Fujitsu Boss Rejects ‘Parasite’ Tag Over Horizon Fallout

Fujitsu’s European chief defended the company in front of MPs this week, insisting it is not “a parasite” despite fierce criticism over its role in the Post Office Horizon scandal. The row centres on the firm’s refusal to give a figure for compensation to victims while continuing to hold lucrative UK government contracts. Paul Patterson told the Commons business and trade committee that Fujitsu has held back from bidding for new public-sector work until the final report of Sir Wyn Williams’s inquiry is published later this year. He also said Fujitsu UK still runs the ageing Horizon system and that those contracts are worth about £500m if they run to term. Patterson added the company would walk away if the government wanted it to, but argued doing so could harm public services. Labour MP Liam Byrne, who chairs the committee, accused Fujitsu of “behaving like a parasite on the British state” for profiting from government IT work while declining to record a compensation provision in its accounts. Two years ago Patterson acknowledged the company had a “moral obligation” to contribute financially to redress, and Fujitsu has admitted the Horizon software had faults going back to the 1990s. The Horizon saga saw more than 1,000 subpostmasters wrongly pursued over accounting shortfalls tied to the system. Campaigners and some inquiry findings have described it as the gravest miscarriage of justice in recent UK history. The inquiry’s first volume, published last July, suggested the scandal may have contributed to more than a dozen suicides. Government figures show around £1.32bn has been paid so far to more than 10,000 claimants, while ministers estimate total taxpayer payouts could reach about £1.8bn. Fujitsu has told MPs it will determine the level of any company contribution after the final inquiry report is published. The firm’s involvement included providing data used in prosecutions and allowing employees remote access that could alter Horizon records. The hearing underlined a broader tension: a company publicly acknowledging a moral duty but stopping short of committing a sum, while still delivering critical IT services to the state. For victims and the public, the question now is whether a final inquiry will force a clear financial reckoning — and what safeguards will prevent a repeat when private contractors run essential public systems. --- Managing your business finances? TaxAce provides smart online accountancy services for UK businesses with flexible monthly plans. Image and reporting: https://www.theguardian.com | Read original article