WITNO7580100
WITNO7580100
Witness Name: lan Stuart Lakin
Statement No.: WITNO7580100
Dated: OS I ot I 2028
POST OFFICE HORIZON IT INQUIRY
FIRST STATEMENT OF IAN STUART LAKIN
I, IAN STUART LAKIN, will say as follows...
INTRODUCTION
1. Asa former employee of Post Office Limited, I have been formally requested
to provide a witness statement under Rule 9 of the Inquiry Rules 2006. The
request was made on 24 January 2023.
2. I was employed by Post Office Limited from June 1989 to June 2017
3. The Inquiry understands that I worked as a Service Support Advisor at the
Network Business Support Centre ("NBSC’”), this is inaccurate. During my
employment with Post Office Limited I have never held the role of Service
Support Advisor at the Network Business Support Centre (“NBSC’). I have
Page 1 of 6
WITNO7580100
WITNO7580100
never held the role of Service Support Advisor full stop. The posts that I have
held whilst employed by Post Office Limited are set out below.
. This statement has been produced from my recollections covering my 28
years of continuous employment. All of the questions that I have been asked
to cover by the Inquiry within this statement, have been answered as fully and
as honestly as I am able. I have been assisted by Herbert Smith Freehills LLP
(“HSF”). HSF are representing Post Office Limited as a Core Participant in the
Inquiry.
BACKGROUND
The Inquiry has asked that I set out my professional background, including
roles I had whilst working for Post Office Limited. I was employed by Post
Office Limited between June 1989 and June 2017.
. Between June 1989 and December 1991, I worked at Fitzallen Square Post
Office in Sheffield as a Counter Clerk, carrying out all duties required of
holding such a customer facing position e.g., paying out Pension and other
DWP related benefits, selling of mails, bill payment, passport services offered
by Post Office Limited at the time.
. From January 1992 to December 1992, I worked in a back-office role as a
Cash Management clerk. My main responsibility was to help drive investment
holdings on the overnight money markets by setting Post Offices individual
therefore bespoke to them overnight cash holdings.
. From January 1993 to October 1993, I worked on as a project support to the
Notes Held To Order project. My main responsibility was setting up transport
Page 2 of 6
WITNO7580100
WITNO7580100
runs to move notes, coins and stock around the country both internally within
Post Office Limited but externally with other large financial institutions such as
the Bank of England and other high street banks.
From November 1993 to August 2023, I worked as a Finance Business
Partner across various internal teams. The role of Finance Business Partner
was a managerial role. My main responsibilities were the production of
monthly management reporting packs on spend, production of annual budgets
and plans, producing investment appraisal business cases, face to face
partnership meetings, line management of staff and their development and
period end accounting. This was all whilst working for the Finance Function.
10. From September 2003 to December 2003, I worked as Budget and Strategy
1
Planning Manager. My main responsibilities were to collate all annual
budgets from the business and present to the Board. Face to face meetings
with stakeholders regarding the annual budgetary process and cascade of
materials. This was whilst working for the Finance Function.
From January 2004 to January 2005, I worked as Investment Appraisal
Manager. My main responsibilities were to carry out checks on the financial
model against set hurdle rates, seeking Director approval and providing help
and support across the business to colleagues wanting to submit business
cases. This was whilst working for the Finance Function.
12. From January 2005 to January 2006, I worked as a Risk Manager. My main
responsibilities were to work closely with Group Risk to maintain the Risk
Register for Post Office Limited, carry out internal audit activities including
drafting of terms of reference, reports and recommendations, analysis of data
including root cause and corrective actions. This was whilst working for the
Page 3 of 6
WITNO7580100
WITNO7580100
Finance Function. From January 2006 to January 2008, I worked as
Telephony Product and Billing Manager. My main responsibilities were to
collect debt and carry out debt management activities, bill external 3rd party
customers for services provided, line management of staff and their
development and period end accounting. This was all whilst working for the
Finance Function.
13.From January 2008 to September 2010, I worked as a Business Analyst. My
main responsibilities were project management of small projects such as
introducing AUDDIS (enables organisation to send new Direct Debits
instructions to customers) into the Treasury function, drafting “as is” and “to
be” documents, close working relationships with 3rd party outsourced IT and
Banking suppliers (SAP system) and back end accounting system verification
once the projects went live. This was whilst working for the Finance Function.
14. From September 2010 to December 2010, I worked as a Finance Business
Partner. See paragraph 10 above for main responsibilities. This was whilst
working for the Finance Function.
15. From December 2010 to January 2013, I worked as a Finance Manager. My
main responsibilities were line management of staff and their development,
management of SAP system access requests, management of the period end
accounting process and management of the Agent Business Plan process.
This was whilst working for the Finance Function.
16. From February 2013 to June 2017, I worked as a Tax Compliance Manager.
My main responsibilities were completing VAT, Corporation Tax and
Employment Tax compliance, Senior Accounting Officer documentation,
Money Market and Corporate Deposit fund dealing and systems accountant
Page 4 of 6
WITNO7580100
WITNO7580100
role in the introduction of a new SAP system including “AS IS” and “TO BE”
documentation. This was whilst working for the Finance Function.
17.1n June 2017 I left the employment of Post Office Limited. I have not worked
for the company since. I have worked for Provident Financial Services
between July 2017 and August 2021, as Tax and Management Accounts
Manager. In August 2017 I joined Card Factory as their Group Tax Manager,
leaving them in December 2022. In January 2023 I joined Medical Protection
Society as their Group Tax Manager, where I remain employed at the date of
this statement.
18.1 am unable to answer the question that the Inquiry has asked regarding any
“training and/or instruction in relation to the Horizon IT project and/or working
in the NBSC’, on the basis that I have never held the position of Service
Support Advisor at the Network Business Support Centre (“NBSC’).
19.1 am unable to answer the sub questions that the Inquiry has asked as part of
the “describe your experiences working in the NBSC’, on the basis that I have
never held the position of Service Support Adviser at the Network Business
Support Centre (“NBSC”).
20.1 am unable to answer the question that the Inquiry has asked under the “in
your view, did the NBSC provide adequate support’, on the basis that I have
never held the position of Service Support Advisor at the Network Business
Support Centre ("NBSC’).
21.1 am unable to answer the question that the Inquiry has asked under the “were
you aware of any bugs, errors or defects”, as I have never held the position of
Service Support Advisor at the Network Business Support Centre (“NBSC’).
Page 5 of 6
WITNO7580100
WITNO7580100
22.1 was not directly involved at any stage of my employment with Post Office
Limited, in the concept, in the design, in the planning, in the implementation,
in the testing or in the monitoring of the Horizon IT system. I have never used
the Horizon IT system.
Statement of Truth
I believe the content of this statement to be true.
GRO
Page 6 of 6