Ms Debbie Byrne:

The new contract that was introduced in 2018 was voted on by the IPU and was passed by ratio of around 70:30 in the ballot. It was up to individual postmasters to decide whether to sign the contract. In the letter we sent to them, we urged them to seek separate legal advice themselves and many did so. A small cohort of approximately 70 postmasters who were offered the new contract did not sign it. They are independent contractors and we would have been very clear that it was up to them to seek their own advice. We did, through the IPU, provide some tax advice. We helped the IPU with regard to tax matters and that advice was supplied to all postmasters but each one made his or her own decision in signing the contract.