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From: Cable MPST[/O=BIS PRODUCTION/OU=EXCHANGE ADMINISTRATIVE GROUP
(FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/CN=RECIPIENTS/CN=C6COF9E3678444 14874B9FD89C46E311-
CABLE MPS]
Sent: Wed 11/03/2015 12:40:37 PM (UTC)
To: Thompson Laura (Shareholder Executive)
MPS
Ce: Franklin-Wallis ne
Richard (ShEx)}_ : Parly Unit - OthersI
Subject: RE: PMQs today
Hi Laura,
Your approach sounds great, thank you.
SoS is not massively aware of the issue — he knows what the situation is in very headline terms, but you’ve correctly
assessed that this is not something he is all over the detail of. If you have some quite headline, background briefing on
the issue it would be very useful for SoS to see — but I wouldn’t want you to have to re-invent the wheel.
Thanks
Tara
Tara Fernando I Private Secretary to the Secretary of State I Department for Business, Innovation & Skills I email:
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From: Thompson Laura (Shareholder Executive)
Sent: 11 March 2015 12:27
To: Swinson MPST; Cable MPST
Cc: Franklin-Wallis Hannah (Communications); Callard Richard (ShEx); Parly Unit - Others; SPAD Cable MPST;
Ministerial Advice Team
Subject: PMQs today
Importance: High
Claire/Tracey, Tara
As you may have just heard, James Arbuthnot MP was called straight after Q1 at PMQs today where he raised the
following question about the Post Office mediation scheme:
“Is my Rt Hon Friend aware that in the Post Office mediation scheme the Post Office has just sacked the independent
investigators Second Sight and told them to destroy all their papers. Does my Rt Hon Friend agree that it is essential
that Second Sight’s report should not be suppressed but should be supplied to subpostmasters and MPs, starting with
the Hon Member for West Bromwich (Adrian Bailey) and the BIS Select Committee.”
The PM replied (with lines that we had advance sight of) that he was aware that Arbuthnot had been campaigning on
this issue and that the BIS Select Committee were taking evidence. He added that while Government should not
intervene in the independent mediation he would ask the Business Secretary to write to Arbuthnot on the issue.
Separately as you know, we are preparing a reply for Jo Swinson to send to Alan Bates, head of the Justice for
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Subpostmasters Alliance (JFSA), on similar points. I recommend these two letters (Jo to Mr Bates, and SoS to Mr
Arbuthnot) should be very similar. I will aim to provide a response for today’s box for both Ministers, if that sounds
OK.
Tara, can you advise on how sighted (if at all) SoS is on this issue? I am happy to provide some additional briefing or
discuss with him if that would be helpful.
Thanks
Laura
Laura Thompson I Assistant Director, Post Office Network Team I Shareholder Executive
BIS, 1 Victoria Street, London SW1H OET E j
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