POL00184393 - Letter from Alan Bates to Mr Geroge Thomson re Post Office Horizon System Problems

Evidence on official site

POL00184393
POL00184393

Justice For Subpostmasters Alliance

Mr George Thompson
General Secretary
National Federation of SubPostmasters 20" December 2012

Re: Post Office Horizon System Problems
Dear Mr Thompson

Iam writing to you to offer the members of the NFSP an opportunity to engage with the
investigation into the reports of faults within the Horizon system.

It has taken a number of months for all the parties involved (Post Office Limited (POL),
2ndSight, the firm undertaking the investigation and ourselves, Justice For Subpostmasters
Alliance (JFSA)) to agree a document which provides a safe and secure route for people to
raise issues without fear of any comeback because of having done so. As ex-subpostmasters
we are only too aware of the problems involved with a serving subpostmaster trying to raise
Horizon issues, and I can assure your membership that we would not have accepted anything
less than a guarantee of total protection.

The agreement which is in place not only covers serving subpostmasters but also applies to all
POL employees, contractors and agency staff working with Horizon for POL and has been
agreed at the highest levels of POL. Full details will be available on the jfsa.org.uk website
from the start of the new year, although it should be noted that the closing date for
submissions is 28th February 2013.

The investigation wants to obtain information and supporting documentation about
unexplained Horizon problems that subpostmasters have noticed or have suffered from,
especially those that are current. This investigation does not replace the normal route for
dealing with problems, it is there to investigate historic issues where there is supporting
documentation and live problems that cannot be explained.

I hope you will take this opportunity to inform your membership of the forthcoming opening
for them to raise their concerns with Horizon in an environment that has been created to
alleviate any concerns they may have about retaliation from POL, as it may be the only chance
they ever have to do so.

Alan Bates
Chairman
Justice For Subpostmasters Alliance