Put up Workplace scandal: Fujitsu agrees to talks about contributing to victims’ compensation

Fujitsu has agreed to start talks with the UK authorities on contributing to compensation for victims of the Put up Workplace scandal.

A whole lot of sub-postmasters have been falsely accused of stealing from their branches between 1999 and 2015.

Fujitsu developed the defective Horizon pc system answerable for misguided shortfalls in accounting which led to wrongful convictions. Additionally they supported the Put up Workplace in its prosecutions.

Greater than a 12 months in the past, Fujitsu boss Paul Patterson stated the corporate had a “ethical obligation” to contribute in the direction of redress for victims.

The UK authorities “welcomes Fujitsu’s repeated dedication to its ethical obligation to contribute” in the direction of compensation for the Horizon scandal victims, a joint assertion stated.

Forward of the completion of the inquiry into the scandal, the pair “agreed to progress discussions relating to Fujitsu’s contribution, acknowledging many events are concerned,” it added.

Officers will “proceed to have interaction with Fujitsu”, however the UK authorities is not going to be making a “working commentary” on discussions, the assertion stated.

It additionally stated the federal government is “grateful” for Fujitsu’s engagement with the Put up Workplace inquiry “and its continued deal with delivering its public providers commitments within the UK”.

‘Utter shame’

It comes because the widow of a Put up Workplace scandal sufferer, who acquired a compensation supply days after his loss of life, described her scenario as an “utter shame”.

Janet Walters, 68, misplaced her husband Terry in February – every week earlier than a letter arrived providing “lower than half” of his unique declare for monetary redress.

Terry Walters was one in all 555 sub-postmasters who received a authorized battle in opposition to the Put up Workplace in 2019.

Janet described the size of time many victims have needed to watch for a proposal of compensation as one other “scandal”.

“I’ve advised them I can’t settle for [the offer],” Janet advised Sky Information. “I believe it is an utter shame.

“It is a scandal what they did with the Horizon system, it is a scandal now due to the size of time it is taken [on redress].”

1000’s ready for compensation

New figures present greater than £768m has been now paid to greater than 5,100 victims throughout all redress schemes.

The Division for Enterprise and Commerce stated this was a “greater than tripling” of the entire quantity of redress paid since June 2024.

Learn extra:
Sub-postmasters nonetheless going via hell, says Alan Bates
Second Put up Workplace IT scandal expands

There are, nevertheless, nonetheless a whole bunch ready for compensation within the GLO (Group Litigation Order) scheme, with greater than 200 but to obtain full redress.

There are additionally greater than 4,000 but to be paid within the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS), though since final month, over 700 have acquired compensation.

In a separate assertion after the assembly in Japan, Mr Reynolds stated: “We should always remember the lives ruined by the Horizon scandal and no quantity of redress can take away that ache. However justice can and should be completed.

“This authorities is decided to carry these accountable to account and can proceed to make speedy progress on compensation and redress.

“Since we took workplace, we’ve got greater than tripled the entire quantity of redress paid to victims, and at present we took one other vital step in the direction of justice.”