To:
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From:
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Subject: Fwd: Note to network
Both
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Kevin Gillilandf”
Jane MacLeo«
Mark R Gaviest
Fri 24/04/2015 7:
Gavin Lambert
It is my view that we should send a leadership message out to network today about the Horizon media coverage. We expect
some more coverage from a couple of papers tomorrow. I spoke with a few postmasters yday and while they are supportive
of us they did say they thought a further message of assurance would be welcome.
I have drafted the below and I think it is probably best pitched from Kevin. I would - subject to legal and other views - get it
out via e-channels today but also to field teams and NBSC etc..to support previous messaging.
I wanted to give you a heads up on my thinking.
Mark
Mark Davies
Communications and Corporate Affairs Director
Begin forwarded message:
From: <mark.r.davie: { GRO :
Date: 24 April 2015
To: Jane MacLeod
Patrick Bourke <
GRO
, Tom Wechsler
Rodric Williams {
GRO >, Angela Van-Den-Bogerd 4
All
Possible note to network below - could be from me, Kevin, Jane or Paula. Adding Angela for a view. This is
to further bolster messaging which went out on mOnday and in light of further expected coverage this
weekend.
Views?
Mark
I wanted to drop you a note about the media coverage you may have seen this week about the report on
Horizon and other issues.
First of all I wanted to say sorry - sorry that you may feel unsure and uncertain about what it all means to you
and your business.
Secondly, I wanted to assure you - much of the reporting is designed, as reporting often is, to present a
picture which appears alarming: it does not however reflect the reality of the situation, which is some way
from that you may read about or see on the TV.
This is an issue which has been around for a while and I am proud of the way we have handled it. We have
taken the complaints from a tiny number of ex-postmasters and handled them very seriously and very
sensitively.
We have published a report on the issue and you can read it at this link or, if you would prefer, we can send
you a paper copy: email my communications director Mark Davies at!”
But in essence the position we have reached after three years of investigation is that there is absolutely no
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evidence at all that Horizon does not work as it should. Indeed it is robust and reliable. The independent
forensic accountants have found the same thing.
Unfortunately the forensic accountants have also raised issues with us where, frankly, there is no evidence to
support the facts. We cannot of course support their findings on these points - and you would not expect us to
do otherwise.
This has then been taken by some media and blown up into the stories you have seen in the papers and on
television.
1am very proud of the way the Post Office has handled this issue.
We have appointed independent investigators and set up a mediation scheme. Where we have been told that
things like training and support could be better, we have acted.
We have also agreed to put all those cases without court rulings into the mediation scheme. Those cases with
court rulings are able to take usual legal avenues.
If applicants wish, the Post Office will provide reviews of all cases by the independent forensic accountants.
Thope this helps. It is difficult to capture every element of this in a note like this so you may have questions
and if you do please do email Mark and the team.
Mark Davies
_Communications and Corporate Affairs Director