WITN00370141 - Letter from Calum Greenhow to First Minister re: Request for response to questions regarding Scottish Postmasters affected by the Horizon scandal

Evidence on official site

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WITNO0370141

The voice of the
UK's post offices

By Email

16 January 2024

Dear First Minister

I am writing to you as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Federation of
SubPostmasters (NFSP), a professional not-for-profit trade association representing post
office operators responsible for approximately 8,500 post office branches throughout the UK.

The recent ITV drama highlighted in the public consciousness the largest miscarriage of
justice in the history of the UK. This miscarriage of justice extends to Scotland where, the
NFSP understands, approximately 100 prosecutions of SubPostmasters took place. Over and
above those prosecutions, SubPostmasters throughout Scotland fell victim to “shortfalls”
showing on the now discredited Horizon system and were subject to investigations, audits
and demands for payments by the Post Office of apparent shortfalls showing on Horizon

It is believed that many tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of pounds were paid by Scottish
SubPostmasters to the Post Office as a result of those investigations and audits in order to
avoid threatened legal action.

The NFSP is aware that significant questions have been raised in the UK and Scottish
Parliaments about the many issues arising since the ITV drama was aired. While the NFSP is
dealing with the Postal Affairs Minister in the UK Parliament regarding the miscarriages of
justice and Horizon, we are also concerned about the prosecutions which took place in
Scotland, where prosecutions are brought by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
(COPFS) rather than the private prosecution system in England & Wales. The NFSP therefore
requests your response to the following questions:

When and how it was that COPFS became aware that there were questions about
the reliability of Horizon data in prosecutions of SubPostmasters

When did a representative of the Post Office attend in Scotland to meet a
representative or representatives of COPFS regarding the use of Horizon data in
such prosecutions

National

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Who it was who attended that meeting frorn the Post Office and who attended
from COPFS

What was decided by COPFS in terms of prosecutions as a result of that meeting
When it was and why it was that no further prosecutions of SubPostmasters took
place where the prosecution relied on Horizon data

It is understood that prosecutions of SubPostmasters took place after the meeting
with the Post Office referred to above. Why was that?

What steps were taken by COPFS once it was recognised that the Horizon data was
not reliable in terms of a prosecution to review and address all such prosecutions
which had already taken place and which had resulted in convictions

What steps the Scottish Government and/or COPFS intend to take with regard to
the actions of the Post Office in attending Scottish sub-post offices to demand
payment of alleged “shortfalls’ showing on Horizon. The NFSP notes that at last
week's First Minister's Questions, the Scottish Labour leader Anas Sawar raised the
prospect of the Post Office being investigated for extortion in such cases. Are any
steps to be taken with regard to this issue?

The NFSP would be very happy to meet with you to discuss the issues above and arising from
the Post Office/Horizon scandal. As I am also a former SubPostmaster, my wife now runs the
Post Office and retail side, living in Scotland, such a meeting in Edinburgh would not be
difficult to arrange

Yours sincerely,

Calum Greenhow, CEO NFSP

National F: BN43 5AZ