Hillsborough Law debate in London: watch free on 1 September: key details
The second reading of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill will take place at the House of Lords in London on Tuesday 1 September 2026. Widely known as the “Hillsborough Law”, the bill would introduce a legal duty of candour for public servants and authorities, alongside legal aid for victims of disasters or state-related deaths.
The proceedings at the Palace of Westminster are public and free, with the general public identified as the audience. UK Parliament News has confirmed that the debate can be watched through Parliament TV, although its notice does not specify a start time.
Date, venue and access details
- Event: Second reading of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill
- Date: Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Venue: House of Lords, Palace of Westminster, London, SW1A 0PW
- Cost: Free
- Audience: General public
- Remote access: Parliament TV
The parliamentary notice does not provide a start time, booking instructions, transport guidance or accessibility information. Anyone planning to follow the proceedings should therefore check the official parliamentary schedule for any updated timing or access details.
Duty of candour and legal aid lead the debate
The bill’s two central measures will shape the second-reading debate. The first is a proposed legal duty of candour applying to public servants and public authorities. The second concerns the provision of legal aid to people affected by disasters or deaths involving the state.
A second reading gives members an opportunity to discuss the bill’s main issues. Members can also identify concerns and point to provisions they believe may require amendments as the proposed legislation continues through Parliament.
The session is therefore aimed at the overall principles and key areas of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, rather than a detailed line-by-line examination. For viewers, it offers an early opportunity to hear where members agree with the proposal and which areas they may seek to change.
Former ministers and justice figures due to speak
Lord Lemos, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and Lords Minister at the Ministry of Justice, will introduce the debate and respond for the government.
The published speakers include Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom, an advocate for subpostmasters wrongfully prosecuted during the Post Office scandal, and Lord Beamish, a member of the Post Office Horizon Compensation Board. Former home secretaries Lord Blunkett and Lord Howard of Lympne are also listed.
Other scheduled contributors include former Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett of Maldon, former prime minister Baroness May of Maidenhead, former London Fire Brigade commissioner Lord Roe of West Wickham, former Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner Lord Bach, and Football Regulatory Authority chair Lord Wolfson of Tredegar.
How to watch and find the written record
The debate will be carried on Parliament TV. No advance booking details are given for watching the online proceedings, and the parliamentary notice describes access as free.
A Lords Hansard transcript is expected to become available from three hours after the debate. That record will provide the written account of members’ contributions, including the concerns raised and any areas identified for possible amendment.
Source: UK Parliament News
Context & actions About this article
Source check Source trail
Event details and the bill’s stated measures were checked against the House of Lords notice published by UK Parliament News.
- Confirmed the second-reading date as Tuesday 1 September 2026.
- Confirmed the venue as the House of Lords at the Palace of Westminster in London.
- Checked the stated proposals on a duty of candour and legal aid.
- Verified Parliament TV and the post-debate Lords Hansard transcript as the available ways...
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- UK Parliament News
- Scope
- United Kingdom
- Updated
- 2026-08-28 12:09
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