Fujitsu’s European leader defended the company before Parliament, denying accusations of profiting unfairly from government contracts while refusing to disclose compensation amounts for Horizon IT scandal victims. The company continues earning hundreds of millions despite withholding redress figures. The executive faced intense questioning from lawmakers regarding Fujitsu’s apparent unwillingness to specify financial commitments to those harmed by the faulty Post Office accounting system.
Two years prior, the same executive had acknowledged Fujitsu’s “moral obligation” to compensate Horizon victims. The company admitted knowing about system faults dating back to the 1990s. Government estimates place the total compensation bill for affected parties at approximately £1.8 billion, with taxpayers ultimately bearing this substantial cost burden.
The Horizon scandal represents the gravest miscarriage of justice in British legal history. More than one thousand individuals faced wrongful prosecution due to discrepancies in their post office accounts caused by defective Fujitsu software. The company’s involvement extended to providing evidence used in prosecutions and maintaining technical access allowing remote data modification within the system.
Current government agreements with Fujitsu UK, primarily involving continued operation of the aging Horizon system, amount to roughly £500 million if contracts proceed without early termination. The company voluntarily halted bidding for new public sector work in January 2023, pending completion of the ongoing public inquiry into the scandal. Fujitsu maintains it acts only at government request.
When confronted by parliamentary oversight, the executive rejected characterizations of parasitic behavior, asserting that Fujitsu would withdraw from agreements if requested. He reaffirmed the company’s acknowledged moral responsibility for providing financial redress, though he declined specifying an amount. The company deferred compensation decisions until final inquiry findings arrive. The independent investigation, led by Sir Wyn Williams, has thus far released only its initial findings, which documented potential links between the scandal and over thirteen deaths.
Financial data reveals that approximately £1.32 billion has already been distributed among more than ten thousand claimants to date. The inquiry’s complete report remains outstanding, expected to conclude later this year, which Fujitsu suggests will inform their ultimate financial contribution determination.
