Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry - public hearing sessions: expression of interest registration 2020/2021

Overview

The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry will hold public hearing sessions in 2 stages over the next 6 months:

• Stage 1 - will be 'hearing from those affected' taking place from January to March 2021
• Stage 2 - will be 'hearing from the organisations' taking place in May 2021.

In stage 1 sessions Sir Wyn welcomes persons impacted by the Horizon dispute to attend focus group sessions where participants are invited to share their stories of the human cost. Sir Wyn hopes to hear from current and former postmasters, employees of the Post Office Limited, relevant third parties (including but not limited to contractors and/or those who have represented postmasters’ interests, or who have been involved in mediation and/or dispute resolution processes with the Post Office Limited) and the family or friends of these groups.

In stage 2 sessions Sir Wyn will hear from the organisations by calling on participants from senior positions at the Post Office Limited, Fujitsu and the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. 

Why your views matter

The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry follows the conclusion of the group litigation involving postmasters and Post Office Limited in December 2019, and the Prime Minister's commitment on 26th February 2020 to hold an Inquiry.

As both postmasters and the Post Office Limited seek to make progress toward a better professional relationship the Inquiry aims to achieve through its engagement approach an:

• understanding of the impacts that the Horizon IT system caused.
• Acknowledgement of the personal experiences of those who have worked with the Horizon system and were affected by it.
• Provide a public summary of the above through the publication of a report in Summer 2021 which will also make findings of both the failings and the improvements at Post Office Limited over the Horizon lifecycle.

This will occur through the Inquiry seeking accounts from those affected (including but not limited to postmasters) and testimonies from the organisations: the Post Office Limited, Fujitsu and the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. 

The Inquiry will also be launching a Call for Evidence in late November and a People Survey (to current postmasters and Post Office Limited employees, and contractors) in early 2021 where Sir Wyn will welcome further evidence.  

What happens next

The Secretariat will be in touch with you following your completion of the expression of interest form to schedule a date of attendance for the hearing sessions.