UKGI00003198 - Email chain from from Laura Thompson to Richard Callard re: CONTRIBUTION REQUEST - ministerial transfer request Stephen Hepburn MP

Evidence on official site

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From: Thompson Laura (Shareholder Executive)[/O=BIS PRODUCTION/OU=EXCHANGE
ADMINISTRATIVE GROUP
(FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/CN=RECIPIENTS/CN=73D8709345C441479FOD7E2ADCE207C9-

LATHOMPS]
Sent: Wed 04/02/2015 12:18:27 PM (UTC)
To: Callard Richard (ShEx)f
Subject: FW: CONTRIBUTION REQUEST - MINISTERIAL TRANSFER REQUEST STEPHEN

HEPBURN MP MC2014/07486 (FAO Alysa)

FY! — HMT tried to pass us a Sparrow case nearly 2 months late. We won’t accept transfers that late, and the
correspondent doesn’t have a case in the scheme (they are just expressing outrage), so have provided the text below
for HMT to use.

Laura Thompson I Assistant Director I Shareholder Executive

From: ShE Briefing

Sent: 04 February 2015 11:53

To: Thompson Laura (Shareholder Executive); Ministerial Transfers

Cc: ShE Briefing

Subject: RE: CONTRIBUTION REQUEST - MINISTERIAL TRANSFER REQUEST STEPHEN HEPBURN MP.
MC2014/07486 (FAO Alysa)

Thanks Laura,
I think this is just the ticket.
Dulcie — you can pass the below to HMT to use for the case reply.

Best,

James

From: Thompson Laura (Shareholder Executive)

Sent: 04 February 2015 11:26

To: ShE Briefing; Baugh James (ShEx)

Subject: RE: CONTRIBUTION REQUEST - MINISTERIAL TRANSFER REQUEST STEPHEN HEPBURN MP.
MC2014/07486 (FAO Alysa)

James

Suggest we just use the wording attached. The correspondent doesn’t have a case in the scheme so there is little more
we can say. HMT can top and tail.

Thank you for your letter about the Post Office mediation scheme established in connection with the
Post Office Horizon system.

Following complaints about the Horizon system, the Post Office commissioned an independent firm,
Second Sight, to examine the system. Second Sight published their report in July 2013. Whilst the
report made clear that there was no evidence of system-wide problems with Horizon, Post Office
acknowledged that the report raised questions about the training and support offered to some
subpostmasters and made plain its determination to address them, by:
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e Establishing a Working Group to review cases;
e Appointing an independent chair for the process; and
e Creating a branch user form to create a feedback loop for users.

These measures are now in place, with Sir Anthony Hooper (a former member of the Court of Appeal
in England and Wales) chairing the working group which consists of Post Office and the Justice for
Subpostmasters Alliance. The group oversees cases through an independent review and mediation
scheme. It is important to stress that despite further investigations in to individual cases since July
2013, it continues to be the case that there is no evidence of system wide problems with the Horizon
system. The system processes 6 million transactions every working day across a Post Office network
in excess of 11,500 branches. Nearly 500,000 users have used Horizon since it was introduced in
2000, serving millions upon millions of customers, meaning that the c150 subpostmasters in the
scheme represent a very small minority with complaints.

The mediation scheme continues to make progress in examining cases. I must emphasise that the
mediation scheme is independent of Government, and details of the cases involved in the scheme
are confidential.

ector I Shareholder Executive

From: ShE Briefing

Sent: 04 February 2015 10:24

To: Thompson Laura (Shareholder Executive); Ministerial Transfers

Cc: ShE Briefing

Subject: RE: CONTRIBUTION REQUEST - MINISTERIAL TRANSFER REQUEST STEPHEN HEPBURN MP
MC2014/07486 (FAO Alysa)

Dulcie,
Ok, we will draft the reply for HMT to send.

Laura — another Horizon case (HMT wanted to transfer but it has been too long since date of incoming letter for us to
accept). Can you draft a reply that will go out from the HMT Minister?

J

From: Ministerial Transfers

Sent: 04 February 2015 09:15

To: ShE Briefing

Subject: CONTRIBUTION REQUEST - MINISTERIAL TRANSFER REQUEST STEPHEN HEPBURN MP MC2014/07486
(FAO Alysa)

Hi She

Could you please provide contribution on this late case. Many thanks.

From: Swinson MPST Correspondence
Sent: 03 February 2015 15:55
To: Ministerial Transfers
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Subject: FW: log and assigne: MINISTERIAL TRANSFER REQUEST STEPHEN HEPBURN MP MC2014/07486 (FAO
Alysa)

Hi guys, sorry, please see the below comments from Claire. I expect the other one sent will be the same response.
Pauline.

From: Swinson MPST

Sent: 03 February 2015 15:52

To: Swinson MPST Correspondence

Subject: RE: log and assigne: MINISTERIAL TRANSFER REQUEST STEPHEN HEPBURN MP MC2014/07486 (FAO
Alysa)

Sorry no — this is far too late from HMT for us to accept it — we can provide them with a contribution but it will be for
them to get their Minister to sign

Claire

From: Swinson MPST Correspondence

Sent: 03 February 2015 15:42

To: Swinson MPST

Subject: FW: log and assigne: MINISTERIAL TRANSFER REQUEST STEPHEN HEPBURN MP MC2014/07486 (FAO
Alysa)

Alysa, would Jo be willing to sign this? As you can see the letter is dated the 12 December.

Thanks,
Pauline,

From: Ministerial Transfers

Sent: 03 February 2015 15:12

To: Swinson MPST Correspondence

Subject: log and assigne: MINISTERIAL TRANSFER REQUEST STEPHEN HEPBURN MP MC2014/07486
Shex have agreed to accept.

The correspondence is date 12 December 2014.

Please check if Jo will sign.

I believe delayed is due HMT having their system updated, as attached.

From: ShE Briefing

Sent: 03 February 2015 15:05

To: Ministerial Transfers

Cc: ShE Briefing

Subject: RE: MINISTERIAL TRANSFER REQUEST STEPHEN HEPBURN MP MC2014/07486

HI Dulcie,

Yes this is for us ~ unless we should reject on timescales (don’t know how long the cut-off point is) given HMT has
taken a rather long time to seek to transfer this one (MP’s letter is dated 12" Dec)

Best,
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From: Ministerial Transfers

Sent: 03 February 2015 14:54

To: ShE Briefing

Subject: FW: MINISTERIAL TRANSFER REQUEST STEPHEN HEPBURN MP MC2014/07486

Dear Colleague
Re: Post Officer making errors

Grateful if you could review the attached correspondence and let me know whether you are prepared to accept.
A reply within 24 hours with an acceptance or a rejection would be much appreciated.

If accepted, could you please advise whether this will be a standard line or bespoke response and to whom the case
should be assigned.

Many thanks
Dulcie Lawrence

Cross Whitehall Correspondence Officer
OGD and Strategic Partners' Team

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

From: Lewinson, Heather - HMTi _I On Behalf Of Transfer,
Ministerial - HMT

Sent: 03 February 2015 11:37

To: Ministerial Transfers

Cc: Transfer, Ministerial - HMT

Subject: MINISTERIAL TRANSFER REQUEST STEPHEN HEPBURN MP MC2014/07486

Dear Colleague
Please find attached ministerial correspondence for your consideration. I would be grateful if you
can let me know if you accept this case within two working days.

If this case is not for you, please can you provide feedback as to why it is not for your department
and a suggestion as to where you think the responsibility lies.
Yours sincerely

Heather May Lewinson I Correspondence Officer ICorrespondence and Information Rights Team
I Corporate Centre Group IHM Treasury I1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ I
www.gov.uk/hm-treasury
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HM Treasury

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