Fujitsu Executive Questions Horizon IT System's Reliability

During the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry, Fujitsu's European director Paul Patterson expressed doubts about the reliability of the Horizon system used by the UK Post Office, stating he was 'very worried' about the accuracy of its data.

Throughout the day, Patterson faced rigorous questioning regarding Fujitsu’s role in the scandal involving sub-postmasters falsely accused of financial discrepancies due to system faults.

Patterson highlighted three key failures by the company, including insufficient focus on the impacts to sub-postmasters and inadequate support for employees reporting issues.

Questions also centered on Fujitsu's delay in compensating affected individuals, to which Patterson cited the complexity of the situation and confirmed that the matter requires more resolution before actions can be taken.

Despite pledging Fujitsu’s commitment to contributing to a government redress scheme, specific compensation amounts were not discussed.

During her testimony, Kemi Badenoch, the former Business Secretary, expressed frustration with the government’s slow compensation process, attributing delays to bureaucratic challenges she termed as the ‘government machine’.

Badenoch also addressed the leak concerning the dismissal of former Post Office chair Henry Staunton, emphasizing her discontent over the incident.

The inquiry continues to scrutinize Fujitsu and the UK government's handling of the Horizon scandal in hopes of resolving outstanding issues and ensuring justice for affected sub-postmasters.