MPs have called in bosses from Fujitsu to answer questions in parliament about the company’s role in the Post Office scandal.
The Commons business and trade select committee has asked the company to take part in an evidence session in a week’s time after an ITV drama helped put the miscarriage of justice back in the spotlight.
Fujitsu owns the Horizon accounting software, still used by the Post Office, an earlier version of which gave the false impression that thousands of post office operators had stolen money from the service. Alan Bates, the Post Office employee at the centre of the television drama, will also give evidence, as will the business minister Kevin Hollinrake.
Liam Byrne, the chair of the committee, said: “It is vital that Fujitsu confess how they got it so wrong and how on earth they have had the temerity to carry on taking public contracts when they were so involved in a scandal that put innocent public servants behind bars. That’s the question we’ve now called the firm to parliament to answer.”
His comments came after several senior MPs also sought to put Fujitsu’s role in the spotlight, calling for the government to stop working with the firm, and raising the possibility it might be forced to contribute to the Post Office’s compensation fund for those who were wrongly accused in what has been described as the largest miscarriage of justice in UK history.
Fujitsu has made almost £4bn from about 200 public sector contracts over the past decade, it has emerged.
The government is Fujitsu’s biggest UK customer, accounting for about 190 of the contracts the company has won since 2012, according to procurement analysts Tussell, which holds data stretching back a decade.
David Jones, the Conservative former cabinet minister, said: “I have no idea why the government is continuing to give Fujitsu contracts – very, very big contracts. Not only are they still running the Horizon system, but they have also recently been given contracts by HMRC, the Home Office and the Foreign Office. I can’t understand why the government wants to continue to deal with them.”
Hollinrake, the minister responsible for postal affairs, told the Commons on Monday: “As ministers, we must bear responsibility for what we do, as well as expect people within the Post Office, Fujitsu and others to bear responsibility.”
Jonathan Reynolds, the shadow business secretary, said: “If it is found that Fujitsu knew the extent of what was occurring, there will have to be consequences that match the scale of the injustice.”
The Japanese technology company remains listed as a “strategic supplier” to government and won its most recent contract for Northern Ireland’s education authority just before Christmas.
Fujitsu’s four biggest repeat customers are the Ministry of Defence, the Home Office, HM Revenue and Customs and the Financial Conduct Authority, which handed the controversial IT supplier 68 contracts between them totalling more than £2.7bn since 2012.
In November, Fujitsu was handed a £36m extension to keep the Horizon IT system running until at least 2025.
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Other contracts include working on the new UK emergency alert system for mobile phones and tablets, while in December the Environment Agency extended its flood alerts contract with Fujitsu until the end of next year.
It has £2.9bn of public sector contracts due to expire over the next two years, according to Tussell.
Rishi Sunak’s official spokesperson said: “The culpability or otherwise of Fujitsu is something that is being examined as part of the independent inquiry process. “We wouldn’t look to act before we have established the full facts regarding Fujitsu’s culpability or otherwise.”
Fujitsu said it was “fully committed” to supporting the inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal.
“The current Post Office Horizon IT statutory inquiry is examining complex events stretching back over 20 years to understand who knew what, when, and what they did with that knowledge,” a spokesperson said.
“The inquiry has reinforced the devastating impact on postmasters’ lives and that of their families, and Fujitsu has apologised for its role in their suffering. Fujitsu is fully committed to supporting the inquiry in order to understand what happened and to learn from it. Out of respect for the inquiry process, it would be inappropriate for Fujitsu to comment further at this time.”
