Eleanor Shaikh
18 April 2024
Post Office
100 Wood Street
London EC2V 9ER
request-1095417-
Your Ref:
xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
Classification:
Public
Dear Eleanor Shaikh,
Freedom of Information Request – FOI2024/00370
We are writing in response to your email received by Post Office Limited (“
Post
Office”) on 1 March, which has been dealt with under the terms of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (“
FOIA”). We apologise for the delay in responding.
In your email you have requested the information shown verbatim in bold below:
“
Sub-Postmasters with shortfall disputes relating to the current version of
Horizon, HNG-A, are ineligible to pursue compensation through the Horizon
Shortfall Scheme and are instead directed to the Post Office’s Claims Review
Team.
Please can you disclose:
i)
How many shortfall disputes of £10,000 or above have been assessed
by the Claims Review Team since the launch of HNG-A?
ii)
ii) In how many of these cases has the Sub-Postmaster been referred to
the CPS or equivalent authority for prosecution?
iii)
In how many of these cases has the Post Office accepted liability for the
shortfall?
iv)
In how many of the cases in which the Post Office has accepted liability
for the shortfall, has it offered compensation to the Sub-Postmaster?”
Page 1 of 3
Post Office Limited is registered in England and Wales. Registered No. 2154540.
Registered Office 100 Wood Street, London WC2V 7ER
postoffice.co.uk
Post Office and the Post Office logo are registered trade marks of Post Office Limited.
We can confirm that Post Office does not hold the information you have requested.
The Claims Review Team are responsible for reviewing claims submitted as part of
the Horizon Shortfall Scheme and as such relating to the Legacy Horizon and HNG-
`X. Therefore, they have not reviewed any claims relating to HNG-A.
In relation to HNG-A Postmasters can instigate a review of a discrepancy arising
during the trading period end process through Horizon or by phone to our support
centre. Information about the process can be found on our website here:
https://corporate.postoffice.co.uk/en/horizon-scandal-pages/improving-our-systems-
and-processes/. Post Office has not referred anyone to the Crown Prosecution Service and would not
do so. In cases of suspected criminal activity, Post Office will make a crime report to
the police, provide them with evidence, and then support any resulting police
investigation.
Under our duty to assist and clarify under s.16 FOIA, Post Office undertook a private
prosecution in the financial year 2018/19, but the subject did not relate to Horizon,
nor was the defendant a Postmaster or person working in a Post Office branch. Post
Office has not undertaken any private prosecutions related to Horizon since 2015.
If you are dissatisfied with the handling of this response, you do have a right to
request an internal review. You can do this by writing to the address above within 40
working days of receipt of this response stating your reasons for your internal review
request or alternatively, by emaili
ng xxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xx.xx. If, having requested an internal review by Post Office, you are still not satisfied with
our response you also have a right of appeal to the Information Commissioner at:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
www.ico.org.uk/foicomplaints
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postoffice.co.uk
Classification
Yours sincerely,
Information Rights Team
xxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xx.u
k
https://corporate.postoffice.co.uk/en/governance/access-to-information/access-to-
information/
Post Office Limited is committed to protecting your privacy, information about
how we do this can be found on our website at www.postoffice.co.uk/privacy
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postoffice.co.uk
Classification
