Paula Vennells was back in Phase 5/6 of the Post Office Inquiry and now we're at Phase 7 - thread 5

[nauticant]

A continuation of this thread about the Post Office Inquiry:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5105378-paula-vennells-is-history-but-now-at-the-post-office-inquiry-is-fujitsu-distinguished-engineer-gareth-jenkins-thread-4

The Inquiry is at Phase 7 which is about how things stand now and looking to the future. Here's the timetable:

https://www.postofficehorizoninquiry.org.uk/phase-7-timetable

When the hearings are going on, live-streaming can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/@postofficehorizonitinquiry947/featured

All of the previous hearings can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/@postofficehorizonitinquiry947/videos

From BBC

There's laughter in the inquiry room as Jason Beer KC finishes up his round of questioning by telling Kemi Badenoch: "Those are all my questions. Thanks for answering some of them."

I'm so sorry, my browser is doing weird things when I try to do "Thanks", so please everyone just take it as though I have thanked you for all the reportage.

Catching up.

Very interesting KB didn’t know the call with Staunton was being recorded.

I thought she navigated her session well, and dealt with potentially tricky parts in a way that seemed truthful and was supported by the record. For example, I think her account of what happened with Staunton is now the more plausible version with Staunton having gone to the media was a story containing untrue elements. In fact, following that part of her evidence, where she didn't feel afraid to stick the knife in, and revisiting the damning report on him, I though his reputation looked pretty careworn.

This was explained by Alisdair Cameron, former CFO a month or so ago. I forget now, it's in the questions he was asked. If I get time I'll watch back and find the time stamp.

Essentially the gist was that the money didn't exist sort of.
It was quite complicated and I'm not an accountant but he explained it well.

Essentially the gist was that the money didn't exist sort of.

The missing Horizon money didn't exist, but what about the actual money that was paid back? I assume some of it went into those fat bonuses that they all seemed to collect. I have not heard of any one of them volunteering to give them back, or find a way to put it in a fund for the SPMs.

@TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams It isn’t complicated. SPM paid £££ to the PO.

Each (Re)payment should have been a line in the accounts with potentially a cost centre and an account code or similar descriptor. It should then have been allocated against the “debt” in the accounts.

Instead it’s ended up in a slush fund.

If you can’t produce a flow chart showing how a payment or a debt is processed you cannot have a robust accounting system.

This was interesting about Kemi ..
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/nov/11/post-office-inquiry-kemikaze-kemi-badenoch

Re where the money went. it went to "suspense accounts", said Chris Day, Former CFO. "there would be a credit balance in the suspense accounts" , "they would be investigated".

I really feel that better questioning should have been done here, to him, he got off lightly. We have been failed massively here, a missed opportunity. I do accounts for a living, I could have quizzed them better, about where all the debits and credits went, investigations of the suspense accounts and money eventually being written off, myself!! Though I say so myself!!.

The money was eventually written off.

EY audited the accounts, until PwC took over in 2019. Shocking. Disgusting.

My parents were amongst those affected, Vennells should be in prison

I really feel that this whole PO Inquiry is a joke. Lovely as Mr Beer is, what has actually been achieved here? Very little. No one really held to account, everyone vague, and can't recall. Where's all the proper evidence, the pedantic asking each finance person to explain which debit and credit went where.

Us MN'ers could've done a better job.

Not only have postmasters been failed, lives ruined. But the accounts are meaningless nonsense, financial systems not fit for purpose.

And we as taxpayers have paid for this enquiry. Millions no doubt. To get what answers. What result? What a waste of time, energy and money.

What meaningful conclusions is this enquiry going to bring?

I'm starting to get a bit pissed off with it all tbf.

'Dozens' being investigated over Post Office scandal
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgr19lwgv0o

There are now 100 officers working on Operation Olympos which was started in 2020.

Oh god, I'm so sorry @leftfootinletfootout

I really hope they manage to prosecute the people at the top and not just Gareth Jenkins.

The final closing statements will be made on Monday and Tuesday of next week.

Here's the timetable for the Closing Statements over the next 2 days:

https://www.postofficehorizoninquiry.org.uk/news/inquiry-publishes-timetable-closing-statements

Broadly speaking, Monday is mainly about the "prosecution" and Tuesday is about the "defence".

The proceedings opened with Sir Wyn Williams announcing the death of another Core Participant. Mr Henry is making the first submission. Powerful stuff. Lots of flourishes showing that barristers down often have something of the actor about them.

Next up is Mr Stein. Unlike Mr Henry's sweeping across much of the landscape, Mr Stein is focusing on particular areas of interest.

While Mr Henry was looking back, Mr Stein is looking forward, and urging the Inquiry to use it's powers to do positive things for the subpostmasters in the future.

Mr Stein went after the criminal lawyers and in particular after Brian Altman KC.

Mr Moloney is low-key and is making his submssions in a more clearly structured way.

Bravo Mr Moloney, this is dreadful to hear for me, a bystander . How much more harrowing is this for all the Post Office victims? Vindicated but still largely un-compensated.
Shame

I wondered whether Nick Wallis was going to update his book and how that would be a massive undertaking. He's going for the more straightforward approach of writing another book:

www.postofficescandal.uk/post/new-book-now-on-pre-sale-the-great-post-office-cover-up/

Now it's Mr Munro talking about the Scottish experience.

Stuart Munro, who acted for Susan Sinclair, the first subpostmaster in Scotland whose conviction was overturned on appeal