All eyes on Fujitsu as Post Office Horizon scandal leaves taxpayer with hefty compensation bill
Pressure continues to mount on the Japanese IT giant Fujitsu to pay its share of compensation amid the ongoing Post Office public inquiry.
It comes after chancellor Rishi Sunak finally declared in the last few weeks that all the victims of the IT glitch would be compensated, which is likely to cost the taxpayer well beyond £1bn.
More than 700 branch managers were given criminal convictions between 2000 and 2014 when faulty accounting software called Horizon made it look as if money was missing. This caused significant trauma and financial ruin for many victims.
Whilst the public inquiry led by judge Sir Wyn Williams is expected to question Fujitsu witnesses in due course about its involvement, a 2019 court case brought by hundreds of postmasters already uncovered evidence of Fujitsu bugs in the Horizon computer system.
Labour MP Kate Osborne has said ministers should be “demanding some sort of financial assistance”, and criticised the government’s ongoing use of Fujitsu as a contractor.
It is understood that Fujitsu has failed to commit to any compensation to date.