WITN10200111
WITN10200111
To: NEVILLE-ROLFE, Barone:
From: Neville-Rolfe MPST[/O=BIS PI NNGE ADMINISTRATIVE
(FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/CN=RECIPIENTS/CN=! 6F2B04F873D84BADBGA80D880A549FC3- -ROLFEMPST]
Sent: Fri 07/08/2015 4:50:18 PM (UTC)
Subject: For action / routine: Post office letters
150806 Post Office Horizon letter to Bridgen and Jones.docx
Minister
Attached for your clearance / comment is the letter to go to Andrew Bridgen and Kevan Jones on Horizon. I think it is a good letter,
and the tone is firm but not defensive. We can send it out with your e-signature if you would like it to go before 19 August.
I also recommend the following email to Ron Warmington of Second Sight — this is mentioned in your letter to Andrew Bridgen.
Ron Warmington has sent a number of emails — to George Freeman, to the Prime Minister, and to you — and has not received a
response. I have spoken to George Freeman’s office and we think it is best that you respond and he doesn't, given you are the
policy Minister. Officials (Laura and Richard) therefore suggest the following email:
Dear Mr Warmington
Thank you for your email of Tuesday 4 August regarding the Post Office and attaching correspondence you have sent to George
Freeman MP and to the Prime Minister. I am replying as the Minister responsible for the Post Office. I have read with interest your
“Part Two briefing report” and the accompanying response from Post Office Limited.
I would first like to pass on my thanks for the work that you and your colleagues have undertaken in considering so thoroughly the
issues that have been raised concerning the Post Office’s Horizon IT system. Your work will enable each of the individuals who have
raised concerns with Post Office Limited to understand better what has happened in each individual case.
lam also pleased that, where your investigations have highlighted areas for concern, Post Office have committed to addressing
them and making improvements, particularly around the training and support they provide to subpostmasters.
I understand your concerns that your work should not be misrepresented. It is however reasonable to say that no evidence of
systemic flaws — that is to say, consistently recurring faults — has been identified within the Horizon system, either through your
investigations or through the regular testing, audit and accreditation processes that all large IT systems are subject to. As you say,
your work looks wider than the IT system, and where problems have been identified in individual circumstances, those are best
resolved directly between the two parties involved.
The Government, as the sole shareholder of Post Office Limited, wants to make sure that the Post Office network is successful and
sustainable across the country. We recognise that the Post Office is a commercial business and we allow it to operate as such, but
of course, we expect it to behave fairly and responsibly in doing so.
Post Office has demonstrated that it takes seriously its responsibilities to subpostmasters and is committed to ensuring that those
individuals who have raised concerns can benefit from mediation, where that is appropriate. The Government hopes that all
individuals who have been offered mediation will do so, in the knowledge that they have the benefit of your investigations to
inform them during that process. Where mediation is not appropriate, or where an individual chooses not to mediate, they remain
able to pursue other routes for resolution (where, again, they can benefit from your findings on their individual case).
Thank you again for raising this with me.
Warm regards
Lucy
Please let me know your thoughts. Ron Warmington wrote to your Parliamentary email account directly so you can respond to him
directly if you wish. Alternatively, I can send this to him on your behalf.
Harriet