The cost of the Post Office Inquiry is likely to have exceeded £50m – with legal fees taking up the bulk of the spending, newly-published documents have revealed. In the year to 31 March, the inquiry cost almost £26.2m in total. This included £1.7m paid to the chair and his assessors, £5.4m to the inquiry legal team and £1.3m to counsel.
Core participants’ legal fees come to around £6.15m, while external document review lawyers have been paid £5.5m. Core participant lawyers represent those involved in the Post Office scandal and their fees are paid under a costs protocol. Leading counsel are paid up to £220 an hour, with junior counsel on £120 hourly rates, solicitors of eight years PQE charging £175 and trainees and paralegals charging £100.
The total bill for 2023/24 also includes £2.8m for hiring the venue at Aldwych, London, and around £600,000 on audio and visual support.
During the period, the inquiry into the scandal, looking at the wrongful convictions of hundreds of sub-postmasters, proceedings focused on actions against individuals, audits and investigations, disclosure failures and civil and criminal investigations.
Scrutiny and interest in the inquiry ramped up during the year with the broadcast of the ITV drama Mr Bates v The Post Office, although some of the highest-profile hearings – notably those involving former chief executive Paula Vennells – came after the financial year ended.
Total costs are now certain to have gone past £50m, taking into account the costs of previous years which came to around £22m.
Professional fees may also include costs other than the salary of an individual, such as support staff or chambers’ fees.
Since the 2023/24 ended, hearings have continued up until last week. A further two-day hearing is scheduled for closing remarks next months, and some witnesses may be called back in the new year to give more evidence. There has been no indication yet when chair Sir Wyn Williams and his team will publish their final report.
The costs of the inquiry are effectively met by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. All figures are exclusive of VAT.
