STORY
Members of the House of Lords are preparing to debate legislation which would impose a legal duty of candour on public servants and public authorities. The Public Office (Accountability) Bill, widely known as the Hillsborough Law, will receive its second reading on Tuesday 1 September.
The proposed law is intended to prevent public bodies and officials from concealing information or failing to cooperate honestly following disasters and state related deaths. It would also provide legal aid for victims and their families, addressing concerns about the disparity between publicly funded representation for state organisations and the resources available to bereaved relatives.
Justice minister Lord Lemos will introduce the debate and respond for the Government. Other scheduled speakers include former Prime Minister Baroness May, former Home Secretaries Lord Blunkett and Lord Howard and Lord Arbuthnot, who campaigned on behalf of subpostmasters affected by the Post Office Horizon scandal. The second reading will allow members to debate the bill’s principles before detailed amendments are considered at later stages.