Figures show Post Office bosses have spent more than £130m of taxpayers' money defending the Post Office in a long-running investigation into the wrongful prosecution of more than 900 staff.
According to the company's annual report, the company's legal and operational costs from the start of the investigation in September 2020 to 31 March 2024 totaled £132m, of which more than half – £82m – was paid in advance. It is clear that the expenditure was made only in the financial year.
The investigation into the Horizon IT scandal just concluded this week, and these figures do not include legal fees spent since March 31st.
In his closing statement to the inquiry this week, government lawyer Nick Chapman said the scandal was largely to blame for “weak and arrogant” Post Office executives who were “clearly dishonest” and had a culture of “contempt” towards branch operators. He said that there is. It said the company had played a “despicable” role in the biggest miscarriage of justice in British history.
While he singled out the Post Office, he also said institutions including ministers, software developer Fujitsu, the federation representing post office operators and UKGI, which controls taxpayers' stake in the Post Office, had “contributed to this scandal”. denounced. ”.
In a statement, Post Office chairman Nigel Railton reiterated his “deep apologies” to the victims. “The panel's previous investigations revealed serious deficiencies that caused serious damage to the postmaster's life,” he said. “We will face these challenges and learn lessons so we can fundamentally change and build a Post Office fit for the future with the Postmaster at the center.”
The Post Office has set aside £816m in “exceptional costs” for the year to 31 March 2024, including legal costs, operating costs, compensation and funding to overturn convictions. announced. Pre-tax losses rose by £81m to £612m, with debt rising to exceed the value of assets.
The government announced on Tuesday that more former post offices will be released after an independent report found that IT accounting software developed by the post office used between 1992 and 1999 may also have been flawed. It was announced that branch owners will be eligible for compensation.
The report on accounting software Capture said the post office pursued prosecution on charges of theft and false accounting, or post office operators were forced to cover shortfalls with their own funds.
The results of the public inquiry are expected to be published next year.
