Fujitsu's CEO Vows Not to be a "Parasite" as Compensation Figure Remains Elusive for Horizon IT Scandal Victims
The embattled Japanese technology firm Fujitsu has dug in its heels over compensation for victims of the disastrous Post Office Horizon IT scandal, with its European boss Paul Patterson insisting that the company is not a "parasite" on the British state.
In a tense exchange with MPs at Tuesday's Commons business and trade committee hearing, Patterson refused to commit to a specific financial redress figure, despite acknowledging Fujitsu's moral obligation to provide compensation. The company's £500m worth of government IT contracts are set to expire in two years' time, but its continued involvement has raised questions over the true extent of its responsibility for the scandal.
Critics have accused Fujitsu of profiting from the suffering of innocent subpostmasters, who were wrongly prosecuted and victimized by the faulty software developed by the company. The scandal, which has been labeled the worst miscarriage of justice in UK history, has resulted in over 1,000 people being affected, with more than 13 suicides linked to the tragedy.
Patterson's response, however, was characteristically evasive. "We are not a parasite," he told Liam Byrne, chair of the committee. "We have not bid for new government business. The government has the option of whether it wants to extend those contracts or not." This stance raises questions over Fujitsu's true intentions and commitment to providing redress.
The company's stance on compensation is seen as a major obstacle in the pursuit of justice for victims, who are still awaiting a clear financial resolution after two years. Meanwhile, the government has paid out £1.32bn to over 10,000 claimants so far, but this figure does not reflect the true extent of the damage caused by the scandal.
Patterson's comments have been met with skepticism by MPs and critics alike, who see his refusal to provide a compensation figure as a clear indication of Fujitsu's reluctance to take responsibility for its actions. As the final report of the public inquiry into the Horizon scandal is expected later this year, it remains to be seen whether Patterson will finally commit to providing a meaningful level of redress for the victims.
The embattled Japanese technology firm Fujitsu has dug in its heels over compensation for victims of the disastrous Post Office Horizon IT scandal, with its European boss Paul Patterson insisting that the company is not a "parasite" on the British state.
In a tense exchange with MPs at Tuesday's Commons business and trade committee hearing, Patterson refused to commit to a specific financial redress figure, despite acknowledging Fujitsu's moral obligation to provide compensation. The company's £500m worth of government IT contracts are set to expire in two years' time, but its continued involvement has raised questions over the true extent of its responsibility for the scandal.
Critics have accused Fujitsu of profiting from the suffering of innocent subpostmasters, who were wrongly prosecuted and victimized by the faulty software developed by the company. The scandal, which has been labeled the worst miscarriage of justice in UK history, has resulted in over 1,000 people being affected, with more than 13 suicides linked to the tragedy.
Patterson's response, however, was characteristically evasive. "We are not a parasite," he told Liam Byrne, chair of the committee. "We have not bid for new government business. The government has the option of whether it wants to extend those contracts or not." This stance raises questions over Fujitsu's true intentions and commitment to providing redress.
The company's stance on compensation is seen as a major obstacle in the pursuit of justice for victims, who are still awaiting a clear financial resolution after two years. Meanwhile, the government has paid out £1.32bn to over 10,000 claimants so far, but this figure does not reflect the true extent of the damage caused by the scandal.
Patterson's comments have been met with skepticism by MPs and critics alike, who see his refusal to provide a compensation figure as a clear indication of Fujitsu's reluctance to take responsibility for its actions. As the final report of the public inquiry into the Horizon scandal is expected later this year, it remains to be seen whether Patterson will finally commit to providing a meaningful level of redress for the victims.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around Fujitsu's response on compensation for the Post Office Horizon IT scandal victims 
It's like they're saying "we're not taking responsibility" while also being all like "oh, we're a nice company" 
Paul Patterson just needs to be more honest with himself and others – what's he hiding? 
The lack of transparency from Fujitsu is really frustrating, especially after the government has already paid out so much 
. It's time for some accountability! 
. It's unacceptable that Fujitsu is still dragging its feet on giving them compensation 
It would be great if Fujitsu could finally step up and show some real commitment to making things right. Maybe they should just apologize and offer a decent payout already 
.
. And can we talk about how much money the government has paid out already? £1.32bn is like, whoa! But it's just not fair to those subpostmasters who have been through so much trauma... they deserve better 
.
. Like, come on Paul, acknowledge that your company was part of the problem and offer some kind of real compensation for the suffering you've caused 
. It's time for Fujitsu to take responsibility for its actions and show some genuine empathy for the victims 
. The fact that they're still profiting off these contracts is just salt in the wound 
. It's like they think they can just sit back and let someone else fix their mess 
. Not on my watch!
like, he said they're not a parasite, which means he's acknowledging that they are profiting from something bad, right? and it's true that they haven't bid for new government business, so maybe that means they're trying to distance themselves from the scandal?
and sometimes you gotta look at the parts that don't fit together before you can see the bigger picture. so yeah, i'm not gonna give up on these subpostmasters just yet 
they deserve justice and compensation, and if paul patterson's comments are any indication, maybe we'll finally get some answers soon 
that company is being super shady 
about compensating those subpostmasters 
Patterson's response was super evasive 
and it's like he's trying to avoid accountability 
the victims have been suffering for 2 whole years now 
they need to hold Fujitsu accountable for their part in this scandal 
.
. I mean, come on Paul Patterson, if you're not going to give us some kind of compensation figure, then what's the point? It feels like they're just stringing these people along and using them for their own profit 
. And don't even get me started on the £500m in IT contracts... that's a whole lot of money to be making while others are suffering 
It's been two years since the scandal first came to light, and I'm still waiting for some kind of resolution 
.
Fujitsu's CEO is saying they're not a parasite, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're doing the right thing. Maybe what he means is that they don't want to burden themselves with the financial responsibility for the harm they've caused... but isn't that just passing the buck? 
. The fact that they're still waiting for a clear financial resolution after two years is unacceptable 
.
. Let's hope someone finally holds Fujitsu accountable! 
. It's time for Fujitsu to take responsibility and start paying up 
.
"We're not a parasite"... yeah, sure 