Fujitsu said he would pay for post -office activists for ‘frightening fraud’

Fujitsu must “pay” hundreds of millions of pounds in compensation immediately for their central role in the “horrible fraud” that ruined the lives of innocent mail branch managers, according to main activists.

Parliament was told that if the Japanese technological giant were an individual, he would face years if not decades in jail for his active part in the Horizon It scandal that saw the subposts “Maliciously processed.”

The firm continued to enjoy lucrative extensions to government -financed government contracts, while the taxpayer financed payments to victims of what is believed to be the greatest spontaneous abortion of the Justice in Great Britain, according to Westminster.

The company has already recognized that it has a “moral obligation” to contribute to compensation, waiting for the result of public investigation led by Sir Wyn Williams.

But although the ministers said it was too early to decide on Fujitsu’s final contribution, they added a provisional payment of the firm demanded by critics would be “very welcome and very appropriate in these circumstances.”

Fujitsu’s criticism was level during a debate in the House of Lores on the compensation scheme for which the Government has reserved so far £ 1.8 billion.

At the beginning of the year, around 594 million had been paid to more than 3,800 claimants, already the late additional £ 69 million to 500 people.

Hundreds of subposts were unjustly convicted of stealing after the Fujitsu defective horizon accounting system, it made it seem to miss money at their branches.

The Post Office also forced at least 4,000 branch managers to pay in cash based on defective data.

Some victims were sent to prison or financially ruined, others were rejected by their communities and others took their lives.

The long battle for justice accelerated dramatically after itv transmitted the drama Mr. Bates vs the post office, which highlighted the scandal.

Former Labor Deputy Kevan Jones, who now sits in the upper chamber as Lord Beamish, has been a long -standing champion for subposts.

He told Parliament: “This scandal was not by mistake or failure. This was a conspiracy, a cover -up.

“He involved the government, involved ministers, involved the post office and involved Fujitsu.”

He said: “Not only Fujitsu covered the fact that the system was full of errors and could be accessed remotely, but also actively participated in the prosecution of the subposteros.”

Although Fujitsu had promised to make a contribution to compensate for victims once public investigation had reported, Lord Beamish said: “Today, there has been no money paid to the victims of Fujitsu.

“And this is a company, however, which continues to obtain multimillion -dollar profits from government contracts.”

He added: “They said they were not going to offer for new contracts, but what they are doing is extending the existing contracts and that is at the same time that the taxpayer is paying almost 600 million in compensation to the victims and many victims are still waiting for compensation.

“I think Fujitsu hides behind public research.”

He continued: “They know the evidence they have given to public investigation. There is nothing revealed from the results of public investigation that we do not know now.

“I suggest that they should make a provisional payment of at least 300 million now to cover the cost of victims.”

Lord Beamish said: “Fujitsu needs to pay. You must ensure that you will not continue taking money from the United Kingdom taxpayer, while not making a financial contribution to this scandal. “

Lord Arbuthnot, who played a fundamental role in the exhibition of the scandal, said: “Let’s not forget what Fujitsu did. ICL, the company that produced Horizon and was bought by Fujitsu, provided a computer program to the post office that knew it was seriously defective.

He added: “Fujitsu had a duty under his contract to provide evidence of admissible and precise prosecutions. And they helped the post office to process the subposters but with evidence that it was false.

“Knowing the defects in the horizon system, they told the courts that there were no such failures.

“In addition, Fujitsu had a great operation by altering the subposter accounts without the knowledge of the subposts. They told everyone that they could not alter those accounts despite carrying out that extensive operation doing exactly that.

“So Fujitsu did much more than standing unstably while the subposteros were processed maliciously. He was an active, knowledgeable and essential participant throughout the frightening.

“If it were not a company but a person, I would be facing years, or possibly decades, in prison.

“However, it is a company, and one on which the government has become unacceptably dependent. Every year in which the Government extends a contract or another, saying that there is no alternative, they should ask: “If this prisoner Smith in the J4 cell block, would we really be giving him a contract that is worth dozens of millions of pounds?”

“So what are Fujitsu doing about it? What money have they offered? As we have heard from Lord Beamish, nothing.

“They have accepted their moral obligation, but the taxpayer is paying hundreds of millions of pounds now.

“There must be an interim payment of Fujitsu now.

“Lord Beamish has suggested £ 300 million: £ 700 million would be less than half of the cost that the taxpayer is currently estimated.

“If you don’t do that, why should the government offer more extensions of its existing contracts, even less grant new contracts?”

A Fujitsu spokesman said: “We will work with the government regarding Fujitsu’s contribution to compensation, and we are committed to officials to progress formal discussions.

“We expect a quick resolution that guarantees a fair result for victims.”