Statutory duty of candour for law enforcement
The Panel recommends the creation of a statutory duty of candour, to be owed by all law enforcement agencies to those whom they serve, subject to protection of national security and relevant data protection legislation.
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Accepted in Part
Response
Accepted in PartThe Panel agreed with other independent inquiries, such as Bishop James Jones' report on the experiences of the Hillsborough families, about the need for a duty of candour for public services, including the police. The Government will address the points of learning related to a duty of candour as part of the full response to Bishop James Jones's report. The Government has committed to engaging with the Hillsborough families prior to publication of its full response.
Published Evidence
Published assessments of progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Source type badge indicates whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.
The Panel recommended a statutory duty of candour for all law enforcement agencies. The government accepted in principle and linked it to the Hillsborough Law. The Public Authority (Accountability) Bill was introduced 16 September 2025 and passed second reading 3 November 2025. However, the bill stalled in January 2026 after a dispute over whether intelligence services would be covered. Hillsborough campaigners withdrew their support. As of February 2026 no new date has been set for report stage. The statutory duty of candour does not yet exist in law.
View detailed findings
The duty of candour does not yet exist in statute. The Hillsborough Law bill is stalled in the House of Commons with no confirmed return date. Nearly five years after the Panel's recommendation, the legislation has not been enacted.