From: The Rt. Hon. James Arbuthnot, M.-P.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
LONDON SWI1A 0AA
8 December 2014
Adrian Bailey MP
Chair, Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee
House of Commons
London SW1A OAA
Please may I put before you for consideration the possibility of your Committee's
doing an inquiry into the Mediation Scheme run by Post Office Ltd in relation to the
subpostmasters and the Horizon accounting system?
It is a saga which has been running for years, but recent developments mean that I
have decided that I should no longer lead the group of MPs who have been
campaigning to have some form of redress for the subpostmasters. I took this
decision because I shall not be standing at the next election, but it has been brought
forward by some months by my loss of faith in the Post Office Board’s commitment
to a fair result. It would not be overstating it to say that I believe the Post Office is
doing its best to sabotage its own Mediation Scheme. I attach two letters, one from
the CEO of the Post Office to me, and my reply to her, which give you an idea of the
issues involved. My place will be taken by Kevan Jones, to whom I am copying this
letter.
I appreciate that this is not brilliant timing for your committee. But a subpostmaster
who is having a house repossessed, or who is in danger of losing the right to sue the
Post Office through lapse of time, cannot worry about our election timetable.
I look forward to hearing from you.
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