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Witness Name: David Walton
Statement No: WITN06980100
Dated: 21st March 2023
POST OFFICE HORIZON IT INQUIRY
FIRST STATEMENT OF DAVID WALTON
1, David Walton, will say as follows...
INTRODUCTION
14. 1am a former employee of Fujitsu and held the position of General Manager
Call Centre Services
2. This witness statement is made to assist the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry (the
‘Inquiry’) with the matters set out in Rule 9 Request dated 20 January 2023
(the ‘Request’)
BACKGROUND
3. I have been asked to set out 1, My professional background 2, any training in
relation to the Horizon IT Project and/or Horizon Helpdesk 3, my experiences
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working with HSH/HSD 4, my view as to whether adequate support was
provided to subpostmasters 5, whether I was aware of any bugs errors or
defects with the system and 6, anything else I think the Chair should be aware
of.
. My professional background is that of an Operations Customer Service
Director, Prior to Fujitsu I worked for American Express for 9 years. My only
Role at ICL/Fujitsu was that of General Manager Call Centre /Help Desk
Services from March 1998 to February 2001. The role was overseeing the
European Help Desk Operation which was over 1000 people in 3 countries and
c 20 Separate Help Desks serving consumer and business customers
_ I do not recall having any training or instruction specific to the Horizon Project
or the HSH . In my position that would be the norm for all the helpdesks under
my remit.
. My working day would consist of meetings to discuss/review activities such as:
Help Desk Performance, Sales activity, Strategy setting, Planning, Profitability
Management, HR Issues.
. As the period in question is some 22 years ago I have only a vague recollection
of the Horizon/Pathway project. I didn’t retain any documents relating to HSH
or indeed any other helpdesks under my control.
. My recollection is that the HSH helpdesk was only a small part of my overall
responsibility. I would likely only have been directly involved in the day-to-day
operation of the helpdesk if there had been a significant problem and I do not
recall there being any during my tenure.
. The Help Desk would have had a manager with a group of team
Leaders/supervisors reporting to them. That Manager would have reported to
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a “Head of’ a number of Help Desks. That Head of would have reported to me.
I don’t recall any of the names of the people in those positions.
10.As far as I recall adequate support was provided to subpostmasters.
11.1 was not aware or was made aware of any bugs, errors or defects within the
Horizon IT system.
12. There isn’t anything else that I believe the Chair should be aware of. I’m sorry
that due to the considerable passage of time I cannot be more helpful to the
inquiry.
Statement of Truth
I believe the content of this statement to be true.
Dated:__ 21/03/2023.
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