Found: The Public Office (Accountability) Bill seeks to place a “duty of candour and assistance” on public

Found: The Public (Office) Accountability Bill aims to address this and we urge this joint inquiry and government

Found: The Public Office (Accountability) Bill expressly includes schools and FE providers within its duty of

Found: increases in other areas of law, but cited other investments in legal aid, including the Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: As I’m sure you are aware, Part 7 of Schedule 1 to the Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: First, I am responsible for the overall policy for inquiries response, for the Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: undertook to write to the Committee on three issues: 1) The interaction between the Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: November 2025), Northern Ireland Troubles Bill (first reading 14th October 2025), Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: effective legal aid system for inquests, following the legal aid provisions in the Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: effective legal aid system for inquests, following the legal aid provisions in the Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: be aware that this committee is also very interested in the Hillsborough Law, the Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: development of clear codes of conduct that will complement the new requirement from the Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the provisions in the Public Office (Accountability) Bill on the functions of the security services.

Answered by Lord Lemos - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Government has worked closely with the UK Intelligence Community and with the Intelligence and Security Committee to assess the impact of any measures on the functions of the intelligence and security services.

The Bill includes measures designed to ensure that sensitive information is handled securely and can be protected from inappropriate disclosure. This includes information related to the functions of the intelligence and security services.

As for all public authorities, there will be some limited costs for the intelligence and security services in preparing for the application of the duty and in adapting existing practice to meet its requirements. The Bill’s impact assessment sets out that the extent of ‘new’ costs in the support of these investigative processes is likely to be low.

The Government will continue to review the impact assessment of the Bill as the Bill is amended.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill on the functions of the intelligence and security services.

Answered by Lord Lemos - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Government has worked closely with the UK Intelligence Community and with the Intelligence and Security Committee to assess the impact of any measures on the functions of the intelligence and security services.

The Bill includes measures designed to ensure that sensitive information is handled securely and can be protected from inappropriate disclosure. This includes information related to the functions of the intelligence and security services.

As for all public authorities, there will be some limited costs for the intelligence and security services in preparing for the application of the duty and in adapting existing practice to meet its requirements. The Bill’s impact assessment sets out that the extent of ‘new’ costs in the support of these investigative processes is likely to be low.

The Government will continue to review the impact assessment of the Bill as the Bill is amended.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to amend the Public Office (Accountability) Bill to require local authorities to correct inaccurate statements.

Answered by Baroness Levitt

The Public Office (Accountability) Bill establishes a new duty of candour and assistance at Inquiries, inquests and other investigations, backed by criminal sanctions. Local authorities will be under new obligations to help investigations to find the truth by providing information and evidence with candour proactively and without favouring their own position.

The Bill already requires public authorities and officials to correct any errors or omissions in information given to an Inquiry or investigation. In the case of a public authority, they must provide a position statement and further information or clarification and must comply with other directions, as soon as reasonably practicable.

The Bill also requires local authorities to establish a professional duty of candour for all staff, to be set within a wider code of ethics. These obligations will be underpinned by a new duty requiring public bodies to promote the ethical conduct of those that work for them.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the (a) names and (b) roles of all senior clinicians who declined to take part in the Ockenden Review of Nottingham Maternity and Neonatal Services.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

The Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust Maternity and Neonatal Review led by Donna Ockenden is an independent review. Therefore, the Department does not hold information about those individuals who declined to participate.

The Public Office (Accountability) Bill, or Hillsborough Bill, that is currently in Parliament will establish a new duty of candour and assistance at inquiries, inquests, and other investigations. Once the bill achieves Royal Assent, we will extend the duty of candour to the reviews commissioned this year into maternity and neonatal care at Leeds and Sussex.

This will give the reviews’ chairs formal powers to help them find the truth from the organisations and staff involved, including compelling everyone they invite to provide evidence, whether or not they still work in the National Health Service.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether Report Stage and other future stages of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill will take place before the Summer Recess.

Answered by Catherine Atkinson

The scheduling of Business is a matter for the Business Managers and announced two weeks in advance. Scheduling has not concluded ahead of the Summer Recess, and will be announced in due course.

Any scheduling of Commons Remaining Stages of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill will form part of any future Business Statement.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will provide the date of his last formal communication with the Hillsborough Law Now and Pete Weatherby KC campaign regarding the Public Office (Accountability) Bill.

Answered by Catherine Atkinson

The Government engages regularly with Hillsborough Law Now at both an official and political level. There has been a recent change in Ministers with responsibility for this portfolio. As part of my introductory meetings, I recently met with representatives from Hillsborough Law Now, as well as others including victims, survivors, and families who support the Public Office (Accountability) Bill.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether disclosures to the Southport Inquiry by (1) the Department of Health and Social Care, (2) NHS England, and (3) Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust, concerning "inappropriate accesses" to victim records satisfied the current text of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)

The Public Office (Accountability) Bill is currently undergoing parliamentary scrutiny and has not yet been enacted into law. It is not the practice of the Government to comment on the potential application of legislation to specific current scenarios when it is currently before Parliament and has not yet been enacted. The Bill does not provide for the duty of candour to apply retrospectively. The Government remains committed to supporting the independent Southport Inquiry.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Government's publication entitled A message from Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the Civil Service, published on 8 July 2024, what steps Cabinet Office has the taken to deliver on the Prime Minister's commitment to deliver open and transparent government.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds

Since the General Election, the UK government has introduced a new monthly Register of Ministers' Gifts and Hospitality, is working to deliver the Public Office (Accountability) Bill to introduce new duties of candour, has revised and strengthened the Ministerial Code and strengthened the role of the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards. In addition, the government has recently launched the call for evidence to inform the next National Action Plan for Open Government.

Found: Public Office (Accountability) Bill: HL Bill 42 of 2026–27

Found: The Public Office (Accountability) Bill includes provisions that would establish a legal duty of candour

Hillsborough Law

Professionalise the role of MPs by ending self-regulation. We demand an IPSA-style independent framework to enforce a mandatory 5-year competence baseline for all election candidates, a strict ban on conflicting paid second jobs, and criminal liability for deliberate public deception.

Found: Criminal Liability:End the MP exemption in the Public Office (Accountability) Bill.

Found: a successor to the Committee on Standards in Public Life 12 and the drafting of a Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: There may be read across from the Public Office Accountability Bill.

Found: to provide evidence in the upcoming maternity reviews in Leeds and Sussex, once the Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: Now

Found: with Anacta Kate Dearden 24/03/2026 Hillsborough Law Now To discuss concerns about the Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: Broudie Jackson Canter, University of Liverpool, INQUEST To discuss amendments to the Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: INQUEST

Found: Broudie Jackson Canter, University of Liverpool, INQUEST To discuss amendments to the Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: INQUEST

Found: Mayor of Liverpool

Found: Lammy 13/01/2026 Mayor of Greater Manchester and Mayor of Liverpool To discuss the Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: Greater Manchester

Found: 09-02 Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Mayor of Greater Manchester To discuss the Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: The Public Office (Accountability) Bill introduces new duties of candour for public officials and public

Found: Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Public Office (Accountability) Bill (‘the Bill’) will enable bereaved

Found: The Public Office (Accountability) Bill (‘the Bill’) will expand, subject to Parliamentary approval,

Found: Wales 9 Inquests 10 Current legal aid arrangements for inquests 10 Overview of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: Minimis Self-Certification Form Title of Measure “Duty of Candour” provisions in the Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: Public Office (Accountability) Bill Factsheet: Duty of Candour measures Background The

Found: The Public Office (Accountability) Bill – otherwise known as the Hillsborough Law – introduced to Parliament

Found: This supports the Public Office (Accountability) Bill.

Found: The Government has introduced the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, known as the Hillsborough Law,

Found: to provide evidence in the upcoming maternity reviews in Leeds and Sussex, once the Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: Following the first round of market engagement around the Public Office (Accountability) Bill in November

Found: introduce the Hillsborough Law to bring forward a duty of candour for public servants [Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: introduce the Hillsborough Law to bring forward a duty of candour for public servants [Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: Background The Government has introduced the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, known as the Hillsborough

Found: Background The Government has introduced the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, known as the Hillsborough

Found: Information Systems) Bill • Northern Ireland Troubles Bill • Pension Schemes Bill • Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: Executive Officer In No vember 2025, the Ombudsman spoke publicly in support of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: focusing on the strategic management of litigation (Litigation Directorate) • the Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: ................................................................................79 Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: ................................................................................ 79 Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: .............................................................................. 79 Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: MP to Kieran Mullan MP regarding questions raised during the Committee stage of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: MP to Kieran Mullan MP regarding questions raised during the Committee stage of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill

Found: There may be read across from the Public Office Accountability Bill.

Found: Bill, the Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill, the Public Office (Accountability) Bill