Public Office (Accountability) Bill – in the House of Commons at 5:15 pm on 14 July 2026.
Votes in this debate
Amendments made: 26, in clause 6, page 5, line 37, after “applies” insert “(subject as follows)—
(a)”.
This amendment is consequential on Amendments 155 and 157.
Amendment 154, in clause 6, page 5, line 37, leave out “an intelligence service” and insert “a relevant public authority”.
This amendment is consequential on Amendments 157.
Amendment 155, in clause 6, page 5, line 38, at end insert—
“(b) to a person who works for a relevant public authority as it applies to other public officials.”
This amendment clarifies that the duty of candour and assistance applies to persons working for relevant public authorities (as defined by Amendment 168) in the same way as that duty applies to other public officials, subject to certain safeguards dealt with in the rest of clause 6 (as amended by Amendment 157).
Amendment 28, in clause 6, page 5, line 39, leave out “But”.
This amendment is consequential on Amendment 26.
Amendment 156, in clause 6, page 5, line 40, leave out “an intelligence service” and insert
“a relevant public authority (other than the head of that authority when discharging obligations on behalf of it)”.
This amendment clarifies that the obligation under clause 2(3) to give a notification applies to the head of a relevant public authority when acting on its behalf.
Amendment 157, in clause 6, page 6, line 1, leave out paragraph (b) and insert—
“(b) to any other public official, or to a public authority other than a relevant public authority, where compliance with the obligation would result in the provision of protected information.
(2A) Subsection (2B) applies where—
(a) a public authority (‘the recipient authority’) is in possession of protected information provided by a relevant public authority, and
(b) the recipient authority would, but for the application of subsection (2)(b), be required to give a notification under section 2(3) that would result in the provision of that information.
(2B) The recipient authority must inform the relevant public authority that it has relied on the exemption in subsection (2)(b) in relation to the information (and the relevant public authority must act in accordance with section 2(3)).
(2C) Where, in compliance with the obligation under section 2(4), a person who works for a relevant public authority (other than the head of that authority) would be required to provide protected information to an inquiry or investigation, the person complies with that obligation by providing the information to the head of the authority.
(2D) Where the head of a relevant public authority receives information by virtue of subsection (2C), they must (subject to subsection (2E)) provide that information to the inquiry or investigation—
(a) by such time as the person leading the inquiry or investigation may require by virtue of section 3(5)(a), or
(b) where no such requirement is imposed, as soon as reasonably practicable.
(2E) The duty imposed by subsection (2D) on the head of a relevant public authority to provide information does not apply if, or to the extent that, either of the following conditions is met before the head would otherwise be required to provide the information to the inquiry or investigation.
(2F) The first condition is that an application is made, by virtue of any enactment or rule of law, for the information to be subject to restrictions on disclosure in accordance with that enactment or rule of law.
(2G) The second condition is that representations are made to a Minister for the inquiry or investigation to become an inquiry established under the Inquiries Act 2005 (in cases where it is not being held under that Act).
(2H) Where an application is made in accordance with an enactment or rule of law as mentioned in subsection (2F), information must be provided to the inquiry or investigation if, and to the extent that, the enactment or rule of law so requires for the purposes of the application being determined.
(2I) A person leading an inquiry or investigation must suspend it if—
(a) representations are made to a Minister as mentioned in subsection (2G) in relation to the inquiry or investigation, and
(b) the Minister requests the person to do so on the ground that the matters to which the inquiry or investigation relates are likely to be adequately investigated by an inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005 that is being or is to be held.
(2J) Subsection (2I) does not apply in relation to an investigation under Part 1 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (see instead paragraph 3 of Schedule 1 to that Act).”—(Catherine Atkinson.)
This amendment provides for limited circumstances in which the duty to give a notification under clause 2(3) to the person leading an investigation or inquiry does not apply and provides for certain safeguards in relation to the provision of protected information under clause 2(4). The terms “protected information” and “relevant public authority” are defined in clause 8 as amended by Amendments 167 and 168.
Amendment proposed: 199, in clause 6, page 6, line 3, at end insert—
“(2A) Where, in compliance with the obligation under section 2(4), a person who works for an intelligence service, a military intelligence service, the National Crime Agency, Counter Terrorism Command, or one of the armed forces, would be required to provide security or intelligence information, the obligation applies in respect of that information only if the head of the service or agency consents to it being provided.
(2B) The head of an intelligence service, the head of military intelligence service, the head of the National Crime Agency, the head of Counter Terrorism Policing UK, or the head of one of the armed forces may withhold consent under subsection (2A) only if it appears to the head that either of the following conditions is met.
(2C) The first condition is that it is necessary for consent to be withheld in the interests of national security or otherwise for the purposes of the proper exercise of the functions of the service.
(2D) The second condition is that the information would not be of assistance to the inquiry or investigation in meeting its objectives.
(2E) Where the head of an intelligence service, the head of military intelligence service, the head of the National Crime Agency, the head of Counter Terrorism Policing UK, or the head of one of the armed forces withholds consent under subsection (2A), the head must notify the person leading the inquiry or investigation of that fact.”—(Nick Timothy.)
This amendment ensures that the duty of candour and assistance may require a person who works for an intelligence service, military intelligence, the NCA, Counter Terrorism Command or the armed forces to provide security or intelligence information with the consent of the head of their service.
Question put, That the amendment be made.
Division number 57
Public Office (Accountability) Bill Report Stage: Amendment 199
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
As a bill passes through Parliament, MPs and peers may suggest amendments - or changes - which they believe will improve the quality of the legislation.
Many hundreds of amendments are proposed by members to major bills as they pass through committee stage, report stage and third reading in both Houses of Parliament.
In the end only a handful of amendments will be incorporated into any bill.
The Speaker - or the chairman in the case of standing committees - has the power to select which amendments should be debated.
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
A person involved in the counting of votes. Derived from the word 'tallier', meaning one who kept a tally.
The House of Commons votes by dividing. Those voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through the division lobby to the right of the Speaker and those voting no through the lobby to the left. In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied by Clerks who tick Members' names off division lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors the Members are counted by two Members acting as tellers. The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout the building and the police direct all Strangers to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They also walk through the public rooms of the House shouting "division". MPs have eight minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the doors are closed. Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips are on hand to remind the uncertain which way, if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks who will take the names of those voting have taken their place at the high tables with the alphabetical lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to record the vote. When the tellers are ready the counting process begins - the recording of names by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and the figures entered on a card this is given to the Speaker who reads the figures and announces "So the Ayes [or Noes] have it". In the House of Lords the process is the same except that the Lobbies are called the Contents Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby. Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical or electronic means of voting. This was considered in 1998 but rejected. Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and those where most Members are voting usually take about fifteen. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P9 at the UK Parliament site.
