Labour MP Kevan Jones wants Post Office boss Nick Read to come before MPs after reports about “faults” with software called Capture – used for back office accounting.
Downing Street says it wants an investigation and “robust action” if there were faults. In a letter to Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake, Mr Jones said: “We know Capture software was faulty, resulting in corrupted data.”
“We also know the Post Office knew about these faults at the time, as it openly communicated with sub-postmasters about them.”
A long-time campaigner for the Horizon scandal victims, Mr Jones added: “Several former sub-postmasters have come forward to say that – despite these faults being known – they were accused of being responsible for shortfalls.”
“I am shocked that we are only just beginning to scrape the surface on what seems to be a second scandal.”
Capture was installed in Post Offices in 1995, four years before Horizon. It is unclear who developed Capture.
The Post Office said: “We take very seriously any concerns raised about cases from before the Horizon system was first rolled out in 1999.
“We are investigating, including specific cases brought to our attention, and will transparently publish our findings.”
