UKGI00006959
UKGI00006959
From: Callard, Richard - UKGI[/O=HMT/OU=EXCHANGE ADMINISTRATIVE GROUP
(FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/CN=RECIPIENTS/CN=6988FBA346C64632AA2C6DDACEAC7D18-
CALLARD, RICHARD (RC]
Sent: Fri 29/07/2016 9:52:10 AM (UTC) nce
To: Thompson, Laura - UKGI
Ce: French Claire (CommunicationsI
Subject: FW: Postmaster Litigation - Update to Board
Laura / Claire
See an update below on the Horizon issue, noting that POL’s response to the legal claim is now with the claimant’s
solicitors (which might leak out).
Our original lines that this is now a matter for the courts should still hold.
R
From: Alwen Lyons I.
Sent: 29 July 20:
To: Tim Parker +
im Franklin
; Paula
Martin
; David Hussey
>; Jane MacLeod
. Tom Wechsler <¢
Subject: Postmaster Litigation - Update to Board
Dear All
Please find below a message from Jane.
Thanks
Alwen
Dear All
As you will recall from the briefing provided at the May board, although formal proceedings have still not been
served on Post Office (although we expect these by 11 August), we have been in discussion with Freeths (the solicitors
acting for the claimants) on a range of issues and we were advised yesterday that the number of claimants has now
increased to 198; again this was not unexpected.
As mentioned in my briefing at the May board, on 28 April Freeths had sent to us a lengthy Letter of Claim. Bond
Dickinson (on our behalf) responded to this last night. The response letter (which runs to 99 pages) provides a
detailed rebuttal to each and every issue raised in the Letter of Claim, and was discussed at length within Post Office
and has been reviewed by our QC Tony Robinson.
While none of the allegations set out in the Letter of Claim are new, and we are not relying on any new information in
our rebuttal, the tone of our response is more assertive than we have used previously, given that our rebuttal
arguments will help to shape the issues that will form the basis of any litigation. Although the rebuttal is a legal letter
between the two firms of solicitors, we fully expect that it will be made available to the claimants and therefore we
should assume that its contents will become public, and it has been written with this risk in mind.
UKGI00006959
UKGI00006959
Should we become aware of any planned media coverage, we will let you know, however our communications
approach will continue to be the Postmasters have sought to resolve the matter through litigation and that is the
appropriate forum through which the issues in the case should be resolved. Therefore we do not plan to make any
external comment beyond “we are aware of a claim and are defending our position through the legal processes”. To
do otherwise will only serve to provoke further coverage.
In addition we have a range of reactive messaging ready to go to staff and postmasters; we have briefings ready to
use for relevant managers, and will direct postmasters and staff to our established support procedures in the event of
any concerns. We are also updating BIS on the risk of adverse coverage.
Please call me o1 if you would like any further information.
Jane
Jane MacLeod
General Counsel
Ground Floor
20 Finsbury Street
LONDON
EC2Y 9AQ
Mobile number}
2 6 ke 2 2 2 oe ee fe 2k 2 2k ok 2 2k a a ee 2c ofc oe 2k 2 2k 2k ak a fe 2c oe 2k oe 2 2 a 2 ke ee oe ofc a a a ke fe ie oie ofc oc oo ak ae ke ie aie oie oko
This email and any attachments are confidential and intended for the addressee only. If you are not the named
recipient, you must not use, disclose, reproduce, copy or distribute the contents of this communication. If you
have received this in error, please contact the sender by reply email and then delete this email from your
system. Any views or opinions expressed within this email are solely those of the sender, unless otherwise
specifically stated.
POST OFFICE LIMITED is registered in England and Wales no 2154540. Registered Office: Finsbury Dials,
20 Finsbury Street, London EC2Y 9AQ.
HER 2B FRR A AK 2A FAR fA FRR fF RR of GC a aa
This email has been scanned by the Symantec Email Security.cloud service.
For more information please visit http://www.symanteccloud.com