UKGI00001459 - Letter from Jo Swinson MP to John Pugh MP re: Independent Review by Forensic Accountants of Individual Postmaster Cases about the Horizon System

Evidence on official site

UKGI00001459
UKGI00001459
Jo Swinson MP for

Department

BIS)

Our ref: 306899
Your ref:JDP/APIIt

Dr John Pugh MP

House of Commons \+ September 2012
London

SW1A 0AA

Thank you for your letter of 20 August to Norman Lamb, about the
independent review by forensic accountants, of a number of individual cases
teas? rmer subpostmasters, who raised concerns about the Post Office's

eos with their MP. I am replying as this matter now falls within my
portfolio.

I should first note, that Post Office Ltd (POL) continues to express full
confidence in the robustness and integrity of its Horizon system and related
accounting processes. Over the past ten years, many millions of branch
reconciliations have been carried out with transactions and balances
accurately recorded on Horizon, by more than 25,000 different
subpostmasters in total.

Nevertheless, in the light of discussions earlier in the summer with James
Arbuthnot MP and a number of other MPs with ex-subpostmaster constituents,
who had raised concerns about Horizon, POL agreed to an external review of
a number of individual cases that had been raised with them by MPs.

The external review of specific individualcases is being undertaken by a firm
of forensic accountants and, to ensure impartiality, James Arbuthnot has
reviewed and approved the appointment. I understand that the review
process is now under way and I have asked to be kept informed of
developments.

JO SWINSON MP

1 Victoria Street, London SW1H OET
www.bis.gov.uk

‘ontact us www.bis.gov.uk/contact-us

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