The Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy, has expressed confidence that disagreements with campaigners over the Hillsborough Law can be resolved before the legislation returns to Parliament on Monday. The Hillsborough Law would introduce a legal obligation for public authorities to cooperate and tell the truth in inquiries.
However, bereaved families and some Labour MPs have raised concerns that the heads of security services would be able to exempt MI5 and MI6 officers from disclosing information. Nandy insisted that security services would not be exempt from the legislation, but acknowledged the challenge of ensuring officers, who often hold confidential information, can continue to do their jobs.
The draft law, formally known as the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, would place the same “duty of candour” on security service personnel as other public servants. However, under a change proposed by the government, this would be subject to the approval of the head of their service. Campaigners have argued this would allow those running security services to decide whether to disclose information and said they cannot support the bill in its current form.
The government is facing the prospect of a rebellion by some of its own MPs on Monday, when the House of Commons is due to vote on the legislation. Hillsborough Law campaigners say they cannot back the proposed bill, and families bereaved by the 2017 Manchester Arena attack have also called for the law to apply fully to security services.
Nandy told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme that she is “really confident” a way to resolve the issue can be found. She said the government is listening to families and “we will find a way to get this right because in the end we want the same thing.”
The Labour mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, said it was “vital” security services were subject to the duty of candour, but added that “without the trust and confidence of the families it’s going to be very difficult.”
The government has stated that while they have the deepest respect for bereaved families, they have gone as far as they can without compromising national security. However, some Labour MPs have backed a proposal that would ensure the duty of candour applies in full to individuals working for security services.