would be severely damaged,
ag would the credibility of PFI.

Aepatere ana frcastry

CBO00000008
CBo00000008

6 AL
pesTRICTED POLICY & COMMERC

velopment work has been

There ig still some way tC

&

but the b
independent expert
of a design which 3?

developments. t can provid:

rced it

pronounce

¢ who hav

ould

vecipieats from exi \-
eventual ACT, the end-g ye had hoped \
price which we are now “ial \
Pv oe commerclas i
but is one which the Fost . activ \
. yf any alternative
sense for them. rtain £ any aite vee
we should need to add the cost 9 WHRES

could be considerable.

I believe the on:
Horizon project. It i e way forward ¥

isk, We still need fur
ente of the ICL package
discussion with the co

te the
cedures. Adrian Montague should

e of key importance tc

ady to contribute in any way we
y highest priorities to put in

provide the unique channel

banking and modera

ve ti

Deysenes a Eade td aden