Initial Complaint Review & Mediation Scheme (ICRAMS)
Closed 18th November 2013
ICRAMS, also referred to in documentations as the Scheme, evolved from the publication of the Interim Report produced by Second Sight, the independent investigators, who were brought in by Post Office in response to MP pressure following years of campaigning by the JFSA and its membership.
Originally it had been expected that the Scheme would be completed by the end of 2013, but it soon became clear that the early target dates for taking a case through the Scheme were wildly optimistic due to complexity of the work involved. The expected four week investigation periods were in some cases turning into a 6 or 7 month reality. The last of the case reports were completed in June 2015, and on the 17th April 2015 the Second Sight Part Two report was first received by Applicants and a copy of the report can be seen and downloaded from here. This report was produced as part of the Mediators Briefing Pack.
At the outset of the Scheme there appeared to have been a commonality of purpose with all those involved in the goals that the Scheme was trying to achieve. However as cases progressed it became evident to the JFSA that the Scheme was being moved further and further away from trying to establish the truth, and more about how Post Office could use the Scheme to protect its own position.
This led the JFSA and many of the Applicants involved, to raise these concerns with their MPs, which in turn led to these issues being discussed at an Adjournment Debate in Westminster Hall on 17th December 2014 (You can listen to it or access the transcript from the media page). During the debate many questions were put to the Minister of Postal Affairs, for which real answers are still awaited.
On the 10th March 2015 Post Office unilaterally took the decision to close down the Working Group of the Initial Complaint Review Mediation Scheme. Post Office, as was mentioned during Prime Ministers’ Questions in the House of Commons on the 11th March 2015, sacked Second Sight, the independent investigators.
Further information about many of the aspects above can be found by following the appropriate links.
Originally it had been expected that the Scheme would be completed by the end of 2013, but it soon became clear that the early target dates for taking a case through the Scheme were wildly optimistic due to complexity of the work involved. The expected four week investigation periods were in some cases turning into a 6 or 7 month reality. The last of the case reports were completed in June 2015, and on the 17th April 2015 the Second Sight Part Two report was first received by Applicants and a copy of the report can be seen and downloaded from here. This report was produced as part of the Mediators Briefing Pack.
At the outset of the Scheme there appeared to have been a commonality of purpose with all those involved in the goals that the Scheme was trying to achieve. However as cases progressed it became evident to the JFSA that the Scheme was being moved further and further away from trying to establish the truth, and more about how Post Office could use the Scheme to protect its own position.
This led the JFSA and many of the Applicants involved, to raise these concerns with their MPs, which in turn led to these issues being discussed at an Adjournment Debate in Westminster Hall on 17th December 2014 (You can listen to it or access the transcript from the media page). During the debate many questions were put to the Minister of Postal Affairs, for which real answers are still awaited.
On the 10th March 2015 Post Office unilaterally took the decision to close down the Working Group of the Initial Complaint Review Mediation Scheme. Post Office, as was mentioned during Prime Ministers’ Questions in the House of Commons on the 11th March 2015, sacked Second Sight, the independent investigators.
Further information about many of the aspects above can be found by following the appropriate links.