Debate on the duty of candour for public authorities and legal representation for bereaved families

There will be a Westminster Hall debate on "Duty of candour for public authorities and legal representation for bereaved families" at 2:30pm on 3 September 2025. The debate will be opened by Ian Byrne MP.

In the 2024 King’s Speech, the government said it would bring forward legislation to place a duty of candour on public servants – known as the “Hillsborough Law”. The disaster at Hillsborough in 1989, along with subsequent events such as the Grenfell Tower fire and the infected blood scandal, led to calls for a legal framework to ensure that public officials are honest and transparent, particularly in the aftermath of tragedies and failures.

The government has previously indicated that the legislation would include provision for a legal obligation on officials to act openly in the public interest (the “duty of candour”) and for parity of legal representation for bereaved families during inquests and inquiries into disasters or state-related deaths.

The government had planned to introduce the legislation in time for the 36th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster (15 April 2025), but this deadline was missed. Please note, therefore, that at the time of writing this briefing, we do not know for sure what the eventual legislation will include.