Paula Vennells agreed her email which sought to "minimise compensation" for subpostmasters in the mediation scheme sounded like they were only welcome if they accepted a "pat on the head and a token payment".Counsel to the inquiry Jason Beer KC said: "You never intended to pay out any substantial figures in compensation for those issues at all, did you?"Ms Vennells replied: "No, that's right. Not in terms of the mediation scheme, because that was not what I had understood it would do.Mr Beer sai

Paula Vennells agreed her email which sought to "minimise compensation" for subpostmasters in the mediation scheme sounded like they were only welcome if they accepted a "pat on the head and a token payment".Counsel to the inquiry Jason Beer KC said: "You never intended to pay out any substantial figures in compensation for those issues at all, did you?"Ms Vennells replied: "No, that's right. Not in terms of the mediation scheme, because that was not what I had understood it would do.Mr Beer said: "You wanted to give them a meagre sum and an apology without really understanding or investigating what the cause of their problems was, didn't you?"Ms Vennells said: "No, that isn't the case. All types of cases were welcomed into the scheme, but my understanding at the beginning of it was very different to what it turned out to be."Mr Beer went on: "Everyone was welcome so long as they had a pat on the head and a token payment when they left?"The former Post Office boss replied: "I agree tha