Government to drop security services exemption from Hillsborough Law

Plans to give security services an exemption from giving evidence to public inquiries is due to be dropped by the government.

The Hillsborough Law, which would impose a duty for public authorities to act with candour and transparency, had been delayed over disagreement about whether intelligence agencies would also be covered by the legislation.

The bill’s progress through the House of Commons was paused over the issue, with more than 20 Labour MPs planning to back amendments that would have ensured officers from MI5, MI6 and GCHQ were bound by the legislation’s requirements.

An announcement on the compromise is expected to be made next week, after the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster on Wednesday.

As the parliamentary session is due to end in the coming weeks, government insiders are said to have admitted that the bill will have to be rolled over into the next one.

A government spokesperson said: “We are working with the families, who have campaigned for decades, to get this bill right.

“The bill will fundamentally change how public authorities and officials behave during inquiries and investigations, ensuring honesty and transparency, so the state must always act for the people it serves.”

Become a friend of LabourList and join our community. Our friends support our vital non-factional work and get access to exclusive content and events. 

Subscribe here to our daily newsletter roundup of Labour news, analysis and comment– and follow us on TikTok, Bluesky, WhatsApp, X and Facebook. You can also write to our editor to share your thoughts on our stories and share your own. The best letters are published every Sunday.