Cambridge experts testify on Post Office IT scandal

The official inquiry into the UK’s Post Office IT scandal heard testimony from Cambridge academics Professor Dame Sandra Dawson and Dr Katy Steward, after receiving 2 detailed written reports from them. The scandal involves many sub postmasters wrongly accused of theft based on information from a faulty IT system used by Post Office Ltd.

Dame Sandra is former Master of Sidney Sussex College Cambridge, KPMG Professor Emerita of Management Studies, former Director of Cambridge Judge Business School, and a member of the Business School’s Advisory Board. Dr Steward is a Cambridge alumna who is a specialist in organisational culture and governance with wide experience including in Citibank and the NHS. She is a College Research Associate at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, and a former Visiting Scholar at Cambridge Judge.

Dame Sandra and Dr Steward were appointed as Governance Expert Witnesses by the Inquiry, which is Chaired by Sir Wyn Williams, who will produce the final report of the official inquiry in due course.

The 2 reports for the inquiry submitted by Dame Sandra and Dr Steward, completed at the end of March 2024 and end of October 2024, are based on their understanding of the principles of “Expected and best practice in respect of the standards of governance, management and leadership in companies such as the Post Office companies”.

Post Office testimony reports highlight governance and culture issues

Their 133-page Report 1 covers such areas as governance principles and codes, accountability, monitoring and audit, governance and management of technically complex major projects and whistleblowing, and stakeholder management. Their 144-page Report 2 draws on a selection of evidence before the Inquiry, including the analysis of 3 case studies, and covers major themes of board level governance, executive management and organisational culture.

The testimony by Dame Sandra and Dr Steward can be seen through recordings of their joint appearance at the inquiry, which occurred on 12 November and 13 November (Days 197 and 198 of the inquiry).

Sir Wyn started their first day of testimony, after they were sworn in, by commenting to laughter from other participants that: “Nothing ever surprises me in this life: it’s taken more than 50 years in the law to see 2 persons in the witness box at the same time”.