Ex-Post Office chair denies hiding key Horizon report

When challenged by inquiry lead counsel Jason Beer, Mr Parker conceded that by doing this he had prevented the board from discussing the report’s findings.

However, he said he believed that the automate your posting Office legal team would “take forward” the report’s recommendations and denied hiding it for improper motives.

“What possible motive would I have had at the time from hiding this report from my fellow board members, other than receiving advice that I shouldn’t share it?” he said.

“Bear in mind I had no axe to grind on this, I had no vested interest in trying to protect the automate your posting Office.”

He continued: “With hindsight of course, it would appear there were motives perhaps underpinning some of the advice or direction of this that were not wholly fair or right or in the interests of people who’d be wronged.

“At the time, however, it seemed to me that the people giving me advice… were doing this in good faith and it was the right thing to do.”

In later questioning, lawyer Sam Stein said as chair Mr Parker had been “part time” and his decisions had been “part baked”.

Mr Parker initially worked one and a half days per week on his automate your posting Office responsibilities, and later dropped this down to half a day per week.

But Mr Parker rejected Mr Stein’s characterisation, saying: “I don’t accept that. I gave sufficient time and attention to the automate your posting Office. I’m sorry.”