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From:
Sent:
To:
I Vandini, Ceci
a (Advanced Manufacturing and
nie Corfieldf fi
Cc: Clarke, Stephen - UKGI
Subject: Re: Post Office announcement
Morning
It’s very hard to answer given the range of possibilities ie particular cases, whether we appeal, timescale...etc
My advice would be to refer questions to the statements we will have made which will help to give context.
If there are criticisms around training I think one would refer to the (many) steps we’ve taken over the last six
years to improve training.
More generally I would be stressing the steps we have taken to try to get to the bottom of issues raised:
- branch user forum
- mediation scheme
- independent review
Thope that helps. It’s difficult to predict. But worth stressing we will have some time to work on position before
judgement is public.
Mark
From: Aldred, Tom - UKGI
Sent: Friday, March 1, 2019 9:18 am
To: Mark R Davies; Vandini, Cecilia (Advanced Manufacturing and Services); Melanie Corfield
Cc: Clarke, Stephen - UKGI
Subject: RE: Post Office announcement
Mark / Melanie
Thanks for your help already. If the judge is critical of aspects of Post Office’s handling of the case and
behaviour towards the claimants (I understand this is a possibility), do you have any advice on handling a
question to a minister about whether they condone this?
Tom
Tom Aldred, Post Office Shareholder Team, UKGI
IM GRO i
From: Mark R Davies.
Sent: 28 February 2019 16:17
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5 Melanie Corfield
“Cer Aldiéa, Tai = UKGTS
Subject: Re: Post Office announcement
Hi Cecilia
Thanks for this. In terms of a line about why Paula stepped down I would suggest:
Paula Vennells’ decision to step down as chief executive of Post Office had nothing to do with the High Court trial.
After 12 years with PO and seven as chief executive, during which the business had a period of unprecedented
success, Ms Vennells is moving to chair a high profile NHS trust and take on a non-executive role with the Cabinet
Office, in addition to her non-exec directorship at Morrisons.
Having turned Post Office from a business losing £120m of taxpayers money to one making a profit while also
improving services for customers, we are sorry she made the decision to move on and wish her well in her new,
demanding roles.
In relation to the issues raised in the High Court it is worth noting that it was Ms Vennells who set up an independent
review and a mediation scheme.
Mel are you ok with this?
Mark
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From: Vandini, Cecilia (Advanced Manufacturing and Services) oe
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2019 3:49 pm i
To: Mark R Davies; Melanie Corfield
Cc: Aldred, Tom - UKGI; Clarke, Stephen - UKGI
Subject: Re: Post Office announcement
Hi Mark/Melanie,
Hope you are well. As you know, with the litigation judgement imminent, we are preparing a UQ pack for the
Minister.
Might be a long shot but any chance you have some off the shelf lines to rebut claims that Paula stepped down as POL
CEO due to the trial?
If not I'll draft something, yet I’d be grateful if you could have a look at what I come up with before we send it up to
the Minister.
Thanks.
Cecilia
Cecilia Vandini (BEIS) I Post Office Policy Lead, AMS I
On 18/02/2019, 15:23, "Mark R Davies"!
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And here are the links
https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcorporate.postoffice.co.uk%2Four-media-
centre%23%2Fpressreleases%2F post-office-ceo-paula-vennells-leaving-to-chair-imperial-health-trust-
2837526%3F_ sm_byp%3DiVV5fjOkRRMHnnTg&data=02%7C01%7 Ccecilia.vandini%40beis.gov.uk%7Cd5e571581
9¢84594c97608d695b4f912%7Ccbac700502¢143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7CO%7C636861001877698783&sd
ata=IHIQ6QCsERGK8pop4FuiMOAZelT%2Bh3sUx3fIn33B3Js%3D &reserved=0
And the announcement from the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is here:
https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.imperial.nhs.uk%2Fabout-
us%2Fnews%2Fimperial-college-healthcare-nhs-trust-names-new-
chair&data=02%7C01%7Ccecilia.vandini%40beis.gov.uk%7Cd5e5715819c84594c97608d695b4f912%7Ccbac7005
02c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C636861001877698783&sdata=7wiwnd7ICFGIZK%2Fa3zJpAJip90egU
STnPFU6WIYxvPA%3D&reserved=0
-----Original Message-----
From: Miles, Annabelle (Communications & Partnerships):
Sent: 18 February _
To: Mark R Davies GRO + Aldred, Tom - UKGI
; Vandini, Cecilia (
GRO
Subject: ‘ost Office announcement
Hi Mark - can I just check what time you are due to make the announcement? Assume via a press notice?
Thanks
Annabelle
woffer, Chris (Communications & Partnerships)
unications & Partnerships):
>; Vandini, Cecilia (Advanced Manufacturing and Services)
Thanks Tom -will do.
ol Original Message----
From: Aldred, Tom - UKGI;
Sent: 17 February 2019 21
+; Mark R Davies
_ GRO -
Cc: Clarke, Stephen - UKGI
Subject: Post Office announ:
Annabelle, Chris,
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Mark Davies at Post Office (cc’d) has informed me that they will be announcing the departure of Paula Vennells as
CEO tomorrow. They will NOT be announcing the identity of the interim CEO, which as you know has not yet been
cleared by ministers.
Mark, would you be able to send materials direct to Chris and Annabelle?
I’m not in the office on Monday and am likely to be unreachable for much of the morning. Tom Cooper is also out
tomorrow.
If you need to speak to the shareholder team, please contact Steve.
I will email separately to inform private offices
Tom
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