# Bring in a Hillsborough law

> “I am fully committed to introducing a Hillsborough law, including a legal duty of candour for public servants and criminal sanctions for those who refuse to comply.”
>
> — Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister, Labour Party; Prime Minister's Questions, 2 July 2025

- **Status:** In plan
- **Status ladder:** Promised → In plan → Legislated → Funded → Delivering → Delivered
- **Policy area:** [Police, courts, prisons](https://ledgergov.uk/promises/area/police-courts-and-prisons)
- **Speaker:** [Sir Keir Starmer](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/keir-starmer), Prime Minister
- **Party:** [Labour Party](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/labour)
- **Made on:** 2 July 2025
- **Where:** Prime Minister's Questions
- **Cost a year:** No costing published
- **Who it affects:** Families bereaved or harmed in disasters and scandals, and anyone dealing with public bodies
- **When:** Not stated
- **Paid for by:** Not stated when it was announced
- **Quote source:** https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2025-07-02/debates/6692B67C-F2D5-4AD2-BB24-627BE5D72AAD/Engagements (checked word for word at its source on 20 October 2026; Open Parliament Licence v3.0)
- **Last updated:** 21 October 2026
- **Card:** https://ledgergov.uk/promise/uk-hillsborough-law-2025

## Where it stands

The government's Hillsborough law, the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, was introduced in the Commons on 16 September 2025. Its long title puts a duty of candour on public authorities and public officials and creates offences for those who mislead the public. It passed the Commons on 14 July 2026, was carried over into the new session, and was in committee in the House of Lords in October 2026. The promise gives no date. The card moves to Legislated when the Bill becomes law.

## Timeline

- 2 July 2025, Promised: At Prime Minister's Questions, the Prime Minister says he is fully committed to introducing a Hillsborough law
- 16 September 2025, In plan: The government introduces the Public Office (Accountability) Bill in the House of Commons ([evidence](https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/4019))

## About the cost

No cost was given with the promise.

## Sources

- [Hansard, House of Commons, 2 Jul 2025: Engagements (Prime Minister's Questions)](https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2025-07-02/debates/6692B67C-F2D5-4AD2-BB24-627BE5D72AAD/Engagements)
- [UK Parliament: Public Office (Accountability) Bill, stages and long title](https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/4019)

## Checks

- Verified by Pavel Guzhikov, checked by AI Journalist; approved on 21 October 2026.
- Checked by AI Journalist (automated) on 20 October 2026.

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