Overview

• The Public Office (Accountability) Bill was formally laid before Parliament on 15–16 September, launching the legislative process in the Commons and Lords.
• A statutory duty of candour will require public officials to act honestly and transparently, with criminal sanctions for serious breaches confirmed by the government.
• The legislation creates a new offence of misleading the public and promises non‑means‑tested legal aid for bereaved families at inquests, billed as the largest expansion of legal aid in a decade.
• Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the law is designed to end cover‑ups and rebalance power after scandals including Grenfell, the Post Office Horizon prosecutions and infected blood.
• Families and campaigners welcomed the step but warned against dilution during scrutiny, with the Commons second reading scheduled for 13 October.