The technology giant at the centre of the Post Office Horizon scandal continues to hold numerous lucrative government contracts, despite mounting political pressure and public outrage over one of Britain's most devastating miscarriage of justice cases.
The £3.4 Billion Question
Fujitsu, the Japanese multinational behind the flawed Horizon accounting software, has been awarded nearly 200 public contracts worth an astonishing £3.4 billion since a landmark High Court ruling in 2019 that first exposed the system's catastrophic failures.
This revelation comes as ministers face intensifying demands to explain why the company remains a preferred government supplier while its software destroyed the lives of hundreds of sub-postmasters.
Contractual Continuation Despite Scandal
Official records reveal that Fujitsu secured approximately 100 contracts from various Whitehall departments after the December 2019 court judgment that condemned Horizon as containing "bugs, errors and defects."
Among the significant deals are:
- A £184 million extension to maintain the HM Revenue and Customs tax platform
- A £36 million contract with the Home Office for the police national computer
- Multiple agreements with the Environment Agency and Ministry of Defence
Political Pressure Mounts
Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart recently confirmed that officials are "reviewing the circumstances" of Fujitsu's ongoing role as a government supplier. However, he stopped short of committing to an immediate ban, stating any decision must follow "due process."
The Labour party has seized upon the issue, with shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth demanding transparency: "The public deserves to know why Fujitsu continues to profit from the public purse while so many seek justice for the devastation caused."
Public Inquiry Underway
The ongoing statutory public inquiry into the Post Office scandal continues to uncover disturbing evidence about Fujitsu's role in the tragedy. Recent testimony revealed that the company had remote access to branch accounts, contradicting years of denials and directly undermining prosecutions.
As the inquiry progresses and public anger grows, pressure is building on the government to take decisive action against the tech firm that played such a central role in what many describe as the most widespread miscarriage of justice in British legal history.
