Hillsborough families told of public advocate plan will be put in place ‘as soon as possible’

Justice secretary, Dominic Raab has written to Hillsborough families, apologising for the government’s failure to respond to a report on their experiences, published over five years ago.

In a letter, the justice secretary said the government would be setting up an Independent Public Advocate (IPA) to support those by injured by major disasters and families and friends of those who lost their lives.

The letter read: “I am sorry that the processes and systems that were meant to support victims only served to compound your pain and suffering.

“That should never have happened, and we will continue to learn the lessons from that terrible experience following the unlawful killing of 97 innocent men, women and children.

“I am sorry it has taken so long to get to this point, and I am determined to set up the IPA as soon as possible.”

Former Bishop of Liverpool, James Jones, published The Patronising Disposition of Unaccountable Power, in 2017, delving into how public bodies treated the families of those who died in the disaster.

Commissioned by Theresa May, the report outlined not only the injustice of inquries into the Hillsborough disaster, but also discussed how to ensure similar injustices do not happen again.

Bishop Jones opened the report by stating, “the way in which families bereaved through public tragedy are treated by those in authority is in itself a burning injustice which must be addressed” and he said, “a duty of candour must be placed upon police officers, to ensure that they co-operate fully with investigations”.

Jones provided statements from the loved ones of those who died in the disaster and prasied them for not giving up on justice. He also welcomed a government commitment to create an independent public advocate, however, five years later, the government are yet to provide a response.

The government is being called to introduce a ‘Hillsborough Law’ known as the Public Authority (Accountability) Bill, placing a legal duty of candour on public authorities and officials to tell the truth and proactively cooperate with official investigations and inquiries.

The bill aims to ensure that families of major disasters such as Hillsborough or the Manchester Arena attack receive legal aid, and ensure the failings during investigations into the Hillsborough disaster do not happen again.

Maria Eagle, Labour MP for Garston and Halewood, has repeatedly criticised government for blocking the The Public Advocate (No 2) Bill, twelve times and it is set to be debated again on March 3.

Dominic Raab said he welcomes the involvement of Hillsborough families on creating the IPA, however, Elkan Abrahamson, director of Hillsborough Law Now, said government engage with the families has been ‘almost non-existent.’

Mr Abrahamson told the Press Association: “We will be taking the justice secretary up on his offer to hear our views on the effective and independent development of this policy. Crucially, we will be reminding him of the many other recommendations which remain outstanding.

“We will be asking the justice secretary for the same commitment given to us by the Labour Party last year to reintroduce the Public Authority (Accountability) Bill.”

The justice secretary has said the government will respond to Bishop Jones’ report this Spring.