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From: Thompson, Laura - UKGI[/O=HMT/OU=EXCHANGE ADMINISTRATIVE GROUP
(FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/CN=RECIPIENTS/CN=9A426CD91CE84F889F 8A5FB135BCDA49-
THOMPSON, LAURA (LTH]
Sent: Wed 01/02/2017 10:53:21 AM (UTC)
To: Callard, Richard - UKGI
Subject: Re: Sub-postmasters fight back over Post Office accusations of fraud
OK, let's discuss. I'll be there in about 10 mins
Laura Thompson, UK Government Investments
Fro allard, Richard - UKGI
Sent: Wednesday, 1 February 2017 10:52
To: Thompson, Laura - UKGI
Subject: RE: Sub-postmasters fight back over Post Office accusations of fraud
Jess or Michael — taking stuff that you have on the stocks.
R
From: Thompson, Laura - UKGI
Sent: 01 February 2017 10:47
To: Callard, Richard - UKGI
Subject: Re: Sub-postmasters fight back over Post Office accusations of fraud
It probably wouldn't hurt to be prepared, but question who has the time?
Th UK Government Investments
Fro allard, Richard - UKGI
Sent: Wednesday, 1 February 2017 08:17
To: Thompson, Laura - UKGI
Subject: FW: Sub-postmasters fight back over Post Office accusations of fraud
I am not suggesting that it is you that drafts it, but do you think we should draft up a UQ rebuttal on this? I get the
feeling there is a bit of momentum.
R
From: French Claire (Communications) I
Sent: 01 February 2017 08:12
To: Callard, Richard - UKGI GR
Dollin, Michael - UKGI!-
Cc: Russell Philippa (Communications) {~
GRO. 'Shortman Adam (Communications
'}; Thompson, Laura - UKGI!
Pettitt Josh (Communications)
James MPST
GRO i
Subject: FT: Sub-postmasters fight back over Post Office accusations of fraud
Sub-postmasters fight back over Post Office
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accusations of fraud
Campaign group gets go ahead for collective legal action over alleged cash shortfalls
by: Michael Pooler
Almost 200 sub-postmasters will pursue collective legal action against the Post Office over what they claim
was a defective IT system that led to accusations of theft, fraud and false accounting.
The case concerns current and former sub-postmasters who ran some of the thousands of smaller post offices
across the country and became embroiled in a controversy over accounting discrepancies.
Some were prosecuted and even jailed as a result, while others lost their homes or fell into bankruptcy because
they were “wrongly” forced to pay back shortfalls from hundreds to thousands of pounds, say their lawyers.
Those affected have long blamed the Post Office’s Horizon computer system, used for recording day-to-day
financial transactions at branches, as the cause of the problems.
This is a very good day for the sub-postmasters who have suffered real hardship. The process has begun to get
justice for them and to hold the Post Office accountable for their actions
Their campaign has received a boost after the High Court in London granted a group litigation order. The final
bill for compensation could reach “tens of millions” of pounds depending on how many more people join
before the cut-off date of July 26, according to their law firm Freeths.
They also want the government-owned Post Office to accept responsibility for the IT system, the way they
were treated and its “refusal to properly investigate alleged shortfalls”.
The Post Office, which remained in public ownership after the privatisation of Royal Mail in 2013, has always
maintained there was no evidence of system-wide problems with the software.
Alan Bates, of the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance, said: “With Post Office Limited continuing to deny its
responsibilities despite overwhelming evidence of its failures, and successive governments hiding behind a
hands-off approach to its ownership of the business, JFSA has been left with no other option than to seek
redress through the courts.”
James Hartley, partner at Freeths, said: “This is a very good day for the sub-postmasters who have suffered
real hardship. The process has begun to get justice for them and to hold the Post Office accountable for their
actions.”
The Post Office said it “welcome[d] the progress made” but would not comment on live litigation.
A mediation scheme set up by the Post Office in 2013 was accused by MPs of mishandling compensation.
claims to sub postmasters, while a forensic accounting firm later said the company failed to properly
investigate the cause.
The escalation of legal action comes at a delicate time for the Post Office. Last year saw the first all-out strikes
since the 1970s against closures of the larger outlets it directly manages, redundancies and pension cuts.
Most of the Post Office’s 11,600 branches are already run by the private sector and it wants to outsource
dozens more as the government reduces subsidies to the lossmaking organisation.
Department for
Business, Energy
& Industrial Strategy
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Claire French
Senior Media Officer — Labour Markets and
7" Floor, 1 Victoria Street, London, SW1H OET
www.gov.uk/beis I https://twitter.com/beisgovuk