Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government on what occasions the Secretary of State for the Department of Business and Trade has met, spoken with or corresponded with representatives of Fujitsu, since July 2024.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Details of the meetings held by Ministers of the Department for Business and Trade and its predecessor the Department for International trade are available on transparency pages of gov.uk and are released as part of the Government’s transparency agenda.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many meetings have taken place between the Department for Business and Trade and Fujitsu concerning Fujitsu making a financial contribution to the Post Office Horizon compensation scheme.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Department for Business and Trade officials have met with Fujitsu three times since the General Election to discuss Fujitsu’s contribution to the cost of the Horizon scandal.
The Government welcomes the fact that Fujitsu has acknowledged their moral obligation to make a contribution to the cost of redress. Once Sir Wyn Williams has delivered his report following the conclusion of the statutory Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry, the Department will consider his findings and take appropriate action.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, if any, with Fujitsu regarding a tender for the contract to replace the Post Office Horizon system.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Post Office have a contract with Fujitsu until March 2025 for the Horizon IT system, and are in negotiations with Fujitsu regarding an extension to that contract. Officials at the Department have met with Fujitsu to discuss the importance of a contract extension, which would allow continuity of service in post office branches while Post Office develops a replacement to the Horizon system.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Fujitsu regarding payment of compensation by the company because of their involvement in the Post Office Horizon scandal.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government welcomes the fact that Fujitsu has acknowledged their moral obligation to make a contribution to the cost of redress. At the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry the UK head of Fujitsu stated that he is willing and ready to engage with Government on the size of the contribution. Once the statutory Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry has reviewed all the evidence and the Chair, Sir Wyn Williams, has delivered his report, the Department will consider his findings and take appropriate action.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2024 to Question 24406 on Export Credit Guarantees, whether (a) a Minister or (b) an official in her Department has unilaterally proposed a 100% guarantee in advance of negotiations with a company.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Department of Business and Trade has not unilaterally proposed a 100% guarantee to any company.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will publish the (a) Master Services Agreement and (b) Mails Distribution Agreement between Royal Mail Group and Post Office Limited signed in January 2012.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
It would not be appropriate for the Government to publish the agreed terms. The Master Services Agreement and Mails Distribution Agreement are commercial agreements that were negotiated by Royal Mail (RM) and Post Office Limited (POL), at arm's length, designed to govern the ongoing relationship between the businesses.
The Master Services Agreement was a transitional document dealing with the separation of POL and RM ensuring POL retained access to certain key functions while it developed its own standalone capabilities appropriate to an independent business.
The Mails Distribution Agreement governs the retail mail and parcels services offered by POL on behalf of RM, including commercial terms.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 19 February 2024 to Question 13544 on Export Credit Guarantees, whether (a) her Department or (b) UK Export Finance has unilaterally proposed a 100% guarantee in advance of negotiations with a company.
Answered by Greg Hands
UK Export Finance has not unilaterally proposed a 100% guarantee in considering requests by applicants for its support.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how export development guarantees are scrutinised.
Answered by Greg Hands
UK Export Finance (UKEF) undertakes appropriate financial and other due diligence on all applications for its support. Further information on the eligibility criteria for the Export Development Guarantee is provided online at Export Development Guarantee - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Information on UKEF’s governance and due diligence can also be found in its Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 19 February 2024 to Question 13545, whether legal advice has been sought on providing a 100% guarantee on lending to a company under the Export Development Guarantee.
Answered by Greg Hands
HM Government does not comment on ongoing commercial discussions.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 7 February 2024 to Question 12549, whether the proposed £200 million guaranteed loan facility for Harland & Wolff under the Export Development Guarantee Scheme is compliant with the Subsidy Control Act 2022; and whether legal advice has been sought on this matter.
Answered by Greg Hands
For reasons of commercial sensitivity, UK Export Finance does not comment on ongoing commercial discussions.