“Starmer Promises New Hillsborough Law with Duty of Candour Before Disaster’s Next Anniversary” 2024-09-24

Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, is set to announce at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool that the new Hillsborough law will be implemented before the next anniversary of the tragic disaster. This legislation aims to establish a legal duty of candour for all public bodies, which would include potential criminal penalties for officials or authorities that mislead or obstruct investigations. Currently, the legal duty of candour applies primarily to care providers, requiring them to be open and transparent with service users. This obligation includes offering support, providing truthful information, and issuing apologies when mistakes occur. The introduction of the Hillsborough law seeks to expand these principles to a broader range of public institutions.

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Question 1: What is the main promise that Keir Starmer will make at the Labour party conference regarding the Hillsborough law?

Answer: Keir Starmer will promise to introduce the new Hillsborough law before the next anniversary of the disaster, which will establish a legal duty of candour for all public bodies.

Question 2: What does the new Hillsborough law aim to achieve?

Answer: The new Hillsborough law aims to ensure that all public bodies have a legal duty of candour, which includes potential criminal sanctions for officials or authorities that mislead or obstruct investigations.

Question 3: How does the current legal duty of candour differ from the proposed changes in the Hillsborough law?

Answer: The current legal duty of candour primarily applies to care providers, requiring them to be open and transparent with service users. In contrast, the proposed Hillsborough law will extend this duty to all public bodies and introduce criminal penalties for non-compliance.

Question 4: What are the key components of the current legal duty of candour?

Answer: The current legal duty of candour requires care providers to provide support, truthful information, and an apology when things go wrong, ensuring transparency with those who use their services.