“Hillsborough Law”

Debate between Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede and Lord Hannan of Kingsclere

Tuesday 22nd April 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede (Lab)]

The noble Baroness has made a very good point in raising the issue of whistleblowers, which I have heard her raise in many other contexts as well. It is worth making the point from this Dispatch Box that the duty of candour is itself a piece of legislation, but a range of measures needs to be taken and behaviours inculcated into our public service to address the wider issues which have been revealed—if I can put it like that—through past behaviours over the past couple of decades.

[Lord Hannan of Kingsclere (Con)]

My Lords, I am sure the whole House will share the Minister’s admiration for the steadfastness of the Hillsborough victims and his horror at the police cover-up, but will he take this opportunity to say a hard thing which none the less needs saying? After a disaster of this kind, although victims deserve our sympathy and support, they do not become experts on the law or the ultimate arbiters of what should change. Indeed, our criminal justice system and our political system depend precisely on those decisions being made by cool-headed people who are at one remove because they are not directly involved with the horror.

[Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede (Lab)]

Yes, I think I agree with the point that the noble Lord has made. Victims are not arbiters of the law. However, it is incumbent on anyone in government to be as sympathetic as is practical to the victims. As I said in answer to an earlier question, the Prime Minister is taking a personal interest in this matter, and if anyone will know the limitations of where sympathy is appropriate, but where the law is also appropriate, he will. It is our firm intention to bring forward legislation as soon as possible.