Fujitsu’s European Boss Denies Being a "Parasite" on the British State
Fujitsu’s European boss has denied the company is "a parasite on the British state" after MPs challenged the company over its stance on compensation for the postal scandal. The confrontation occurred during a parliamentary committee meeting examining the “continued search for justice and accountability” for victims.
Background of the Scandal
The government has set aside £1.8 billion in redress for subpostmasters who were wrongly prosecuted over failures in Fujitsu’s Horizon IT system. The company has not yet contributed to compensation, despite saying two years ago that it had a “moral obligation” to do so.
Questioning by MPs
Paul Patterson, a director at Fujitsu Services Ltd, was questioned by MPs about whether the company had secured an estimated £500 million worth of public sector contract extensions, while assuring it would not bid for new UK government contracts. Chairman of the MPs’ business and trade committee, told the board: "Their refusal to tell us how much Fujitsu will pay into a £1.8 billion taxpayer bill leads people to conclude that Fujitsu is, frankly, behaving like a parasite on the British state, with no obligation to honor its obligations."
Response from Fujitsu’s European Boss
The Fujitsu boss rejected the accusation, saying: "We are not a parasite… the government has the opportunity to decide whether it wants to extend these contracts or not. If you want us to withdraw from these contracts, we will withdraw from these contracts." He argued that ending Fujitsu’s government work would be "detrimental to society" and insisted the company only extended its postal contract because ministers demanded it.
Pressure to Secure Financial Backing
Pressure is growing on the government to secure significant financial backing from Fujitsu, which built and maintains the Horizon system at the center of one of Britain’s biggest miscarriages of justice. However, during the committee hearing it became clear that Fujitsu will wait for the conclusion of the public inquiry into the scandal to announce a specific figure.
Public Inquiry and Capture System
The chief executive pointed to Fujitsu’s four-decade presence in the UK, its 5,000 employees and its network of subcontractors, and said the company remained "a very serious organization" that was aware of its responsibilities. He also said Fujitsu needed to be "informed by Sir Wyn", adding that more information had come to light since his last appearance before the committee, including about the "capture system". Capture was an accounting system used in the 1990s before Horizon that also produced unreliable data.
Calls for Greater Urgency
The meeting also heard from others connected to the mail scandal, including victims’ lawyers, who reiterated calls for greater urgency in providing reparations and justice. Nigel Railton, chairman of the Post Office, said it was his personal view that the government should legislate to provide relief for capture victims, similar to the Horizon victims.
