Nick Read told a public inquiry that he and others within the organisation believed compensation schemes should be entirely handled by the UK government.
Read was giving evidence for a second day to the judge-led inquiry, which is examining why post office operatives were wrongly prosecuted for financial shortfalls caused by the faulty Horizon IT system.
He told the inquiry: “We have done everything we can to build independence into the schemes … There was always going to be difficulties with the Post Office administering compensation because of the level of trust and confidence that many victims have in the Post Office.”
Read was asked by Edward Henry KC, the barrister representing operatives, whether the government was using the Post Office “as a shield or a fire curtain” to deflect criticism about the schemes. “That could be a description, yes,” Read replied.
Henry asked him whether having the Post Office administer the two schemes “was exposing a teetering institution which was virtually insolvent to further reputational damage and criticism”.
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