Recommendation 20

The Department currently estimates that the scheme is likely to cost £153 million, of which £89 million is from the Post Office and £65 million is from the Department.65 The Department noted that its contribution was its current best estimate, and did not represent a hard and fast limit: should the estimate prove to be too low, then it will be increased.66 In addition to the scheme, the government has committed to covering the costs of compensation to those former Post Office employees wrongly convicted of criminal offenses. The Department currently estimates this may cost the taxpayer up to £780 million.67 62 Q 79 63 Qq 79, 80 64 Correspondence from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy to the Board of Directors, Post Office Ltd., 14 December 2020 65 Q 78 66 Q 79 67 Qq 78–80 Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy Annual Report and Accounts 2020–21 15