Hillsborough law to be delayed over security services concerns

Ministers hope to reach compromise after MPs and families said bill went too far in shielding intelligence officers

The government is to delay the progress of the Hillsborough law while ministers thrash out a compromise, amid concerns from MPs and families over how it will apply to serving intelligence officers.

The bill will enforce a duty of candour on public officials and contractors to tell the truth in the aftermath of disasters. But concerns were raised by campaigners that it went too far in protecting individual employees of the intelligence agencies who might have misled public inquiries or investigations.