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Working Group
Initial Complaint Review and Mediation
148 Old Street
Ms Jo Swinson MP LONDON
EC1V 9HQ.
Minister for Employment, Consumer Affairs
and Equalities Email: schemeenquiries:
By Email
Dear Ms Swinson
Initial Complaint Review and Mediation Scheme
I understand that you have requested some information about the Scheme in advance of a
Parliamentary debate on the subject. I am limited in the information which I can give because
the Scheme requires the cases to be treated confidentially. I can however give you a general
update.
The progress of cases at every stage of the Scheme has taken longer than the Working Group
would have wanted. This includes the submission of case questionnaires by the applicants (or
their advisors), Post Office’s investigations, Second Sight’s reviews and applicant responses to
Second Sight draft case reviews. In addition disagreements within the Working Group as to
whether individual cases should proceed to mediation has led to further delays because such
disagreements can only, for reasons of fairness, be resolved at face to face meetings. The
Working Group also awaits Second Sight’s review of, and views on, the many generic issues
raised by the applicants. That review will not be ready before about March 2015 and a number
of cases will not be mediated until it has been produced.
I should add that the Working Group meets regularly to review progress and I have made it a
priority to push the Scheme ahead as quickly as possible. The cases have proved to be far more
complex than originally envisaged.
I attach an appendix setting out the progress of cases within the Scheme. I am unable to tell
you how many cases have been resolved at mediation. Neither I nor JFSA have access to this
information. I attach a letter (with permission) from CEDR which sets out why that is so and the
arrangements for updating the Working Group. CEDR has subsequently agreed to provide its
first update after 15 cases have been mediated.
I hope this information is helpful to you.
Yours sincerely
GRO
Sir Anthony Hooper
Chair of the Working Group
Case progress as at 12 December 2014
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Appendix 1
Applications to the Scheme
150
Applications rejected (ineligible)
Cases resolved prior to entry into the Scheme
10
Case resolved during investigation
Cases awaiting Working Group recommendation pending further information/review by
either Post Office or Second Sight
23
Cases recommended for mediation by the Working Group
24
Cases passed to CEDR to arrange mediation
20
Cases not recommended for mediation by the Working Group
Cases mediated
Cases where Post Office declined to mediate
Cases resolved prior to the mediation meeting
Cases with CEDR* awaiting mediation (of which 3 are scheduled to take place before
Christmas)
Cases remaining in the Scheme
110
*Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution — the external mediation provider