RLIT0000633
RLITO000633
ai; GOV.UK
News story
Joint Statement: Business Secretary and
Fujitsu Services Ltd
Joint Statement by UK Business and Trade Secretary
Jonathan Reynolds and Paul Patterson, Director, Fujitsu
Services Ltd, on Horizon redress
From: Department for Business and Trade
(/government/organisations/department-for-business-and-trade) and The Rt Hon
Jonathan Reynolds MP (/government/people/jonathan-reynolds)
Published 7 March 2025
Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds today (Friday 7 March)
met chiefs for Fujitsu in Tokyo to begin talks over the cost of redress for
victims of the Horizon Scandal.
As part of a two-day visit to Japan, the Business Secretary met the
company’s Chief Executive Takahito Tokita and Paul Patterson, Director of
Fujitsu Services Ltd, and welcomed their commitments on compensation.
The meeting comes as new statistics published today show £768 million
has been paid to over 5,100 claimants across all redress schemes,
RLIT0000633
RLITO000633
representing a more than tripling of the total amount of redress paid to
victims by government since the end of June 2024.
Speaking after the meeting, Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan
Reynolds said:
“Today’s meeting with Fujitsu in Tokyo was productive and encouraging. I
welcome their agreement to begin talks on compensation ahead of the
Williams inquiry’s conclusion, and that they join the UK Government in
our commitment to tackling this grave injustice.
“We must never forget the lives ruined by the Horizon scandal and no
amount of redress can take away that pain. But justice can and must be
done. This government is determined to hold those responsible to
account, and will continue to make rapid progress on compensation and
redress.
“Since we took office, we have more than tripled the total amount of
redress paid to victims, and today we took another significant step
towards justice. ”
Joint Statement by UK Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan
Reynolds and Paul Patterson (Director, Fujitsu Services Ltd):
“The Rt. Hon. Jonathan Reynolds MP (UK Secretary of State, Business
and Trade), Takahito Tokita (CEO, Fujitsu Limited) and Paul Patterson
(Director, Fujitsu Services Limited) held a positive and constructive
meeting in Japan today.
“The UK Government welcomes Fujitsu’s repeated commitment to its
moral obligation to contribute to the Government's compensation for the
victims of the Post Office scandal. Ahead of the completion of Sir Wyn
Williams’ Horizon IT Inquiry, the Secretary of State and Mr Patterson
agreed to progress discussions regarding Fujitsu’s contribution,
acknowledging many parties are involved.
“Officials from the Department for Business and Trade will continue to
engage with Fujitsu representatives in full. The UK Government will not
make a running commentary on these discussions but welcomes them
and is grateful for Fujitsu’s engagement with Sir Wyn Williams’ Inquiry
and its continued focus on delivering its public services commitments in
the UK.”
Published 7 March 2025
RLIT0000633
RLITO000633
OGL ahs
All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated © Crown copyright