Post Office executive off work for almost a year after clash with boss

Talking about the whistleblowing report, Amanda Burton, non-executive director overseeing whistleblowing complaints at the Post Office, said: “Today’s Post Office encourages speaking up and raising concerns, which is the right thing to do for our employees and postmasters.

“We treat ‘speak up’ disclosures consistently, fairly, appropriately and professionally and investigate them fully. We have engaged an independent barrister to conduct the necessary investigations and do not comment on active investigations. Our ‘speak up’ process is an essential part of our cultural transformation to ensure that concerns are fully investigated, so that failings of the past are not repeated.”

Mr Read has so far failed to meet three deadlines to hand over what Mr Staunton originally described as an “80-page speak out document” when revealing its existence to the business and trade committee last week.

Ben Tidswell, the Post Office’s senior independent director, told Liam Byrne, the committee chairman, that disclosing the “speak up” document would “undermine the ongoing investigation that is being conducted”.

However, in another letter written on Tuesday, Mr Byrne said he expected that he would be in a position to provide the committee with the documents by 9am on Wednesday.

Mr Tidswell claimed the 80-page document was actually 12 pages. However, it is understood there may be confusion over lengths due to appendices.

Referring to the 12-page report, Mr Tidswell wrote: “In accordance with the Post Office’s ‘speak up’ process on whistleblowing, these allegations are being investigated by an external barrister.

“This investigation is ongoing and Mr Read is fully co-operating with this investigation. At present, it is anticipated that the investigation will be concluded by the end of March/early April.”

It is not known at this point whether the committee will publish the document.

A spokesman for the committee said: “The committee welcomes the intention of the Post Office to share the documents. It will see what the Post Office provides tomorrow before determining any appropriate next actions.”