POL00162299
POL00162299
CORE NARRATIVE
- We have taken a thorough and rigorous approach. This is right for the business given
the concerns expressed and right for the scheme applicants given the importance to
them personally: we take our responsibilities very seriously
- There is no evidence from the work undertaken over the last 2 years that Horizon does
not work as it should — but every individual case is important and is being handled
properly
- Itis important to stress though that the cases represent a tiny minority of the
thousands of Post Offices and tens of thousands of Post Office colleagues who have
successfully operated Post Office systems week in week out over the last decade
Thank you for the opportunity to attend this session on the Post Office mediation scheme
The Scheme was set up in 2013 to give the small number of people with complaints about
our system a chance to make their case - and for each case to be thoroughly investigated
and independently reviewed.
We have now investigated all of the cases put to us. It has taken longer than we would have
liked but a thorough approach has been essential. The Scheme continues through the
independent review of cases along with mediation where appropriate.
We have approached the scheme with the utmost seriousness and rigour. Our investigation
of cases has reinforced our confidence that the Horizon system works as it should. The Post
Office is part of the fabric of the nation, with 11,500 branches, most of them small
businessmen and women, serving 17m people every week.
Thanks to the rigour of the work that has been done, we can continue to be confident in our
system and continue to improve in areas where we can do better for the people who work in
our branches.