UKG100047866
UKGI00047866
Sent: Sun 03/05/2020 5:54:24 PM (UTC)
To: Watson, Richard - UKG'
Ce: Mcinnes, Tim - UK GRO } Scott, Joshua -
Subject: FW: Post Office: Convicted Sub-Postmasters: Potential Substantial Exposure
Richard
FYI. You don’t seem to have been copied.
Tom
From: Creswell, Carl (Professional Business Services, Retail & Post Directorate) a
Sent: 30 April 2020 18:15
To: Jackson, Louise (Legal
Munby, Sarah (BEIS) ¢
Patel, Vanisha (Finance & Portfoli
Permanent Secretary
Taylor, Tom (Finance & Portfolio)
Cc: Cooper, Tom - UKGI
McInnes, Tim - UKGI
Subject: RE: Post Office:
Brooks-White (Jobshare)
‘onvicted Sub-Postmasters: Potential Substantial Exposure
OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE: COMMERCIAL
Hi Louise,
Thanks for this.
POL confirmed during our shareholder meeting this afternoon that they have appointed two QCs to assess
and test Herbert Smith’s assessment (from a civil law and malicious prosecution angle). The model that
Herbert Smith has used was developed as part of the GLO settlement.
In order to get a clearer assessment of the potential exposure, much will depend on the content of the
CCRC’s statement of reasons. POL expects to receive that at the end of May. They are then likely to
request an extension beyond the usual 28 days for their formal response to the Court of Appeal, which
they think will be accepted.
The Minister expressed his disappointment, as you can imagine, and emphasised how important it is for
POL to share information with us.
Carl.
de Carl Creswell
we Director, Professional & Business Services, Retail and
Department for
Business, Energy
& Industrial Strategy Orchard 2, 1 Victoria Street, London SW1H OET
www.gov.uk/beis I https://twitter.com/beisgovuk
From: Jackson, Louise (Legal)
UKG100047866
UKGI00047866
Sent: 30 April 2020 10:00
To: Creswell, Carl (Professional Business Services, Retail & Post Directorate)
Secretary’ Munby, Sarah (BEIS) 7
(Finance & Portfolio) Patel, Vanisha (Finance & Portfolio)
Kilgarriff, Patrick (Legal) £ 7-7 Corera, Jane (Legal}.
Cc: Cooper, Tom - UKGI rooks-White (Jobshare):
Tim - UKGI {~
Subject: RE: Post Office: Convicted Sub-Postmasters: Potential Substantial Exposure
; Permanent
Taylor, Tom
SRS.
OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE: COMMERCIAL
Carl,
Thank you for sharing this. It would be good for POL to ask Herbert Smith to do some risk based analysis of real
exposure — as opposed to the top end they have identified?
Louise
Louise Jackson
Deputy Director, Competition, Consumer and Postal Services Team
BEIS Legal Advisers, Government Legal Department
Orchard 2, Lower Ground Floor, 1 Victoria Street, London SW1H OET
Working Pattern: I am full time but do not work on Wednesday afternoons and usually work from home on a Friday.
Id.digital
or ia — our online legal service
From: Creswell, Carl (Professional Business Services, Retail & Post Directorate) f
Sent: 29 April 2020 17:01
To: Permanent Secretary
Taylor, Tom (Finance & Portfolio)i GRC
; Kilgarriff, Patrick (Legal)
Corera, Jane (Legal):
Munby, Sarah (BEIS) ¢.
Patel, Vanisha (Finance & Portfolio)
7} Jackson, Louise (Legal)
Cc: Cooper, Tom - UKGI
Tim - UKGI
Subject: Post Office: Convicted Sub-Postmasters: Potential Substantial Exposure
Importance: High
; Brooks-White (Jobshare}, ; McInnes,
OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE: COMMERCIAL
All:
You should see the attached letter, which provides more detail on the additional past prosecutions that
Post Office Ltd has identified. The letter includes an eye-watering maximum liability that they might be
exposed to.
Minister Scully is meeting POL’s leadership for the Quarterly Shareholder meeting tomorrow afternoon and
we are briefing him to express disappointment and put pressure on POL to ask for more information ahead
of our putting advice to Ministers. Vanisha in BEIS Finance is going to review and discuss with Tom
Taylor.
Thanks,
Carl.
UKG100047866
UKGI00047866
aw Carl Creswell
Director, Professional & Business Services, Retail and
Department for
Business, Energy
& Industrial Strategy “Orchard reet, London SW1H OET
www.gov.uk/beis I https://twitter.com/beisgovuk
From: Scully, Minister (Private Office):
Sent: 29 April 2020 13:07
To: Creswell, Carl (Professional Business Services, Retail & Post Directorate)
White (Jobshare) [ GRO Vandini, Cecilia (Advanced Manufacturing ar and Services)
Subject: Convicted Sub-Postmasters: Potential Substantial Exposure
HI Beth & Eleanor,
Please find attached a letter from Tim Parker to the Minister regarding the Post Office’s financial exposure resulting
from the number of cases potentially being referred from the CCRC to the appeal courts. Clearly we'll need to draft a
response for the Minister to send — could you please advise on whether this is best to send before or after the
shareholder meeting tomorrow? Could I also please ask that the letter and suggested handling is referenced in the
meeting briefing in case raised?
Many thanks,
Sam
Samantha Rice
Senior Private Secretary to Paul Scully MP.
D fi Minister for Small Business, Consumers & Labour Markets
lepartment or Minister for London
Business, Energy Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
1 Victoria Street, London, SW1H OET
& Industrial Strategy
From: Tim Parker
Sent: 29 April 202
To: Scully, Minister (Private Office)
Subject: Convicted Sub-Postmasters:
tential Substantial Exposure
Dear Minister,
I attach a letter for you attention.
Kind regards,
FEES OSES HESS ES ESSE SESS nara aa iar iar incr
UKG100047866
UKGI00047866
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