for terminating the contract. gave for terminating the contract. can we look at 117538. page 11, please. this is a letter written to an mp, betty williams, in relation to a letter that she wrote as a constituency mp to the then chairman of the post office. it is the 29th of the post office. it is the 29th of october. if we go to the second

page... we can see that it is written by dave barrett, back to page one. look at the second paragraph, briefly, we have given notice to the present sub—postmaster that we are withdrawing from our contract with him. this is because we have lost confidence in his willingness to conduct the job in the manner expected. was that ever explained to you? that they had lost confidence in your willingness to conduct a job?— confidence in your willingness to conductajob? ma. can confidence in your willingness to conduct a job? ma. can we look at conduct a “ob? no. can we look at paul conduct a job? no. can we look at paul. paul. _

conduct a job? no. can we look at paul, paul. this is a presentation on horizon integrity prepared by dave smith. it is undated and it seeks to tell a story about the integrity of horizon. we may find it any interesting account overall, i just want to look at what it says about you on page six. scroll down, please. mr smith says that of the cases that i am aware, eight had discrepancies which were dismissed because he became unmanageable. was not to you? h0. because he became unmanageable. was not to ou? ., ., ., because he became unmanageable. was not to you?_ he _ because he became unmanageable. was not to you?_ he then - not to you? no, not all. he then sa s not to you? no, not all. he then says that — not to you? no, not all. he then says that you — not to you? no, not all. he then says that you clearly _ not to you? no, not all. he then says that you clearly struggled l not to you? no, not all. he then i says that you clearly struggled with accounting and despite copious

support, did not follow instructions. firstly, did you struggle with accounting? h0. instructions. firstly, did you struggle with accounting? no, not at all. were struggle with accounting? no, not at all- were you — struggle with accounting? no, not at all. were you given _ struggle with accounting? no, not at all. were you given cook _ struggle with accounting? no, not at all. were you given cook your- all. were you given cook your sunport? _ all. were you given cook your sunport? no- _ all. were you given cook your support? no. did— all. were you given cook your support? no. did you - all. were you given cook your support? no. did you seek. all. were you given cook your support? no. did you seek to j all. were you given cook your- support? no. did you seek to follow the instructions were given by the post office?— the instructions were given by the ost office? ~ , , , ., post office? bankrupt myself? no, i didn't not to — post office? bankrupt myself? no, i didn't not to extent. _ post office? bankrupt myself? no, i didn't not to extent. if— post office? bankrupt myself? no, i didn't not to extent. if these - didn't not to extent. if these after-the-fact _ didn't not to extent. if these after-the-fact reasons - didn't not to extent. if these after-the-fact reasons or. after—the—fact reasons or justifications for the termination of your contract are not on your understanding correct, what do you understanding correct, what do you understand to be the reason for the termination of the contract? imoll. termination of the contract? well, basicall i termination of the contract? well, basically i think _ termination of the contract? well, basically i think it _ termination of the contract? well, basically i think it was _ termination of the contract? well, basically i think it was because - basically i think it was because they— basically i think it was because they didn't like me standing up to them _ they didn't like me standing up to them in_ they didn't like me standing up to them in the first instance. they were _ them in the first instance. they were finding it awkward and lastly,

they could — were finding it awkward and lastly, they could answer these questions, and i_ they could answer these questions, and i think— they could answer these questions, and i think they had a feeling that i was _ and i think they had a feeling that i was going to carry on in a similar vein— i was going to carry on in a similar vein going— i was going to carry on in a similar vein going forward.— vein going forward. lastly, can we look at pol--- _ this is your witnessing, paragraph 170, i haven't written which page. around page 25. try about 30.

try about 35. if you can scroll to paragraph 170. you say this is your high court statement for the common issues trial. i have little doubt that the reason for my termination is that i had not only uncovered limitations and potential errors with the horizon system, but that i continued to question the post office on the contractual relationship between sub—postmaster and the post office. was that your belief? yes. sub-postmaster and the post office. was that your belief?— was that your belief? yes, it it was a aood was that your belief? yes, it it was a good summary — was that your belief? yes, it it was a good summary of— was that your belief? yes, it it was a good summary of how _ was that your belief? yes, it it was a good summary of how i felt. - was that your belief? yes, it it was a good summary of how i felt. is i a good summary of how i felt. is it a good summary of how i felt. is it a aood a good summary of how i felt. is it a good summary — a good summary of how i felt. is it a good summary of— a good summary of how i felt. is it a good summary of how i felt. is it a good summary of how fuel now? sir yes. there is a glitch with the

transcription service so we need to take 20 minutes.— transcription service so we need to take 20 minutes. what time shall be resumed? at — take 20 minutes. what time shall be resumed? at five _ take 20 minutes. what time shall be resumed? at five to _ take 20 minutes. what time shall be resumed? at five to 12. _ take 20 minutes. what time shall be resumed? at five to 12. you - take 20 minutes. what time shall be resumed? at five to 12. you are - resumed? at five to 12. you are watchin: resumed? at five to 12. you are watching bbc — resumed? at five to 12. you are watching bbc news _ resumed? at five to 12. you are watching bbc news coverage i resumed? at five to 12. you are watching bbc news coverage ofj resumed? at five to 12. you are - watching bbc news coverage of the post office horizon scandal. let me put into perspective what you heard of their from alan bates, this put into perspective what you heard of theirfrom alan bates, this next phase of the inquiry is trying to establish who knew what and when. and that is why so much emphasis has been put on his correspondence with the post office where he has repeatedly tried to flag some of the issues that he and his assistance had been having with the horizon it system. he had to shop from 1998 to 2003 when his contract was

terminated. what we heard from him was similar to stories we have heard from other victims but there was one different and this is what proved to be a difficult situation for the post office to handle from what we have just heard. alan bates was fairly familiar and fluid with it systems, he has had previousjobs before and when he heard the horizon it system was introduced, he said he was feeling positive about it. that didn't last long because he started noticing very quickly that they were shortfalls that simply couldn't be explained. he try to track down those transactions that he or his assistants but they couldn't. he said the system didn't allow him to. what followed were hundreds of calls with the dedicated helpline, more than 80 of which were dedicated to theissues than 80 of which were dedicated to the issues he was having with horizon it. he says it essentially proved useless. they weren't able to

help him track down where these shortfalls came from. but what he calls stubbornness, his refusal to accept liability for those shortfalls despite the contract that sub—postmaster sign. those letters we saw when he complained about the issues he was having, clearly indicated that he was not going to accept liability for this, and what the council made clear was that he didn't receive any response from the post office about any of this. he lost his life savings that he put into that shop, similar to what many other victims who are attending today have gone through as well. we are talking about bankruptcies, loss of homes, several suicides linked to this episode, one woman was sent to jail. she was sentenced when she was eight weeks pregnant and so the stakes here are very high. i also

want to give you some context on what we heard from the inquiry is council, today was going to set the tone of these next 15 weeks and he started by raising concerns once again about disclosure of pertinent documents on behalf of the post office. he said this has become a theme, where witnesses, statements and the proceedings have been delayed because of documents not been submitted in required window. in early february they received more than 70,000 documents from the post office. we are talking about a very high volume, he said there were even delays when it came to e—mails between executives. crucial to answering that question, who knew what and when. the chair talked

about this before, complained about the delays from the post office, has said he doesn't want to delay any of the witness testimony further because in his mind any delay would cause further damage and stress to the victims. there is that saying that justice the victims. there is that saying thatjustice delayed is justice denied. instead he said that they will continue with the timeline but instead they insist they will recall witnesses when necessary. this is a pause, some of the press, victims, who have been attending the inquiry and meeting to discuss what they have been hearing from alan bates, their spokesperson. and it will resume in a little while, let's go back to the studio for now. we will be back at the inquiryjust before 12 o'clock. let's take a look at

some of the days of the news. police have arrested a man in connection with a fatal stabbing of a woman in bradford. the man who is 25 from oldham was arrested in the early hours of this morning. the woman died in hospital after the attack. i am joined by died in hospital after the attack. i amjoined by our died in hospital after the attack. i am joined by our correspondent. there has been some major progress in the search for a man who attacked this woman. the suspect was arrested in the early hours of this morning in the early hours of this morning in the early hours of this morning in the aylesbury area, that is in the buckinghamshire, police had been searching for him since saturday. he has been arrested in connection with the murder of the 27—year—old woman from oldham. she died after being

stabbed in the westgate area of bradford saturday afternoon. this was a tragic incident as she was pushing her child in a pram as she was attacked. the baby is reported to be safe. due to police having contact with both people before the incident, the police had referred itself to the independent office of police conduct. it has also emerged that the man was also on bail for threatening to kill kulsuma akter backin threatening to kill kulsuma akter back in november. both offences were alleged to happen in manchester. at the time he pleaded not guilty in manchester magistrates' court back in november. west yorkshire police want to thank the public and media for drawing attention to the case and they also want to thank thames

valley police for their cooperation in them being able to make this arrest. ., ~' , ., arrest. thank you. the brother-in-law - arrest. thank you. the brother-in-law of - arrest. thank you. the - brother-in-law of scotland's arrest. thank you. the _ brother-in-law of scotland's first brother—in—law of scotland's first minister has been charged with abduction wallowing an incident when abduction wallowing an incident when a man fell from a block of flats and died. he is expected to appear in court later. ryan munro was injured in the fall and died a week later. others were previously arrested and charged following the same incident. he is the brother of humza yousaf�*s wife. simon harris is due to replace leo varadkar who is stepping down for personal and political reasons.

these are live pictures from the irish parliament as those proceedings are under way and the formal swearing in will happen in the next couple of hours. we can hear at what of leo fry to say. we are telling — hear at what of leo fry to say. , are telling the corner on climate, the ministerial council met yesterday, the good friday institutions are working again and the trading relationship with the uk is settled and stable. of course, there are many areas in which we have been much less successful as a government and some in which we have gone backwards. these are problems still to be solved. there will also be problems to be solved and always more work to be done. this work will now be led by others. finally, i will take this opportunity to wish mr harris every success in his new

role. i always knew he would get the job one day, this is perhaps coming sooner than he planned or expected, but i know he will rise to the occasion. but i know he will rise to the occasion-— but i know he will rise to the occasion. ., ., ., occasion. leo varadkar there. here is our island _ occasion. leo varadkar there. here is our island correspondent - occasion. leo varadkar there. here is our island correspondent in - is our island correspondent in dublin. he is our island correspondent in dublin. , ., ., is our island correspondent in dublin. , . ., ., ., dublin. he is a leader of a three -a dublin. he is a leader of a three party coalition _ dublin. he is a leader of a three party coalition as _ dublin. he is a leader of a three party coalition as prime - dublin. he is a leader of a three l party coalition as prime minister, because of his age, only 13 years ago simon harris was elected as a member of parliament and he was seen as a young man in a hurry. but this is a crucial point to make. right at thejuncture where he is a crucial point to make. right at the juncture where he succeeds in terms of getting his hands on power, the top of the tree if you like. time is running out because the current irish government has to call a general election before march of

next year. so he only has a lead—in