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Strictly Confidential - Mediation Scheme Communications Plan
Objective
All cases through the mediation scheme, stakeholders are satisfied the process was robust and
media coverage neutralised (at a minimum).
Strategy
Neutralise adverse media coverage
- Update MPs who have a constituent with a case
Manage expectations of key stakeholders and applicants
Update key internal audiences
- Inform other stakeholders where appropriate
Audiences and Tactics
Audience
Tactics
Media
Past:
Reactive media position. Press releases issued on the Post Office website (the
2" and 34 release were also sent to those covering the story — BBC,
Computer Weekly etc):
- Horizon Report and Findings (8" July)
- Launch of the Mediation Scheme (27"" August)
- Appointment of Sir Anthony Hooper (24"" October)
Future:
- Monitor where high profile cases are in the process
- Reactive lines for high profile cases, likely to draw attention (regional
coverage most likely)
- Press statement when 90% of cases are through the mediation scheme,
business improvement update against original initiative announced in
July (national)
o Majority of cases through the mediation scheme
o Case outcomes remain confidential
© Business User Forum operating efficiently
© Business Improvements have been successfully implemented or
planned (update on these)
<<Possible outline of new scheme/independence in process
moving forward if appropriate with endorsement from Sir
Anthony Hooper>>
- Press statement when 100% of cases are through the mediation scheme
(closing of scheme) — September (national)
°
To consider
- Proactive briefing of journalists that covered the case originally — Matt
Prodger (BBC) and XXX Computer Weekly
MPs
Past:
- Launch of the Mediation Scheme update to MPs with a case (27 August)
including call to offices and offer of a face to face meerting.
- Appointment of Sir Anthony Hooper update to MPs with a case (24"
October)
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Future:
- Update meeting with James Arbuthnot in January to set tone of MP
engagement (including possible event)
- Monitor where high profile cases are in the process (approach MP on
case by case basis)
- Proactive comms when statements issues by Post Office (July and
September)
Key Stakeholders - Manage expectations (picked up as part of the management of the
Working Group and in the ‘Managing Expectations’ paper)
Other Stakeholders I - Consumer Futures — heads up on public statements, view from legal on
regulatory relationship
- NFSP—head up on public statements, part of the business improvement
programme (out of scope of project sparrow)
Subpostmasters - Scheme open to all subpostmasters (former and existing) with financial
support for professional advice
- Version of press statements to be available on subspace online (as an
article) with link to article included in subspace news
Applicants - Manage expectations by explaining mediation process (CEDR mediation
pack to go to applicants and professional advisors)
Internal - Statements to be included in comms update to all employees
- Investigations, FSAs and SSMs to be kept updated, have reactive lines to
take and heads up on press statements
Mediation Scheme Narrative (key messages to be agreed)
Post Office is committed to addressing concerns raised by subpostmasters
- Post Office is determined to ensure that Horizon and any associated processes are fair, effective
and reliable, and the subpostmasters can have confidence in the system.
- Areport into the Horizon system produced in July 2013 found there were no systemic issues with
the Horizon system. However, it found that improvements could be made in the training and
support processes provided to subpostmasters.
- The Mediation Scheme was established to help resolve the concerns raised by some
subpostmasters regarding the Post Office’s Horizon computer system and other associated
issues
- The Scheme is being overseen by a Working Group, chaired by Sir Anthony Hooper, comprising
representatives from Post Office, Second Sight and JFSA.
- The application process for the Initial Mediation Scheme opened on the 27th August and closed
on the 18th November 2013
- All matters discussed in mediation will be strictly confidential and subject to ‘without prejudice’
privilege which means that matters discussed in mediation cannot be disclosed to any third party
or any Civil Court.
- Where common ground cannot be reached, the mediator will help the parties identify their
differences and then try to find a resolution to those differences.
- The mediation itself will be administered by an independent mediation body and the mediator
will be selected by parties from a panel of mediators.
- The Post Office will produce a statement at the end of the mediation scheme.
Communication Plan
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Date Action Target Group
8th July Press statement issued about Horizon report I Media
9" July Statement in Parliament MPs
27" August Press Statement issued to announce Media and MPs
mediation scheme
Email to all MPs engaged with Horizon to
provide mediation scheme details
29" October Press Statement issued to announce Media
appointment of Sir Anthony Hooper
November 18" All initial application form needs to be Individuals with a case
submitted by the 18" November to be part
of the Initial Mediation Scheme
POL will analyse MPs involved and develop POL/MPs
an engagement plan for additional MPs
November — End of I Working Group meetings POL/Stakeholders
Process Meetings with Sir Anthony Hooper
Case Submission Calls
November JFSA issue statement on their website to subpostmasters
close application process for mediation
Scheme
19" December — Parliament in recess MPs
6" January
6" January Media reactive lines agreed Media
Final media Q&A
January 28°" Alice Perkins meeting with James Arbuthnot I MPs
MP
13-24" Parliament in recess MPs
February
December — End of I Monitor the media reaction as cases go Media / MPs
Process through mediation — reactive media
position.
MPs may need to be contacted but this will
occur ona case by case basis.
Work with the Working Group to manage
media engagement or at a minimum get to
a position where stakeholders inform each
other of who they spoke to and what about.
10-28" April Parliament in recess MPs
1-6 May Parliament in recess MPs
8°" May State opening MPs
22" May -2" June I Parliament in recess MPs
Mid July 90% and Business Update Statement Media (also send to MPs and
heads up to key stakeholders as
well as NFSP and Consumer
Futures)
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22 July -1* Parliament in recess MPs
September
End of Mediation Issue press release to close mediation Media (also send to MPs and
Process scheme (100% of cases through the heads up to key stakeholders as
(September - TBC) I mediation Process well as NFSP and Consumer
Futures)
11" September— I Party Conferences MPs
13" October
Annex A: MPs with an applicant in their constituency
The table below will be updated as cases go through the scheme.
Number of
MP Name applications
Alan Belth
Alan Duncan
Alan Meale 2
Alasdair Allan
Albert Owen 3
Alec Shelbrooke
Andrew Bridgen 2
Andrew George
Andrew Griffiths
Andrew Gwynne
Andrew Tyrie 2
Anne Clwyd
Anne Cofrey
Ben Wallace
Brian Binley
Catherine Spellman
Chris Ruane
Clive Betts
Dai Havard
Dame Angela
Watkinson
Damien Hines
Dan Jarvis
Daniel Kawcsynski
David Crausby
David Evenett
David Havard
David Jones
David Rulley
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David Treddenick
David Willetts
Diana Johnson
Edward Davey
Edward Garnier 2
Edward Leigh
Emma Lewell Buck 2
Eric Ollerenshaw
Gary Streeter
George Freeman
George Golingbery
George Osborne
George Young
Gisela Stuart
Glenda Jackson
Graham Allen
Greg Clark
Greg Knight
Hazel Bleaks
Henry Bellingham
Hugo Swirke
Huw Irraca-Davies 2
I.Liddle Grainger
lain Stewart
lain Wright
James Arbuthnot 2
Jason McCartney
Jim Cunningham
Joe Benton
John Howell
John Pugh
John Redwood
Jonathon Djanogly
Jonathon Lord
Karen Lumley
Keith Simpson
Keith Wright
Kevan Jones 2
Kevin Barrow
Kris Hopkins
Laura Sandys
Louise Ellman
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M Clapham
Margaret Ritchie
Mark Lazarowicz
Mark Prisk
Mark Reckless
Mark Williams
Martin Horwood
Martin Vickers
Mary Glindon
Matthew Hancock
Meg Munn
Mel Stride
Michael Garyon
Michael Grove
Michael Meecher
Mike Wood
Nick Boles
Nick Brown 2
Nick Harvey
Nick Hurd
NK
Norman Lamb
Oliver Letwin
Pat Glass
Pat McFadden
Paul Murphy
Peter Tapsell
Phil Wilson
sedgefield
Priti Patel
Robert goodwill
Robert Syms
Roberta Blackman
Woods
Roger Williams
Ronnie Campbell
Sharon Hodgeson
Sherly Murray
Simon Burns 2
Siobhan McDonogh
Stephen Crabb
Stephen Hepburn
Stephen Ladyman
Steve Baker
Steven Mosley
Stewart Jackson
Tessa Munt 3
Valerie Vaz 3
Wayne David
William Hague 2
Yasmin Qureshi
MP Awareness prior to mediation scheme
MPs who raised a case as part of the Initial Second Sight Review
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MP Name, Constituency, Party SPMR Cases
1. James Arbuthnot (2), North East Hampshire, Conservative Jo Hamilton
Paul Popov
2. Stephen Crabb, Preseli Pembrokeshire, Conservative Tim Brentnall
3. Jonathan Djanogly, Huntingdon, Conservative Jenny O’Dell
4. Alan Duncan, Rutland and Melton, Conservative Caroline Jack (now Welton)
5. George Freeman, Mid Norfolk, Conservative lan Warren
6. Dai Havard (2), Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney, Labour Tracy Etheridge
Lynn Prosser
7. Oliver Letwin, West Dorset, Conservative Tracey Ann Merritt
8. Jonathan Lord, Woking, Conservative Seema Misra
9. Alan Meale, Mansfield, labour John Dickson
10. George Osborne, Tatton, Conservative Terence Walters
11. Mike Wood, Batley and Spen, Labour Alison Hall
12. Andrew Tyrie, Chichester, Conservative Nirmale Fatania
13. Mark Lazarowicz, Edinburgh North and Leith, Labour (co-op) Philip Cowan
14. Greg Knight (2), East Yorkshire, Conservative Pauline Thomson
Lee Castleton
15. John Woodcock, Barrow and Furness, Labour (co-op) Isabella Wall
16. Priti Patel, Witham, Conservative Graham Ward
17. Edward Leigh, Gainsborough, Conservative Shirley Rayner
18. Damien Hinds, East Hampshire, Conservative Pauline Coates
19. Kevin Barron, Rother Valley, Labour Susan Michelle Watson
20. Andrew Bridgen, North West Leicestershire, Conservative Michael Rudkin
21. David Jones, Clwyd West, Conservative Alan Bates
22. Ronnie Campbell, Blyth Valley, Labour Sarah Burgess-Boyde (also
Ray Clarence)
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Cases raised by BIS
MP Post Office Branch
Stephen Phillips MP Navenby (SPRM, Paul Sanderson)
Zac Goldsmith MP Kings Road Post Office, Brentwood (SPRM, Mr B Sethi)
Huw Irranca-Davies MP North Cornelly Post Office (SPMR, Philip Dauncey)
Pontycymmer Post Office (SPMR, Dixie Davies)
Jim Sheridan MP Bishopton Post Office (SPMR, David Woodrow)
Noman Lamb MP. Worstead Post Office (Allison Henderson)
lan Stewart MP Rupesh Lakhani (JFSA member)
MPs who commented /engaged with Horizon Issue when second Sight report
was published.
James Arbuthnot Meeting on the 9 July attendees:
.
.
.
James Arbuthnot (2 cases), North East Hampshire, Conservative
Oliver Letwin, West Dorset, Conservative
Tessa Munt (not included elsewhere), Wells, Lib Dems
Researchers were present for:
© Jonathan Djangoly
o Jonathan Lord
o John Woodcock
© Mark Prisk
Jo Swinson statement in Parliament
Government: Jo Swinson, Postal Affairs Minister, East Dunbartonshire, Lib dem
Shadow: lan Murray, Edinburgh South, Labour
Questions were asked by a number of MPs who have not referred cases:
.
cece ee
eee
Kevan Jones, North Durham, Labour
Robin Walker, Worcester, Conservative (positive comment)
Mike Weir, Angus, SNP
Russell Brown, Dumfries and Galloway, Labour
Huw Irranca-davies, Ogmore, Labour
David Mowat, Warrington South, Conservative
Cathy Jamieson, Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Labour
Philip Hollobone, Ketley, Conservative
David Simpson, Upper Bann, Democratic Unionist
Peter Bone, Wellingborough, Conservative
Jim Shannon, Strongford, Democratic Unionist
Christopher Chope, Christchurch, Conservative
MPs who have commented or corresponded with Post Office following the statement:
1.
Graham Stuart MP
Correspondence into Paula’s office
14. Rt Hon Nick Brown MP (asking for an ex-subpostmistress case to be included in the review) -
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
Louise Ellman MP
Brian Binley MP
Christopher Chope OBE MP
David Mowat MP
David Simpson MP
Huw Irranca-Davies MP
Jim Shannon MP
Mike Weir MP
. Peter Bone MP
. Philip Hollobone MP
. Stewart Jackson MP
. Cathy Jamieson MP
Angela aware
Stella Creasy MP — Ex Subpostmaster case, now with the contract team -Angela aware
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Keith Jones MP — current/suspended SPMR highlighting concerns on Horizon in an email to Paula -
Angela aware
Andrew George MP — This is a case where it went to court and no evidence from POL and the MP
wants to know about reinstatement and compensation
Theresa Villers MP — SPMR Peter Lambri
Nick Boles MP — Mrs Glenys Eastman used to be the SPMR at Stirling Road Post Office in
Stamford