00:00In Westminster, progress on the long-promised Hillsborough law is set to continue after ministers agree to carry the legislation
00:07over into the next parliamentary session.
00:09The move means the draft public office accountability bill will remain active as Labour MP Ian Byrne urged ministers to
00:15end what he described as delays and deliver the law in full.
00:19Mr Byrne, who was at the Hillsborough disaster in which 97 football fans died, said in the Commons that any
00:24law must be delivered without carve-outs for intelligence and security services.
00:28The proposed law pledged in Labour's 2024 manifesto is designed to impose a duty of candour on public officials during
00:35inquiries and investigations.
00:37However, progress was delayed after concerns were raised over potential changes involving intelligentsia agencies, including proposals that would bring them
00:44into scope only with approval from the head of their services.
00:48Campaigners warned such amendments could weaken the proposed duty of candour and the changes were later withdrawn.
00:54In recent weeks, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had previously promised to deliver draft legislation by April 15th last year,
01:02marking the 36th anniversary of the disaster, but the timeline slipped as discussions continued over the law's scope.
01:08Saying the legislation is intended to change how public officials behave during inquiries, Mr Byrne continued to press for what
01:14he calls full implementation without exemptions,
01:18whilst the government says it remains committed to progressing the bill through the legislative process.
01:23The proposal remains subject to parliamentary approval as the carryover motions considered in the Commons.
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