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From: Swinson MPST[/O=DTI/OU=DTIHQ/CN=RECIPIENTS/CN=SWINSONMPST]
Sent: Tue 02/07/2013 6:23:56 PM (UTC)
To: Gibson Will (ShEx:
(ShEX},.
Ce: Whitehead Mike (ShEx): GRO
Subject: RE: Potential Arbuthnot encounter this evening
Batten Peter
thanks will do
Claire Rannard I Private Secretary to Jo Swinso!
Department for Business, Innovation & Skills I
www.bis.gov.uk
All emails and attachments sent by a member of the Private Office to an official on behalf of a Minister relating to a decision,
request or comment made by a Minister, or a note of a Ministerial meeting, must be filed appropriately by the recipient. Private
Offices do not keep official records of such emails or attachments.
From: Gibson Will (ShEx)
Sent: 02 July 2013 19:07
To: Batten Peter (ShEx); Swinson MPST
Cc: Whitehead Mike (ShEx)
Subject: Re: Potential Arbuthnot encounter this evening
Thanks Peter,
This is a great note. My only additional comment would be that POL understands JA may also have floated with
the Speakers office the idea of his making a statement. This is just a rumour at this stage.
Claire, I'd suggest you liaise directly with Martin Edwards at POL to set up the update call with Paula tomorrow
AM. As I mentioned, one of us at least would also be keen to listen in.
will.
From: Batten Peter (ShEx)
Sent: Tuesday, July 02, 2013 04:37 PM
To: Swinson MPST; Gibson Will (ShEx)
Cc: Whitehead Mike (ShEx)
Subject: Potential Arbuthnot encounter this evening
Hi Claire
I understand that you spoke to Will earlier about James Arbuthnot's request for a phone call about the
Second Sight review into ex-subpostmasters complaints about the integrity of POL's Horizon
accounting system. We spoke a short while ago and you flagged that there are a number of votes this
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evening and James Arbuthnot may seek to speak to Jo in the lobby and requested a short note.
In June 2012, POL appointed Second Sight (forensic accountants) to undertake an independent review
of POL's Horizon accounting system. As the review has been conducted independently, neither POL or
BIS has seen a draft of the report. We believe that James Arbuthnot has not (or certainly should not
have!) seen a draft either. ShEx and POL are expecting to receive a draft copy of the report on Friday.
Second Sight are preparing to publish their report on Monday 8 July.
James Arbuthnot has been informally championing ex-subpostmasters who have expressed concerns
about the integrity of the Horizon system. He led calls for a review of the system, and acted as a
conduit for passing cases to Second Sight (thereby preserving BIS and POL independence). POL has
suggested to BIS that the review has not found issues with the accounting integrity of the system, but
could be critical of the training and support provided by POL to subpostmasters with respect of certain
operating procedures - however we are not in a position to definitively confirm this.
James Arbuthnot is meeting Paula Vennells tomorrow (Wednesday) and we strongly recommend that
Jo try to avoid speaking to James Arbuthnot until he has spoken to Paula, and Paula has had an
opportunity to brief Jo from the POL perspective. In any respect, owing to the fact that neither Paula,
nor James Arbuthnot, nor Jo will have seen (or should have seen) a draft by tomorrow, it is likely that
any views expressed by James Arbuthnot this evening will be speculative. Given his role as champion,
we suspect that Arbuthnot is seeking to brief this report, and understand that he is trying to arrange
broadcast interviews for the end of the week.
Should Arbuthnot raise the issue with Jo directly this evening, the following lines would be
appropriate:
"Matters relating to the operation of the Horizon accounting system are the responsibility of Post
Office Ltd. The Government does not play a role in operational matters."
"As you know, POL commissioned an independent report of the Horizon system. As this is an
independent review I have not seen its findings, and it would not be appropriate for me to comment
or speculate at this stage."
If she is pushed:
"I understand that you are speaking to Paula Vennells, CEO of Post Office Ltd tomorrow. Given the
operational nature of this issue, it makes sense for you to speak to Paula in the first instance."
As explained, Will is currently out of the office and has not had an opportunity to clear the above. I
have copied him in so that he can make any comments before the voting starts this evening!
Best wishes
Peter
Peter Batten I Policy Adviser I Post Office
BIS, 1 Victoria Street, London SW1H OET I;
www.gov.uk/government/organisations/the-shareholder-executive
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is making a difference by supporting sustained growth and
higher skills across the economy. BIS: working together for growth