To be accused of dishonesty is quite a shocking thing especially when you believe you are innocent. In the recent past, the post office subpostmasters had to use a software system known as Horizon for accountancy. The accountancy system has been admitted to have a glitch. That is computerese for a mistake. The subpostmasters accused maintain that the discrepancies discovered some amounting to around £20,000, are due to software faults. Postmasters were then prosecuted for fraud and forced to plead guilty to avoid a bigger sentence.
Putting the accusation to oneside one must question the method adopted by the post office management. EACH accused postmater was told they were the only person who had the problem with the horizon software However that was found to be a lie since several hundred post masters were accused and prosecuted of the same crime. Most of those accused now have a criminal record and fine or prison sentence. This as voiced by a group of mp's has to be a massive injustice and national disgrace. Some mp's are asking for the management of the post office to be replaced. If you feel strongly about this issue write to your m p at
writetothem.Co.uk
see article below for details...
As reported by ComputerWeekly.com
MPs debated subpostmaster IT injustice claims
Karl FlindersTuesday 16 December 2014 15:23
A debate about the Post Office scheme to redress the grievances of subpostmasters, who have been fined and even imprisoned as a result of alleged problems with the accounting system they use, will be held on 17 December in Westminster Hall.
A 90-minute adjournment debate at 2.30pm will be held after James Arbuthnot, MP for Hampshire North East, applied successfully for a debate on the subject to be held in Parliament.
Last week, 140 MPs, led by Arbuthnot,removed their support for the Post Office investigation and mediation process for subpostmasters. This followed a loss of faith in the process.
In 2009, Computer Weekly revealed the stories of subpostmasters who had received heavy fines and even jail termsfor alleged false accounting, which they blamed on the Horizon accounting system provided by the Post Office.
Arbuthnot told Computer Weekly he hopes the debate will give his campaign the opportunity to “stop the Post Office acting as its own prosecutor” by bringing the cases to the government’s attention.
He also hopes the debate will ensure he can prevent any evidence collected in the investigation from being destroyed in the future and try to prevent the Post Office using the time passed since claims were made as a reason for not hearing them under the statute of limitations.
He will also call for a government review. Arbuthnot said: “I have been leading a group of over 140 MPs all of whom have constituents who have been subpostmasters affected by shortfalls which have mysteriously appeared during the course of their business and for which they have been made liable by the Post Office.
"This has led to enormous distress for the subpostmasters, who have lost their businesses and often their houses and had their reputations tarnished. I have been the coordinator of MPs who have for years been fighting for some form of redress to be available to those who have not committed any wrongdoing.”
“In recent months MPs have discovered that the Post Office was using the procedures of Mediation Scheme to argue that most of the cases giving rise to concern should not, despite what was agreed with MPs, be permitted to go through mediation. This was done without the Post Office’s telling MPs they were doing it,” he added.
Last week Arbuthnot announced he no longer supported the Post Office investigation.
“I will be continuing my campaign for justice in other ways.”
Although a fault has never been found with the Horizon software, there are questions over the processes that surround its use, including systems that interface with it and training.
Watch the debate live here at 2.30pm on Wednesday 17 December.
Bankruptcy, prosecution and disrupted livelihoods – postmasters tell their story
Postmasters form action group after accounts shortfall
Post Office theft case deferred over IT questions
Post Office faces legal action over alleged accounting system failures
85 subpostmasters seek legal support in claims against Post Office computer system
Post Office launches external review of system at centre of legal disputes
Post Office admits that Horizon system needs more investigation
Post Office announces amnesty for Horizon evidence
Post Office wants to get to bottom of IT system allegations
Investigation into Post Office accounting system to drill down on strongest cases
Post Office Horizon system investigation reveals concerns
End in sight for subpostmaster claims against Post Office's Horizon accounting system
Former Lord Justice of Appeal Hooper joins Post Office Horizon investigation
150 subpostmasters file claims over 'faulty' Horizon accounting system
Fresh questions raised over Post Office IT system's role in fraud cases
MPs blast Post Office over IT system investigation and remove backing
Why MPs lost faith in the Post Office's IT investigation, but vowed to fight on
Related Topics: IT suppliers, Business applications, Financial applications, IT for government and public sector, VIEW ALL TOPICS
Read More
RELATED CONTENT FROM COMPUTERWEEKLY.COM
MP accuses Post Office of acting "duplicitously" in IT investigationWhy MPs lost faith in the Post Office's IT investigation, but vowed to fight onPost Office Horizon system investigation reveals concernsMPs blast Post Office over IT system investigation and remove backingInvestigation into Post Office accounting system to drill down on strongest cases
No comments:
Post a Comment