John O'Sullivan
Date
05 July 2023
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
Post Office
Ground Floor
Finsbury Dials
20 Finsbury Street
London EC2Y 9AQ
Classification:
Public
Dear John O'Sullivan,
Freedom of Information Request – FOI2023/00243
We are writing in response to your email received by Post Office Limited (“
Post
Office”) on 4 May, which has been dealt with under the terms of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (“
FOIA”) in which you requested the information shown
below:
“
In evidence to Sir Wyn Williams this week Anne Chambers has explained how
in 2004,2011 and at other times she corrected altered or inserted data into SPM
branches remotely.Why in 2015 did PV ask this" "What is the true answer? I
hope it is that we know it is not possible and that we are able to explain why
that is. I need to say no it is not possible and that we are sure of this because of
xxx [sic] and we know this because we had the system assured." What replies
did Paula Vennells receive to these questions and who supplied them?What was
xxx(sic)?”
Post Office takes all FOI requests seriously and are keen to be as transparent as
possible in responding. In this instance, we have interpreted your request to relate
to an email sent by Paula Vennells internally in preparation for a BIS (now DBT)
Select Committee hearing in 2015.
Post Office Limited is registered in England and Wales. Registered No. 2154540.
Registered Office Finsbury Dials, 20 Finsbury Street, London, EC2Y 9AQ.
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postoffice.co.uk
Post Office and the Post Office logo are registered trade marks of Post Office Limited.
Following a reasonable and proportionate search for direct replies to this email, we
have been unable to locate any specific responses. We have however located some
information that was intended to be provided to Paula Vennells ahead of the BIS
Select Committee. Although we cannot be certain whether Paula Vennells ever
received this information, in the spirit of the FOIA and our commitment to
transparency, we are disclosing this information outside of FOIA as the information
appears to address the question raised.
Regarding remote access:
• Transaction data in branch accounts can’t be changed remotely and there is
no evidence of malicious tampering
• There is no functionality in Horizon for either a branch, PO or Fujitsu to edit,
manipulate or remove transaction data once it has been recorded in a
branch’s accounts
• There is also no evidence at all of any malicious remote tampering
An additional passage reads:
• There is no evidence from the work undertaken over the last 2 years that
Horizon does not work as it should – but every individual case is important
and is being handled properly
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 emailing 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
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postoffice.co.uk
Classification: Public
https://ico.org.uk
Yours sincerely,
Information Rights Team
xxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xx.xx
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: Public
