POL00143499 - Email from Simon Baker to Ronan Kelleher CC’d Alwen Lyons, Susan Crichton and others RE; 2nd Sight Review Draft

Evidence on official site

POL00143499
POL00143499

Message

From: — Simon Baker [imceaex-
__0=mms_ou=exchange+20administrative+20group+20+28fydibohf23spdit+29_cn=recipients_cn=simon+2ebaker4b1a8ef6-
d2e0-4dec-94ea-59 1dfa651f2e@c72a47.ingest.local]

Sent: 27/07/2012 14:

To:

cc: Hugh Flemington
jarnail A Singh

Subject: ND SIGHT REVIEW DRAFT

Ronan

That works. Thanks.

Simon

From: Ronan Kelleher

Sent: 27 July 2012 11:27

To: Simon Baker

Cc: Alwen Lyons; Susan Crichton; Hugh Flemington; Alana Renner
Subject: RE: 2ND SIGHT REVIEW DRAFT

Simon

As this message will most probably find its way into the media, we do need to get the message across form the start that
we continue to have full confidence in the robustness of the Horizon system and then reinforce it so I suggest the
following tweaking to the proposed wording from Jarnail:

After a number of meetings between Post Office Management and Members of Parliament in relation to the Court cases, it
was agreed that the Post Office would undertake an external review of the cases which had been raised by the Member's
constituents. As the Post Office continues to have absolute confidence in the robustness and integrity of its Horizon system
and its branch accounting processes, it had no hesitation in agreeing to an external review of these few individual cases.

In order to provide assurance to the interested parties, it was proposed that the review be undertaken by independent
Auditors, 2 Sight. The review will be specifically restricted to the cases raised by the MPs as well as reviewing the
accounting procedures, processes and reconciliations undertaken in relation to the cases in question. Before formal
instructions are given to the Independent Auditors, agreements will be sought from all interested parties, namely the
Members of Parliament and Justice For Sub Postmasters. The Sub Postmasters have requested a Forensic Accountant
of their choice be appointed to oversee the Cases being reviewed by 2nd Sight.

All the above is accepted based on the terms of the Review being carried out, but this is in no way an acknowledgment by
the Post Office that there is an issue with Horizon. Over the past ten years, many millions of branch reconciliations have
been carried out with transactions and balances accurately recorded by more than 25,000 different subpostmasters and
the Horizon system continues to work properly in post offices across the length and breadth of the UK. When the system
has been challenged in criminal courts, it has been successfully defended.

Any questions, then do please let me know

Regards

Ronan

Ronan Kelleher
Head of PR and Media

POL00143499
POL00143499

From: Simon Baker

Sent: 25 July 2012 16:10

To: Alana Renner

Cc: Hugh Flemington; Susan Crichton; Alwen Lyons
Subject: FW: 2ND SIGHT REVIEW DRAFT

Alana

Please can help us craft our message around the Second Sight review. We need to combat the assertion that the review
is acknowledgement that there is a problem with Horizon.

Jarnail has drafted some words below. Do they strike the right tone?

Simon

From: Alwen Lyons

Sent: 25 July 2012 10:14

To: Hugh Flemington; Susan Crichton; Simon Baker
Subject: RE: 2ND SIGHT REVIEW DRAFT

Simon can you go to Alana with this request for the ‘story’ as they are the experts

Thanks
Alwen

Alwen Lyons

Company Secretary

Post Office Ltd

148 Old Street, LONDON, EC1V 9HO.

From: Hugh Flemington

Sent: 24 July 2012 12:49

To: Susan Crichton; Alwen Lyons; Simon Baker
Subject: FW: 2ND SIGHT REVIEW DRAFT

This is the story text which J put together following our meeting last week. Any comments plse before we release it?

From: Jarnail A Singh

Sent: 17 July 2012 19:33

To: Hugh Flemington

Subject: 2ND SIGHT REVIEW DRAFT

After a number of meetings between Post Office Management and Members of Parliament in relation to the Court
cases, it was agreed that the Post Office would undertake a review of the cases which had been raised by the Member’s
constituents.

In order to provide assurance to the interested parties, Post Office Management proposed the use of independent
Auditors, 2" Sight. The review to be undertaken will be specifically restricted to the cases raised by the MPs as well as
POL00143499
POL00143499

reviewing the accounting procedures, processes and reconciliations undertaken in relation to the cases in
question. Before formal instructions are given to the Independent Auditors, agreements will be sought from all
interested parties, namely the Members of Parliament and Justice For Sub Postmasters. The Sub Postmasters have
requested a Forensic Accountant of their choice be appointed to oversee the Cases being reviewed by 2nd Sight.

All the above is accepted based on the terms of the Review being carried out, but it must be stressed that this is not an
acknowledgment by The Post Office LTD that there is an issue with Horizon. The Horizon system is working properly,
robust and is being used up and down the country, when the system has been challenged in criminal courts, it has been
successfully defended