Information Rights Unit
HM Treasury
1 Horse Guards Road
London
SW1A 2HQ
Eleanor Shaikh
020 7270 5000
xxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
www.gov.uk/hm-treasury
26 March 2021
Ref: FOI2021/09317
Dear Ms Shaikh
Freedom of Information Act 2000
Thank you for your enquiry of 8 March 2021, which we have considered under the terms
of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the FOI Act).
You asked for the following information:
“According to oral evidence given by Post Office’s CE to the DTI Select Committee
in December 1998, a review was at the time being undertaken by the Treasury into
its Horizon project:
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199899/cmselect/cmtrdind/113/113e11.ht
m (para 109)
According to a Memorandum submitted by ICL to support its oral evidence to the
1999 DTI Select Committee Inquiry into Horizon, a senior Treasury official, Steve
Robson, was appointed in late January 1999 with the PM’s authority to assess the
project:
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199899/cmselect/cmtrdind/530/9061409.h
tm (Para 16)
I would be most grateful if you would release the reports of each of the above
reviews.”
Following a search of our records, we can confirm that HM Treasury does not hold
information within the scope of your request.
Given the age of the material you are requesting, the UK Government Website Archive may
hold information relevant to your request. Since the Horizon Working Group you mention
was an intergovernmental group, you may wish to search with reference to the different
departments involved in that work. You can carry out your own searches at the link below:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/webarchive/
If you have any queries about this letter, please contact us. Please quote the reference
number above in any future communications.
Yours sincerely
Information Rights Unit
Copyright notice
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including this letter, continue to be protected by Crown copyright. This is because they will
have been produced by Government officials as part of their work. You are free to use
these documents for your information, for any non-commercial research you may be doing
and for news reporting. Any other re-use, for example commercial publication, will require
the permission of the copyright holder. Crown copyright is managed by The National
Archives and you can find details on the arrangements for re-using Crown copyright
material at: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/re-using-public-
sector-information/uk-government-licensing-framework/crown-copyright
/
Your right to complain under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
If you are not happy with this reply, you can request a review by writing to HM Treasury,
Information Rights Unit, 1 Horse Guards Road, London SW1A 2HQ or by emailing us at the
address below. Any review request must be made within 40 working days of the date of
this letter.
Email: xxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
It would assist our review if you set out which aspects of the reply concern you and why
you are dissatisfied.
If you are not content with the outcome of the review, you may apply directly to the
Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the Commissioner will not make a
decision unless you have exhausted the complaints procedure provided by HM Treasury
which is outlined above.
The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s
Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF (or via their website at:
https://ico.org.uk).