“Hillsborough Law”

Lord Keen of Elie Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd April 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede]

Yes, I can give my noble friend the reassurance that she is looking for. It is about looking at the extent of the legal aid that will be available to those families as they go into these types of large-scale litigation. It is precisely those issues that are being looked at. There will be further discussions with the groups that are affected.

[Lord Keen of Elie (Con)]

My Lords, Hillsborough was, of course, a disaster with tragic consequences. It evinced a disgraceful response from many public servants, public authorities and, indeed, in some instances, the police. It is rather depressing to find that we have to legislate to impose a duty of candour on such public servants when we already have a law with regard to misfeasance in public office and, surely, a failure of candour amounts to misfeasance in these circumstances. When the Government eventually come to legislate, will they ensure that they have effective means of enforcing the duty of candour—not imposing it but enforcing it—and ensuring that there will be punishment for those who fail to display such an obvious duty in public office?

[Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede (Lab)]

I take the point that the noble and learned Lord has made. It is regrettable that we need this duty of candour, but we do need it. We have seen what has happened in events over the last 20 years or so. As I have said in answers to other noble Lords, it is the intention that there will be criminal sanctions in the duty of candour when it is brought forward, and that is the firm commitment of the Government.