Key Insights from Post Office Chief Nick Read's Horizon IT Inquiry Testimony
During the Horizon IT inquiry, Post Office chief executive Nick Read discussed organizational issues following wrongful prosecutions of sub-postmasters due to flawed software, highlighting challenges in transparency, staff misconduct, and sub-postmaster contracts. £363 million has been paid to victims, but many await compensation, amidst critiques of previous leadership and ongoing employment issues. Read pledged to work towards further changes before his departure.
Post Office chief executive Nick Read provided key insights during his testimony in the Horizon IT inquiry.
He revealed that he wasn’t fully informed about the scale of wrongful prosecutions linked to the faulty Horizon accounting software when he took office in 2019.
Despite stopping these prosecutions, Read faced questions about organizational transparency.
He expressed frustration about his pay and criticized previous leadership accountability.
Additionally, new figures show £363 million has been paid to wrongfully prosecuted sub-postmasters, though many await compensation.
Suspected employee misconduct remains unresolved, with some involved still working at the Post Office.
Read shared concerns over current sub-postmaster contracts, calling specific provisions 'heavy-handed'.
Despite the ongoing challenges, he committed to further reforms in his remaining tenure.