The Justice Secretary has committed to working with a leading campaigner on proposals to introduce an official advocate for families affected by major disasters such as Hillsborough, after the Commons heard the plans are “nowhere near good enough”.
Labour former minister Maria Eagle, who has been vocal in her calls for legislation to establish an independent representative for the bereaved and survivors of disasters involving public authorities, said the Government’s plans “need to be strengthened”.
The current measures are “nowhere near good enough to do the job that I and others hope that they can do”, she told the Commons.
Alex Chalk committed to working “closely” with the Labour MP because he wants to “get it right”.
Whatever we provide will be a massive step forward— Alex Chalk
The exchange took place in the Commons during the final day of debate on the King’s Speech.
The sixth day of debate was focused on elements in the Government’s legislative programme aimed at “reducing serious violence and violence against women and girls, and raising confidence in policing and the criminal justice system”.
The Victims and Prisoners Bill, which has been carried over from the previous parliamentary session, contains the Government’s proposals for an independent public advocate.
It follows years of campaigning for the post to be established, with the Government consulting on the measure as far back as 2018.
Ms Eagle, who represents the Garston and Halewood constituency in Merseyside, said in the Commons: “Will (Mr Chalk) agree that the (public advocate proposals) need to be strengthened in order to be effective, and that his proposals as they currently stand are nowhere near good enough to do the job that I and others hope that they can do?”
She later told the Commons the Government’s proposals were not “sufficient to make the public advocate a useful way of preventing things from going wrong in future in the aftermath of disasters”.
I hope that Government ministers on the frontbench will give thought to improving the proposals as they currently stand, because if they are enacted as they currently stand, it simply won't be enough to make real use of the lessons to be learned from Hillsborough— Labour former minister Maria Eagle
Ms Eagle added she would try to “make positive change” to the Bill when it returns to the Commons.
She said: “I hope that Government ministers on the frontbench will give thought to improving the proposals as they currently stand, because if they are enacted as they currently stand, it simply won’t be enough to make real use of the lessons to be learned from Hillsborough.”
Mr Chalk paid tribute to the campaigning of Ms Eagle, the Hillsborough families and others.
He said: “We will continue to work with her so that this can be the best possible advocate. It is important to note, however, that whatever we provide will be a massive step forward.
“We of course want to get it right, and I commit to working closely with her to do so.”
Addressing the Government’s legislative proposals related to crime and justice more broadly, Mr Chalk told the Commons that “since 2010 overall levels of crime are down by more than 50%”.
He said the Government has already introduced “decisive measures”, adding: “The gracious speech builds on that record with a range of long-term decisions that keeps public protection at the heart of this Government’s agenda for our country.”
