Victims and Prisoners Bill (Fourth sitting)

Anna McMorrin Excerpts

Committee stage
Thursday 22nd June 2023 Public Bill Committees

[Sir Oliver Heald]

Q I just want to pay tribute to your campaign.

Jenni Hicks: Thank you. All the families are saying it—the city as well.

[Anna McMorrin (Cardiff North) (Lab)]

Q Thank you very much for coming here, being so honest and speaking really deeply on this awful tragedy. I want to ask you about a duty of candour. We heard this morning from witnesses about honesty, and you have talked about the honesty that is needed. Do you have an opinion, or do you want to say anything, on ensuring that there is a duty of candour on public servants, the Government and the public sector in taking part in this?

Jenni Hicks: That is huge—there has to be a duty of candour. I do not just mean a duty of candour where you—how can I put this without being offensive to anybody?

[Anna McMorrin]

Don’t worry about that.

Jenni Hicks: Where you do not lie, but you do not tell the truth. I am talking about telling the proper truth, because often you do not actually lie, but you do not tell the truth. If it is a duty of candour, it has to be a proper duty of candour, and there should be consequences if you do not tell the truth.

When I spoke to the last Committee, we had Paul Greaney KC here and he said, “Apparently, there is some sort of duty of candour at the moment, but there is only a £2,000 fine.” To big organisations, that is just pocket change. It should be something a little stronger than just a £2,000 fine if you do not tell the truth. That and transparency are the two really important things.

[The Chair]

Thank you very much, Mrs Hicks. We salute your courage. Thank you for coming.

Examination of Witness

Kimia Zabihyan gave evidence.