Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of procurement processes used at The Post Office.

As a public sector organisation Post Office is bound by the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. In addition, as set out in the Shareholder Relationship Framework Document published by Government in 2020, Post Office’s Chief Executive Officer is expected to observe the principles set out by HM Treasury in Managing Public Money.

Post Office’s procurement policy is reviewed regularly by the Post Office Board and the Board scrutinises procurements that are high-value or novel and/or contentious.

The Government has mechanisms in place to maintain oversight of the Post Office and regularly monitors Post Office's financial performance, strategy and corporate governance. In addition, as per the Articles of Association Post Office requires the prior written consent of the Shareholder for any undertaking to incur any expenditure in excess of £50 million.