Kemi Badenoch, the enterprise secretary, is searching for pressing talks with Fujitsu to thrash out a compensation package deal for sub-postmasters affected by the Post Office Horizon scandal.
Sky News has learnt that Ms Badenoch wrote to Takahito Tokita, the Japanese firm’s chief government, within the wake of an acknowledgement from Fujitsu bosses that it had a “moral obligation” to contribute to the compensation invoice.
In the letter, elements of which have been seen by Sky News, the minister wrote that she would “value the opportunity to discuss Fujitsu’s involvement in the Post Office Horizon scandal“.
“As you may know, my department is at the forefront of our government’s efforts to right the wrongs of the past.
“I’m dedicated to making sure that postmasters affected get the justice they deserve.”
“This is why the UK government announced new legislation last week, to overturn wrongful convictions and a plan to ensure swifter access to compensation.”
The scale of the eventual invoice stays unclear, though ministers have mentioned that the federal government has put aside £1bn to fund payouts to convicted and different affected sub-postmasters.
Government insiders imagine that Fujitsu can be put underneath strain to fund a considerable sum operating to tons of of hundreds of thousands of kilos after each it and the Post Office – which is owned by the federal government – lied and obstructed justice for a few years.
On Tuesday, Paul Patterson, Fujitsu’s European chief government, instructed MPs the corporate was “truly sorry” for its conduct, which has drawn renewed scrutiny after ITV broadcast Mr Bates vs the Post Office, a drama about what has been labelled Britain’s biggest-ever miscarriage of justice.
Kevin Hollinrake, the minister in Ms Badenoch’s division answerable for postal affairs, has been praised by a few of these concerned within the scandal for having repeatedly raised it in parliament whereas he was on the backbenchers.
Mr Hollinrake was additionally answerable for introducing £600,000 payouts final autumn for these whose convictions had been overturned.
He mentioned earlier this week that negotiations with the corporate can be centered on “maximising the contribution to the taxpayer”.
“It’s a very significant bill [which] may end up north of £1bn.
“We ought to anticipate individuals who contributed to this scandal to contribute financially.”
Nevertheless, both Alan Bates, the architect of the original efforts to expose the fraud against sub-postmasters, and Jo Hamilton, another of the victims highlighted in the ITV drama, have criticised the bureaucracy attached to the compensation process.
“I perceive that we’re awaiting the conclusions of the Williams inquiry, however forward of that I’d welcome a dialogue with you on the kind of response Fujitsu may make and the function you foresee Fujitsu taking part in in direction of securing justice for these affected,” Ms Badenoch added in her letter to Mr Tokita.
One supply mentioned that Ms Badenoch had been scheduled to satisfy Fujitsu officers throughout a go to to Japan final yr, however that talks had not taken place owing to diary clashes.
The Horizon contract is claimed to have earned £2.5bn for Fujitsu regardless of protracted and widespread warnings that the system was flawed.
To compound its function in creating the accounting software program on the coronary heart of the disaster, Fujitsu employees additionally gave proof as professional witnesses throughout personal prosecutions introduced by the Post Office.
The scandal has raised questions in regards to the behaviour of each the Japanese firm and the Post Office, in addition to the latter’s authorities shareholder physique answerable for its oversight.
Source: information.sky.com”