Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what risk assessment was made regarding the appointment of Henry Staunton as chairman of the Post Office on 2 September 2022; and what plans they have to publish that assessment.

When appointments are made, conflicts are routinely addressed as part of the appointments process. The Companies Act sets out that a director must avoid situations where they have conflicts which conflict with the interests of the company and they must disclose conflicts of interest. As per the Companies Act requirements, any conflicts are disclosed in the company's Annual Report and Accounts, as is the mechanism for managing any conflict.