T
he boss of the Post Office has stated he’ll return all of his bonus fee linked to the Horizon inquiry concerning tons of of wrongfully convicted postmasters.
Nick Read, chief govt of the Post Office, additionally apologised once more for “procedural and governance mistakes made” within the agency linking vital bonus funds to work associated to the inquiry into the miscarriage of justice.
Around 700 Post Office employees have been convicted, and a few despatched to jail, for theft and false accounting between 2000 and 2014.
It was later revealed that errors linked to the Fujistu Horizon software program have been in charge.
The boss has stated that he’ll voluntarily return this a part of the £455,000 bonus he acquired for the 2021-22 monetary yr.
It is known this a part of the bonus is £54,400.
This consists of round £13,000 of Mr Read’s bonus which he had beforehand dedicated to returning.
The firm has not stated whether or not different employees who acquired bonus funds linked to the inquiry can even return these vital funds.
The Post Office instructed Darren Jones MP, chair of the House of Commons enterprise and commerce committee, final week that 33 workers had paid again a complete of £64,252 in funds linked to the inquiry sub-metric.
In response, Mr Jones threatened to haul bosses from the enterprise again in entrance of the committee after it refused to completely decide to clawing again all govt bonuses linked to the inquiry.
On Wednesday Mr Read stated: “I have made a personal decision to return voluntarily the full bonus payment attributed to the overall inquiry metric in the 2021/22 annual report and accounts.
“While neither the Simmons & Simmons report nor the Amanda Burton report found any basis to support suggestions of impropriety, and both stated that there was a justifiable basis to make the award, I hope this action will allow Post Office to redouble its focus on fully addressing the wrongs of the past and serving today’s postmasters.
“I would like to reiterate Post Office’s sincere apology for the procedural and governance mistakes made.”
