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Call to review Welsh Fujitsu work over Post Office scandal

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Plaid Cymru have called for a review of any contracts held by the Welsh government with Fujitsu.

The Japanese-owned IT company provided the system at the heart of the Post Office scandal.

The party's leader Rhun ap Iorwerth asked whether the company was "fit" to have contracts with the government.

The Welsh government has been asked to confirm whether a review will take place and how many contracts it holds.

Fujitsu has said it was sorry for its role in sub-postmasters' suffering.

Meanwhile Labour MS Jack Sergeant criticised an upfront compensation payment to sub-postmasters of £75,000 as "not good enough".

In the Senedd on Wednesday Mr ap Iorwerth said he was aware that the Welsh government had had dealings with the company, including a five year support and maintenance contract for Transport for Wales.

'Due diligence'

He asked Deputy Minister Hannah Blythyn for an update on the number of active contracts the Welsh government held with Fujitsu.

He added: "Could the minister tell us how the concerns regarding their [Fujitsu's] involvement in the Horizon scandal were taken into consideration before they were awarded Welsh government contracts?

"What additional due diligence will be applied to the government's relationship with Fujitsu now and in the future as a result of the public understanding of the scale of the scandal that Fujitsu was involved in?

"Are they fit to have contracts with Welsh government; is Welsh government comfortable having contracts with a company at the heart of such a scandal?"

Ms Blythyn said she did not have the number of contracts at her "fingertips" but would come back to the Senedd with more detail.

Earlier, answering a Topical Question from Mr Sergeant, Ms Blythyn had told MSs that Counsel General Mick Antoniw - the Welsh government's top legal advisor - would shortly be meeting the other UK nations to discuss the miscarriage of justice and the "fundamental changes needed to ensure the rule of law is more than just a soundbite".

Mr ap Iorwerth also paid tribute to two of his constituents in Ynys Mon - Noel Thomas and Lorraine Williams - who were caught up in the Post Office scandal.