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Public Office (Accountability) Bill
Public Office (Accountability) Bill is currently listed at 2nd reading in the House of Lords.
Current position
- Latest completed stage
- 1st reading16 Jul 2026
- Next stage
- 2nd reading
- House
- House of Lords
- Bill type
- Government Bill
- Last updated
- 21 Jul 2026
- Proposer / sponsor
- Mr David Lammy Proposer / sponsor · Labour · House of Commons Prepared for future MP profile links
What this bill is about
The Public Office (Accountability) Bill would create duties for public authorities and public officials to act with “candour, transparency and frankness” when dealing with specified inquiries and investigations. It would also require public authorities to promote ethical conduct through measures such as codes of ethical conduct, and it would create criminal offences relating to misleading the public and certain misconduct in public office. The Bill also aims to improve how affected people can participate in inquiries and investigations where a public authority’s conduct is in issue, including provision around legal representation and legal aid in some cases.
What it would do
- Impose a duty of candour and assistance on public authorities and public officials in their dealings with specified inquiries and investigations.
- Require public authorities to promote ethical conduct within the organisation, including adopting a code of ethical conduct.
- Create criminal offences for misleading the public and for specified misconduct by people holding public office.
- Make provision to enable affected persons to participate in inquiries and investigations where public authority conduct is in issue, including bereaved family representation/legal aid elements.
Bill journey
Matched Commons vote groups are shown inside the relevant stage where the stored dates allow a match.
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1st reading 16 Sep 2025 · House of Commons
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2nd reading 3 Nov 2025 · House of Commons
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Money resolution 3 Nov 2025 · House of Commons
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Programme motion 3 Nov 2025 · House of Commons
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Committee stage 4 Dec 2025 · House of Commons
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Carry-over motion 27 Apr 2026 · House of Commons
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Bill reintroduced 14 May 2026 · House of Commons
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3rd reading 14 Jul 2026 · House of Commons3 divisions
1 matched vote group 3 Commons divisions
Public Office (Accountability) Bill Report Stage
3 Commons divisionsMPs held 3 related Commons votes on specific motions relating to the Public Office (Accountability) Bill Report Stage. These divisions concerned specific motions or amendments linked to the same Bill or subject.
Linked division records- Amendment 3 14 July 2026 at 17:27 · Motion negatived
- Amendment 199 14 July 2026 at 17:41 · Motion negatived
- Amendment 19 14 July 2026 at 17:57 · Motion negatived
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Carry-over motion 14 Jul 2026 · House of Commons
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Report stage 14 Jul 2026 · House of Commons
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1st reading 16 Jul 2026 · House of Lords
Related daily summaries
Published daily summaries where this bill appears in the day’s parliamentary or government business.