Reading the bill’s publication files and writing a plain-English Green Book note…
Reading the bill’s publication files and writing a plain-English Green Book note…
Proposal 4019
A Bill to Impose a duty on public authorities and public officials to act with candour, transparency and frankness; to make provision for the enforcement of that duty in their dealings with inquiries and investigations; to require public authorities to promote and take steps to maintain ethical conduct within all parts of the authority; to create an offence in relation to public authorities and public officials who mislead the public; to create further offences in relation to the misconduct of persons who hold public office and to abolish the common law offence of misconduct in public office; to make provision enabling persons to participate at inquiries and investigations where the conduct of public authorities may be in issue; and for connected purposes.
Appraisal prepared just now from the official papers. Next scheduled update after the next sitting or within about 24 hours.
Sponsor: Ministry of Justice
Open publications on bills.parliament.ukPlain-English note and Green Book five-case reading from the official papers — the heart of this page.
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In plain English
The Hillsborough disaster is a great stain on British history – this Bill aims to ensure that what happened following the disaster can never take place again.
Public officials will be bound by duties of candour with criminal and professional consequences and action will be taken to help empower bereaved families to effectively participate in inquests where the state is involved — helping to address any imbalance of power and promote transparency and fairness. Part 1 of the Bill contains a purpose clause which summarises the policy objective of the Bill: to ensure that public authorities and officials perform their functions in the public interest and with candour, transparency and frankness at all times.
Chapter 1 (Clauses 2 to 9) creates a legal duty of candour and assistance on public authorities and officials at inquiries, inquests and other investigations. Policy background Duty of Candour 11 In 2009 the Government established the Hillsborough Independent Panel to oversee full public disclosure of relevant information held by state bodies.
Same bill, simpler words — a deeper read without the jargon.
Imagine the country is making a new rule. This one is about: The Hillsborough disaster is a great stain on British history – this Bill aims to ensure that what happened following the disaster can never take place again.. The people who would notice most are: Public officials will be bound by duties of candour with criminal and professional consequences and action will be taken to help empower bereaved families to effectively participate in inquests where the state is involved — helping to address any imbalance of power and promote transparency and fairness. Part 1 of the Bill contains a purpose clause which summarises the policy objective of the Bill: to ensure that public authorities and officials perform their functions in the public interest and with candour, transparency and frankness at all times.. If it became a real law, the everyday change would be: Chapter 1 (Clauses 2 to 9) creates a legal duty of candour and assistance on public authorities and officials at inquiries, inquests and other investigations. Policy background Duty of Candour 11 In 2009 the Government established the Hillsborough Independent Panel to oversee full public disclosure of relevant information held by state bodies..
Green Book 2026 · 5 Case Model
The Hillsborough disaster is a great stain on British history – this Bill aims to ensure that what happened following the disaster can never take place again.
It is currently at Committee stage in the Lords, sponsored by Ministry of Justice.
Passage signals — procedural trajectory, not a merit judgement
Public Office (Accountability) Bill is a government bill, currently at Committee stage in the Lords. Its type and progress so far point towards it completing its remaining stages, based on how similar bills have progressed.
Government bills are backed by the governing majority and get guaranteed debating time, so the large majority become law.
The bill has completed its stages in the Commons and moved to the second House. Bills that pass one House usually go on to complete the rest.
The bill sat recently and no future date is needed yet for it to be considered active.
The bill was carried over rather than allowed to fall at the end of the session — usually a sign the Government intends to complete it.
This outlook reads the bill's procedural trajectory only — its type, the stage it has reached, and its momentum — against how similar bills have historically progressed through Parliament. It is not a score, not a judgement on the bill's merits, and not a recommendation to support or oppose it. It sits alongside, and separate from, the Green Book five-case appraisal.
These UK Acts sit in a similar policy space and are already law. Pairing uses this proposal’s official papers (and the plain-English note themes). It is not a verdict that the proposal is redundant or unnecessary.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2026-05-14
English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026
Nearby policy wording to this bill. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — context only, not a verdict on whether the new bill is needed.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2010-07-26
Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010
Nearby policy wording to this bill. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — context only, not a verdict on whether the new bill is needed.
Nearby instruments in a similar policy space — lighter context while you read this UK proposal. Not a ranking, and not a recommendation.
Enacted 2026-07-20 (No. 27 of 2026)
Bill entitled an Act to amend the Planning and Development Act 2024, the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2025 and the Planning and Development Act 2000, and, in that connection, to amend certain other enactments; to amend the Housing Finance Agency Act 1981 for the purpose of increasing the borrowing limit of the Housing Finance Agency; and to provide for matters connected therewith.
Matched via Oireachtas search for “constitution electoral” (Constitution / devolution).
Open sourceEU instrument (CELEX 32019R1141)
EU political-party statute — a constitutional peer reference.
Selected as the closest EU peer for the “Constitution / devolution” policy category. EU law uses directives/regulations, not Commons/Lords stages.
Open source