LONDON — Fujitsu is in negotiations with the UK government regarding a financial settlement for its contribution to the compensation bill for victims of the Horizon IT system scandal. The compensation fund for victims, valued at £1.5 billion, is currently funded by UK taxpayers.

The company supplied the Horizon IT system to the Post Office, and defects in the software led to the wrongful prosecutions of branch operators due to accounting discrepancies. Fujitsu acknowledged that it was aware of faults in the Horizon system during the 1990s.

Liam Byrne, a Labour Member of Parliament and chair of the House of Commons business and trade committee, stated: "Years after this scandal was exposed, far too many people are still waiting for the redress they deserve." He said: "The government must now throw whatever resource is needed at these schemes to ensure every outstanding Horizon shortfall claim is settled by the end of this year." Byrne added: "Complexity is no longer an excuse for delay." He stated: "It is extraordinary that a company at the heart of the greatest miscarriage of justice in British history has still failed to set out either the scale or the timetable for its contribution to compensation." Byrne said: "It should make an immediate interim payment, commit to a timetable for meeting its full liability, and help bring this shameful chapter to a close."

A spokesperson for the company said: "We believe it is the right thing to do for Fujitsu to contribute to compensation and, as we have consistently stated, this will be agreed with government after Sir Wyn has published the findings of his inquiry." A public inquiry led by retired judge Sir Wyn Williams concluded that the Post Office and its advisers frequently adopted an adversarial approach toward claimants.

A UK government spokesperson said: "This report recognises the progress that has been made so far in delivering redress but there is clearly more to do." The spokesperson added: "Some claims are more complex and take longer to resolve, and we must avoid placing undue pressure on vulnerable claimants." Three compensation programs were established for affected operators: the Horizon shortfall scheme, the group litigation order, and the Horizon convictions redress scheme. The Post Office administers the Horizon shortfall scheme, which offers a fixed payment of £75,000 or allows claimants to seek a higher payout. A March review by the business and trade committee found that initial payout offers were regularly increased after appeals.