MP Liam Byrne contacts Fujitsu to put actions behind the pledges it made to MPs, victims of the Post Office scandal and UK taxpayers
By
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Karl Flinders, Chief press reporter and senior editor EMEA
Released: 04 Apr 2024 11:00
Fujitsu needs to stop flexing guidelines, stop bidding for federal government agreements, spend for Post Office scandal damage and satisfy the kids of victims, the chair of the prominent House of Commons company and trade choose committee has actually required.
The IT company is implicated of hollow gestures as it continues to bid for profitable federal government agreements, stops working to concur a contribution to Post Office scandal expenses and is yet to fulfill the kids of victims.
The business, which provided the questionable Horizon software application, has actually remained in the background of the Post Office Horizon scandal for a quarter of a century, however has actually just been displaced of its self-imposed silence by substantial public pressure.
In the 15 years considering that Computer Weekly started examining the scandal, up until the start of this year, Fujitsu constantly provided a “no remark” action when gotten in touch with. Given that the scandal ended up being mainstream, following January’s ITV drama, Mr Bates vs the Post Officethe Japanese company has actually made guarantees to federal government, the taxpayer and victims. These pledges, nevertheless, are “hollow”, according to advocates.
Nearly as quickly as public anger appeared, with a country’s look upon it, the provider assured to put bidding for federal government agreements on hold. While Fujitsu was fast to provide spoken concessions, it has actually not followed through with action.
Computer system Weekly has actually exposed, through dripped internal interactions at Fujitsu, that the self-imposed bidding time out has actually not quashed Fujitsu’s cravings for UK federal government agreements. The provider has about ₤ 1.3 bn worth of public sector and nationwide security handle its sights for the existing fiscal year.
It has actually informed personnel they can bid for agreements in collaboration with other providers, win company with existing federal government consumers– of which there are lots of, and has actually advised personnel how to work around the self-imposed restriction.
Substantial stockpile
Internal interactions likewise exposed that Fujitsu currently has “over ₤ 650m of stockpile to be provided” to the general public sector.
MP Liam Byrne, chair of business and trade choose committee, stated the provider needs to stop bidding now. “They generally must not be bidding for any federal government work up until they have actually concurred just how much they will pay towards monetary redress,” he stated. “Taxpayers would be definitely frightened to discover that Fujitsu executives are attempting to flex the guidelines around bidding.”
Fujitsu just recently stated it “continues to work really carefully with the Cabinet Office to guarantee that the [bidding pause] standards that we have actually willingly put in location are being followed properly”.
Byrne likewise required Fujitsu make a deal to pay towards monetary redress,