Fujitsu Under Fire for Failing to Fund Post Office Scandal Compensation
Fujitsu has come under intense criticism from a parliamentary committee for refusing to contribute financially to the nearly £1.5 billion redress bill for victims of the Post Office Horizon scandal. The Business and Trade Committee (BTC) has highlighted serious structural failings in the compensation process, despite over 11,500 claimants having received approximately £1.48 billion by late February.
Thousands Still Awaiting Justice
Thousands of sub-postmasters continue to wait for fair compensation, facing delays, inadequate offers, and administrative procedures that retraumatise those already wronged. BTC chairman Liam Byrne stated that this situation is unacceptable following one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British history.
"Worse, Fujitsu has yet to contribute a penny to the nearly £2 billion redress bill, even as it continues to benefit from public contracts," Byrne emphasised. "That cannot continue. It is simply wrong that taxpayers are covering the costs for Fujitsu’s sins while Fujitsu is still profiting from taxpayers-funded contracts."
Fujitsu's Moral Obligation
The committee noted that while Fujitsu has acknowledged a moral obligation to contribute to redress costs and expressed commitment to do so, the company has made no interim payment nor agreed to any specific figure. Fujitsu continues to supply its IT system to the Post Office and various government departments through multiple contracts.
A Fujitsu spokeswoman responded: "We continue to work with UK Government to ensure we adhere to the voluntary restrictions we put in place regarding bidding for new contracts while the Post Office Inquiry is ongoing, and are engaged with Government regarding Fujitsu’s contribution to compensation."
Government Contracts and Hidden Deals
Byrne revealed on BBC Radio 4's Today programme that ministers should demand an interim payment from Fujitsu immediately. He accused the company of trying to evade responsibility, stating they are being allowed to get away with it.
The MP also suggested the government attempted to conceal awarding half a billion pounds' worth of contracts to Fujitsu after the scandal emerged. While acknowledging some contracts involve critical state services like the Ministry of Defence, Byrne stressed it is fundamentally unjust for Fujitsu to contribute nothing to the redress bill.
Broader Concerns and Earlier Systems
The committee expressed concern about new evidence indicating unsafe convictions linked to earlier systems like Capture might represent only the tip of another iceberg. Byrne called for Parliament to act swiftly to quash these convictions and ensure all victims receive deserved justice.
A compensation scheme for sub-postmasters forced to repay shortfalls from the faulty Capture accounting system was launched last year. The overall redress cost is projected to reach around £2 billion once legal, administrative, and Capture system payments are included.
Post Office and Government Responses
A Post Office spokeswoman said they would review the committee's recommendations and continue working closely with the government. "We welcome the scrutiny of the committee and its commitment to ensuring full, fair and timely redress is paid to those harmed during the Horizon scandal," she stated, noting 87% of eligible Horizon Shortfall Scheme applications have received offers with £882 million paid.
A government spokeswoman acknowledged the scandal's human impact and increased payouts sixfold. "We welcome today’s report and agree that it is crucial that Fujitsu meets its moral obligation to contribute to the total costs of the scandal, and will publish our response to its recommendations shortly," she concluded.
