Scandal-hit Horizon system may ‘operate in Post Office branches for another five years’

1 June 2024, 07:47

The Horizon system is reportedly expected to run in the Post Office for another five years.
The Horizon system is reportedly expected to run in the Post Office for another five years. Picture: Alamy

By Jenny Medlicott

The Post Office has allegedly penned a £180 million deal to keep operating with Fujitsu’s scandal-hit Horizon system for another five years.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

More than 900 were wrongly prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 due to the faulty Horizon software. Some were even jailed for theft and false accounting.

The Post Office has been looking for a replacement system for next year, but Fujitsu is now expected to continue operating in branches for five more years, according to reports.

It comes after the Japanese firm said it would not apply for work with any more "new government customers".

Fujitsu’s contract was due to end by March 2025, with the Post Office hoping to replace the IT system by then.

Richard Trinder, who manages the victim campaign group Voice of the Postmaster, told The Telegraph: “We want the new system to be the right one when it does come in, so we understand that there needs to be a new system.

“However, it would have been nice to Fujitsu to do this work for free and donate the £180million to victims of the scandal.”

He added: “It is a possibility that people will be put off buying post offices if they know Horizon software is still installed.”

However, now the Post Office has reportedly extended the deadline to 2030 and has allegedly asked the Treasury for £1 billion in additional public money due to difficulties creating a sufficient in-house system, Computer Weekly reports.

Some 20 potential suspects at the Post Office have been identified, however, decisions on whether to bring charges are unlikely before 2026, according to The Guardian.

Read more: 'Selective amnesia': Alan Bates criticises Paula Vennells Post Office inquiry evidence

Read more: Crying Paula Vennells insists she ‘loved Post Office’ as she's accused of being in ‘la la land’ on final day of evidence

The Post Office could push back its deadline for a new contract to 2030.
The Post Office could push back its deadline for a new contract to 2030. Picture: Alamy

Earlier this week, it was reported that the police are planning to deploy 80 detectives for their criminal inquiry into the Post Office scandal, with staffing and resources “similar to a major murder or terrorism investigation”.

Investigators for the probe are yet to be recruited. Police have reportedly asked the government for a grant of at least £6.75m to fund the operation.

It comes after the former CEO of the Post Office Paula Vennells, who was chief from 2012 to 2019,  gave evidence at the Horizon Inquiry last week.

Ms Vennells was being questioned by victims' lawyers on her final day of giving evidence to the inquiry.

She said she "loved the Post Office" before starting to cry again. The former Post Office boss' first day of giving evidence was also punctuated by tearful episodes.

It comes after former Post Office CEO Paula Vennells gave evidence at the Horizon Inquiry last week.
It comes after former Post Office CEO Paula Vennells gave evidence at the Horizon Inquiry last week. Picture: Alamy

Fighting through the tears, Ms Vennells said: "I worked as hard as I possibly could to deliver the best Post Office for the UK."

The inquiry says it plans to issue its report in 2025, and then the police will need the following year to carry out their work.

MPs also finalised a Bill to quash convictions of theft, fraud, false accounting and other offences against su-postmasters and to scrub it from their records.

The Bill will apply in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, affecting those who were prosecuted by the Post Office, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) or Northern Ireland authorities in the years 1996 to 2018.

Scottish Parliament will pass its own law which is expected to have a similar outline.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

: An aerial view shows the scorched graveyard around a church following a large blaze the previous day, on July 20, 2022 in Wennington, Greater London

Londoners urged not to have barbecues this weekend amid soaring temperatures 'because of wildfire risk'

Lord Sugar labels Trump tariffs 'a disaster' as Apprentice star teases potential US Presidential meeting

Lord Sugar labels Trump tariffs 'a disaster' - as Apprentice star teases potential US Presidential meeting

Mother and two children struck and killed by a vehicle in Brooklyn, New York: driver operating suspended license

Husband left 'utterly bereft' after Brit mum and two daughters killed in New York car crash

The Nintendo Switch 2 will release on June 5, 2025

Nintendo Switch 2: Exciting reveal, but why is it more expensive here?

BRITAIN-FUNERAL-POLICE

Funeral director charged with 64 offences including fraud, theft and preventing 30 lawful burials

swallow-tail

Brits urged to 'stop mowing lawns' amid 'national butterfly crisis' with more than half of species in decline

Kyle Kitchen, 38, murdered eight-week-old Primose Kane

Dad who murdered daughter by violently shaking her as baby is jailed for life

Buildings that were destroyed during the Israeli ground and air operations in Gaza

Israel expands ground attack on Gaza to seize 'large areas' - despite pleas from hostage families

Douglas Clifton Brown, 56, tried to kill his estranged wife

Old Etonian who tried to murder his estranged partner by throwing her down a 240ft well is jailed for 24 years

Kaliyah Coa, 11, was reportedly down at the water when she was 'swept away'

Pictured: Missing 11-year-old 'swept away' while paddling in the River Thames

Hot cross buns could be scarce this Easter as farmers continue to protest against Rachel Reeves' 'tractor tax'.

Hot cross bun shortage looms as farmers escalate 'tractor tax' protests

Tanesha Melbourne-Blake was shot

Teenage girl shot dead during gang 'ride-out' following social media humiliation

Mother and two children struck and killed by a vehicle in Brooklyn, New York: driver operating suspended license

Brit mum and daughters, eight and five, killed in crash by driver who said 'I have the devil in me'

Deborah Gosling, donor Julie Wild’s twin sister, greets Corinne Hutton in an emotional first meeting

Hand transplant recipient hugs donor's sister in emotional first meeting

One Newcastle Fan proved his devotion to his club by getting a QR code tattoo - linking to a video of their cup final goal.

Newcastle Fan has QR code tattooed on leg linking to video of cup final goal - but rival fans work to get clip taken down

Fran Jones collapsed on court during a match in Colombia

British tennis star Fran Jones collapses during her match and leaves court in wheelchair