Post Office Horizon Scandal: Compensation Payments

Lord Beamish Excerpts

Tuesday 11th February 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Gustafsson (Lab)]

Fujitsu has acknowledged a moral obligation to support the Government in respect of the financial redress that should rightly be made to the victims of this scandal. We are awaiting the outcome of the Sir Win Williams review, which will go a long way to understanding the scale to which this financial contribution should be made. Ultimately, this will be made in the light of that evidence.

Regarding the ongoing relationship with Fujitsu, Fujitsu has agreed not to make new bids for business within government. That being said, there are existing relationships within departments with Fujitsu, where perhaps they feel that the necessary skills or capability is something that is uniquely held by Fujitsu. In those cases, the contracts may continue to exist, but ultimately that is a decision within the department.

[Lord Beamish (Lab)]

My Lords, I declare an interest as a member of the Government’s Horizon Compensation Advisory Board. The Government put in £1.8 billion to compensate victims—money that was not put in by the previous Government—to compensate victims of the Horizon scandal. Picking up on the question from the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Stirrup, on Fujitsu’s responsibility, I have been campaigning on this for many years, and we all knew nearly 15 years ago that company’s role in it. The inquiry clearly highlighted that as well. The Minister said that it had accepted that it had a moral obligation to pay compensation, but what discussions have the Government had with Fujitsu to start paying money forward? She says that it is not bidding for new contracts, but it is making multi-billion-pound profits from extensions of contracts, so may I urge the Minister to get it to the table as quickly as possible?

[Baroness Gustafsson (Lab)]

I think that urging is heard and encouraged. Having said that £1.8 billion has been set aside, I remind the House that this is not a limit or target; it is just the best estimate. Ultimately, the Government will do what they can to fully compensate the victims of this scandal. Fujitsu has an important role of being financially responsible for some of this, and there are ongoing conversations within the department and with Fujitsu. Ultimately, the outcome and report of the inquiry by Sir Wyn Williams will be an important determinant of this.