JARB0000037 - Bundle of letters concerning Isabella Wall of Bowness Road Post Office - Letters from various members of parliament, Jo Swinson, James Arbuthnot and John Woodcock

Evidence on official site

John Woodcock MP

= Labour and Co-operative Party Member of Parliament for Barrow and Furness

Email: john. woodcock.mpt_

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James Arbuthnot MP
House of Commons
Westminster

London

SW1A OAA

23 November 2012

GRO

_

l enclose a copy of a letter I have sent to Jo Swinson MP as parliamentary
under secretary of state (employment relations and consumer affairs).

As you will see this is with regard to a response I received from Post Office
Limited concerning my above constituent (copy enclosed). Their response
suggests that where constituent sub-postmasters or sub-postmistresses wish
to have forensic accountants examine their case when they feel the Horizon
system has been at fault that they should be sent to you for vetting.

As my note to the minister suggests I cannot imagine that is a role you would
welcome and I hope this is a simple misunderstanding. In fact your office
rightly re-directed my constituent to me when they first approached you and I
am grateful for that.

I can assure you I and other members do recognise and appreciate your
excellent work on these matters. I hope it may be helpful for you to be aware
of this.

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Constituency office: 22 Hartington Street, Barrow-in-Furness, € umbria, LAI4 SSL

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‘Ist Floor, Bunhill Row Wing

148 Oic Street
LONDON
TO NOV 2012
John Woodcock MP Ye £:TMeS/WALLO1011/01121
Member of Parliament for Barrow and Furness 2 ‘Our ref: mat
House of Commons
LONDON
SW1A AA
12 November 2012
Dear Mr Woodcock
Re: Mrs Isabella Wall. GRO + former

subpostmistress of Bowness Road Post Office.

Thank you for your letter of 8 November addressed to Paula Vennells Chief Executive Post
Office Ltd, sent on behalf of your above named constituent. I have been asked to reply on
Mrs Vennell's behalf.

The Post Office takes very seriously any perception that there is an issue with the
accuracy af the Horizon system. Over the past ten years. many millions of branch
reconciliations have been carried aut by 25.000 subpostmasters and their staff in Post
Office branches with transactions and balances accurately recorded. We continue to
have absolute confidence in the robustness and integrity of the Horizon system. and our
branch accounting processes.

Asmall number of indwiduai cases where ex-subpostmasters have felt that their
contracts to run a Post Office were terminated inappropriately are being reviewed. These
cases relate to the branch accounting procedures and have been brought to our attention
via the office of James Arbuthnot MP. To ensure that the review is carried out with full
impartiality and transparency and we are working closely with Mr Arbuthnot to ensure
that this is the case. Independent forensic accountants. who have been reviewed and
approved by Mr Arbuthnot, have been appointed to carry out the individual case reviews.

To ensure total independence. Post Office” is not involved in selecting the cases to be
reviewed. The process is that any requests for cases to be included in the review should
be forwarded by Constituency MPs direct to Mr Arbuthnot, who will consider the request
and select the cases that will be passed to the forensic auditors for investigation.

www postotfice.co. uk

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As bsay we are not involved eth

in Teauesting the cases that are put forward for
consideration or those that are subsequently selected for investigation. Therefore if you
would like to request Mrs Wall's case te be looked at as part of this review, you should
send the request direct to Mr Arbuthnot for his consideration.

larified-the situ

ion and that you find the above informatio useful

Yours sincerely

GRO

Stakeholder Correspondence Manager
Post Office Limited

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Joho Woodeack VEE

Jo Swinson MP

Parliamentary under secretary of state
(Employment relations and consumer affairs)
Department for Business innovation and Skills
4 Victoria Street

London

SW1H OET

Bb November 2012

ho ,

rs Isabella Wall,:

GRO '

As you will see from the enclosed I have been approached by my above
constituent with regard to her former role as a sub-postmistress in my
constituency.

Mrs Wall's position was terminated when discrepancies arose in her account
in March 2011. My constituent does not accept liability for these discrepancies
and believes they were due to errors in the Horizon computer system used by
Post Office Limited.

I therefore asked Paula Vennells as chief executive of Post Office Limited to
appoint forensic accountants to examine the case as my constituent believes
such an examination will exonerate her. My letter to her is enclosed.

I was surprised to receive a response from Michelle Graves, stakeholder
correspondence manager for Post Office Limited, that advised me to submit
my constituent’s case to James Arbuthnot MP for his consideration (copy
enclosed). You will note this suggests Mr Arbuthnot will determine which
cases are considered worthy of examination by independent forensic
accountants.

James Arbuthnot has undoubtedly done excellent work on these matters and I
and other members recognise and appreciate this. I do not consider it
appropriate however for another member of parliament to determine whether
or not my constituent deserves to receive the same quality of examination of
her case that others have received.

nti. 22 wa Cumbria. LAL SSE

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My constituent has brought her case to me because she feels an injustice has
been done to her She is eager to work with anyone examining ner case and
can provide witness testimony and other evidence supporting her claim.

As minister responsible for postal affairs I hope you will direct that this case is
examined by independent forensic accountants without requiring to be
approved by any other member of parliament and that my constituent's case
will receive the same quality of examination afforded to others

Thank you for your consideration of this matter \ iook forward to you earliest
possible reply

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