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QUTLINE HANDLING STRATEGY FOR SPARROW
Aim To get on the front foot and mitigate against reputational challenge following a decision
to offer mediation to all applicants in the Scheme where there is no Court decision involved.
This will ensure that the applicants whose cases have not previously been dealt with in the
Courts can move to a swifter conclusion. For those cases which have been the subject of a
courts decision, mediation cannot provide a resolution but applicants are able to pursue the
legal avenues open to them.
Objectives
Explain position, limit media coverage, manage stakeholders to minimise adverse
comment or further campaigning, minimise parliamentary risk, limit on-going
reputational exposure.
Tactics:
+ Asimple press statement supported by publication of Post Office report on the
process.
« Likelihood and timing of a Select Committee report is a key consideration. No
further hearings will be held and given time restrictions prior to purdah,
whether a report will be produced is in the balance
« However, the greater risk is Second Sight’s Part Two Report. Leaking or
publication would put us on the back foot, and make any announcement to
change the Scheme appear reactive.
+ The sooner we announce, the more likely we are to “own” the story
Key messages
« Post Office now intends to offer mediation to all applicants in the Scheme
where there is no Court decision involved.
« This will speed up the process and provide further reassurance for the
majority applicants that their case will be mediated.
« We have now investigated every case. The minority of cases in the Scheme
that involve criminal convictions have all been subject to the same rigorous
investigation as other cases. No evidence has been found or put forward
that suggests any convictions are unsafe.
* The Scheme and mediation cannot overturn criminal convictions — only the
Courts can do that.
« We are making this change so that we can focus on fulfilling our commitments
to applicants. That is where our focus must lie.
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« Each applicant will continue to have exactly what we promised — thorough
reinvestigation and review by independent forensic accountants.
Resources
+ List of media targets
+ List of political targets
+ Press statement
+ Q&A (for internal use)
+ Post Office Report
+ Email to MPs with a case in the Scheme
+ Letters to applicants
+ Briefing for NFSP (121 — Mark Davies)
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Strategy/Timeline
when What how who
Day -5 Brief Minister and officials TW
Day -2 Inform SAH PV/CA/JM
Day -1 Send letter to applicants Sparrow team
Day -1 Brief NFSP PV
Day -1 Written Ministerial Question BIS/TW
tabled
Day 0 Inform SS
Day 0 Inform JFSA
Day 0 Applicants receive letter
Day 0 Press notice setting out our proactive issue to all I MC/RB
position — simple, factual, high I media. Or issue to
level. PA only.
Day 0 Written Ministerial Statement BIS/TW
Day 0 Brief Kevan Jones MP Phone call JH
Day 0 Brief all MPs in the Scheme to I Email JH
offer further meetings
Day 0 Brief supportive MPs, All Party I Email JH
Group (Russell Brown MP,
Richard Graham MP), MPs
who spoke in WH debate (but
not in the scheme)
Day 0 Inform Opposition spokesman I Phone call JH
(lan Murray MP)
Day 0 Inform Select Committee Chair I Phone call JH
Day 0 Inform Select Committee Clerk I Email PO Report and I JH
press notice
Day 0 Publish Post Office Report PO website
Risks
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Risk
Mitigation
Widespread adverse media:
Proactive media approach
SS Part Two Report:
Early POL announcement.
Urgent Question tabled in Parliament
Written ministerial statement
Select committee report is negative:
Proactive, early media approach
Select committee may convene a further
session
Unlikely given number of concurrent
inquiries
Incoming minister orders inquiry
Risk exists in all scenarios, mitigated if
change announced earlier