00:00The campaign for a Hillsborough law has long been about ensuring public bodies tell the truth when things go wrong.
00:08Now that debate has become closely linked to concerns over patient safety and accountability in the NHS maternity care.
00:15The public servants, they should tell the truth. They won't. They'll never tell the truth.
00:19Look, I voted Labour again and most of the owners lie and lie and lie.
00:25Because they've hidden away for so long that, you know, no one believes a word they say anyway.
00:32Whether it be the police or politicians, you know, no one believes a word and things need to change.
00:42It's politicians as well. I want them to answer a question when they're asked it.
00:47I don't want them to go 10 miles around the question without answering it.
00:52Former Health Secretary Wes Streetings urged the government to bring forward the proposed legislation before Parliament rises for the summer.
01:00He argues that meaningful improvements in maternity services will only happen if there's stronger legal accountability when serious mistakes occur.
01:08His comments follow a report by Baroness Valerie Amos calling for urgent improvements in maternity care and for women and
01:15families to be listened to more effectively.
01:17Mr Streeting said the issue that shocked him most in conversations with bereaved families was what he described as a
01:23continuing culture of cover-ups within parts of the NHS.
01:27He argued that any future inquiry would only be effective if those involved were legally required to cooperate through a
01:34statutory duty of candour.
01:36I mean, I worked for the NHS for 42 years. We were totally accountable, but we were taught that it
01:44just, you had to own up anything you did wrong because it meant it could not happen again.
01:52The proposed legislation known as the Public Office Accountability Bill would require public officials to tell the truth during official
01:59inquiries and investigations.
02:00It was included in Labour's 2024 election manifesto and has been carried over from the previous parliamentary session.
02:09Former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt also backed calls for the legislation.
02:12However, despite broad support for the principle, ministers have not confirmed whether the bill will become law before the summer
02:18recess.
02:19I was lucky enough. I never had no one out of family who died.
02:23I know people who went. I know a lad there. God bless him, mate. He's traumatised. He'll never be the
02:28same again.
02:28All the people that are hiding in the shadows should be made accountable.
02:32Yeah, the sooner it gets passed, the better.
02:35I'm a taxpayer now, even retired, and there's things I'm happy for my tax money to go to.
02:42Now, I don't know about this, Andy Barnum, no. Although he did bring the hills, but a thing up in
02:46Parliament, you know.
02:48Supposers believe the legislation could help prevent future cover-ups, improve public confidence,
02:53and ensure greater accountability across publicly funded services throughout the United Kingdom.
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