POL00031456 - Email sent from Melanie Corfield to Mark Underwood and others re: remote access

Evidence on official site

POL00031456
POL00031456

Message

From: Melanie Corfield (...

Sent: 01/02/2015 14:34:16

To: Mark Underwood1 [. Parsons, Andrew {10 OND PEARCE/OU=First
Administrative Group/cn=Recipients/cn=ap6]; Rodric Williams

Subject: Re: Remote access [BD-4A.FID20472253]

Yep. At one time our line was simply there is no remote access but for most people I think that sounded
unlikely given you have to have for support etc. It has a different meaning for different people

I completely agree re showing contempt about the allegations on this subject! It's a prime example
actually of our rigor in investigating allegations that are in the realms of fantasy (not suggesting she
says it quite like that....)

Anyway, I think I understand the entire IT system now and can now decipher FJ emails, which is going

Me
Mel Corfield
Communications Team

corne Original Message -----

From: Mark Underwood1

sent: Sunday, February 01, 2015 02:22,_PM
To: Melanie Corfield; ‘andrew. parsonsI_
williams

Subject: RE: Remote access [BD-4A.FID20472253]

; Rodric

It comes back to Andy's point about the question being wrong

"access" can mean view - and of course we can view accounts remotely - in the same way everyone views
their banking transactions remotely / from their home / at work etc

the question is can transactions be edited remotely - to which the answer is no.

once a transaction is in, it cannot be removed or edited in anyway - all that can happen is for
additional transactions be put in to correct mistakes - all of which are visible to the SPMR

If PV and MD are still confused - I would just send them the below extract from the paper as I think it
makes it quite clear what can and cannot be done.

alternatively, we treat any questions about RA with the contempt they deserve - why on earth would Po
have a secret bunker in Bracknell accessing SPMR's accounts??

Issue
This question often phrased by Applicants and Second Sight is:

“can Post Office remotely access Horizon?

Phrasing the question in this way does not address the issue that is of concern to Second Sight and
Applicants. It refers generically to "Horizon" but more particularly is about the transaction data
recorded by Horizon. Also, the word “access” means the ability to read transaction data without editing
jit - Post office / Fujitsu has always been able to access transaction data however it is the alleged
capacity of Post Office / Fujitsu to edit transaction data that appears to be of concern. Finally, it
has always been known that Post Office can post additional, correcting transactions to a branch's
accounts but only in ways that are visible to Subpostmasters (i.e. Transaction Corrections and
Transaction Acknowledgements) - it is the potential for any hidden method of editing data that is of
concern.
Thus, this paper addresses the question:

Can Post office or Fujitsu edit transaction data without the knowledge of a Subpostmaster?”

In summary, Post Office confirms that neither it nor Fujitsu can edit transaction data without the
knowledge of a Subpostmaster

From: Melanie Corfield

Sent: O1 February 2015 13:56

To: Mark Underwood1; ‘andrew. parso!
Subject: Re: Remote access [BD-4A. Corea

Rodric Williams

Thanks. That is all fine. The key points remain and that nothing happens without postmasters knowing
including this rare process

Our current lines in the briefing are all correct - I will give Mark D additional on this for Paula as
they are both confused and thought we could say there is no remote access at all. But she should swerve
anything on this swiftly back to the fact of there is no evidence anyway of any tampering - Horizon is
and was working as it should.

Have a good Sunday!

Mel

Mel corfield

POL-0028358
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Communicatians.Zeam.
Mobile! RO

----- original Message -----

From: Mark Underwoodl

Sent: Sunday, February 01, 2015 12:40 PM
To: Parsons, Andrew
Subject: RE: Remote access [B0-4A_F1D20472253]

Melanie Corfield; Rodric Williams

Hi all, How about the below?

“The use of this process is strictly controlled by Post office. When the Balancing Transaction Process
is used, it leaves clear and identifiable audit trail and is done so with full knowledge and consent of
the Subpostmaster of the affected branch.”

In terms of the paper on remote access. Though the attached is a final draft, Patrick was happy with it

but stated it may just require a bit a very minor tweaking. This has not yet been done, but if the above
line does not suffice, I can ask James Davidson from FJ to answer the remaining questions (bottom of P2)
in respect of the BTP and then we should good to go?

Let me know

Mark

-----original Message--
From: Parsons, Andrew }
Sent: 01 February 2015 TIis3
To: Melanie Corfield; Rodric williams

Cc: Mark Underwood1

Subject: RE: Remote access [BD-4A.FID20472253]

Mel

Sorry - we've never got any clarity of this point. The reality is that use of the manual balancing
process is so rare that there is no protocol for its use.

FSC / Rod Ismay would say that it would only be invoked after discussion with the SPMR and after trying
all other methods of resolution. There would therefore have been an ongoing dialogue with the PMR
tailored to the particular circumstances before any transaction was injected into their accounts

Mark (cc'd) I presume we haven't had anything further on this from FI?

I think the best we could say would be something like... "The use of the balancing transaction process is
so rare that it would only be used following a full discussion with the Subpostmaster involved."

Kind regards
Andy

Andrew Parsons
Managing Associate

Direct:
Mobile:
Fax:

GRO

Follow Bond Dickinson:

www. bonddickinson. com

-----original Message--~
From: Melanie Corfield !~
Sent: 31 January 2015 19:20
To: Rodric williams; Parsons, Andrew
Subject: Re: Remote access

I just need something that says exceptional circumstances of, for example, xxxx. Postmaster would know
strict protocols and guess what it has only ever been used once in a pilot etc. :)). Couple of lines
really.

Thanks

Mel Corfield

Communj.cations.-eam.

Mobi Te GRO

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From: Rodric williams

Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2015 01:05.
To: Melanie Corfield; "andrew. parsons}
Subject: Re: Remote access

Andy - do you have an answer for Mel?

Steal Original Message -----

From: Melanie Corfield

Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2015 12:16 PM
To: Rodric williams

Subject: Remote access

Hello

Have you got your paper on this handy?

One more Q on it:

What would be the circumstances for PO adding a transaction (we did so once since 2010 using
functionality)? I know v rare, strict authority but would we need to ever do this?

Let me know when you can. Not urgent today
Mel

Mel corfield

Communications..Tean.

Mobile Gl

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