Former MI5 Director Baroness Manningham-Buller has raised concerns that a new duty of candour law could divert intelligence personnel away from counterterrorism efforts. Speaking during the House of Lords debate on Tuesday, she warned that security service staff would be pulled from their current responsibilities to address the law’s demands, potentially affecting the prevention of future attacks.
The duty of candour legislation, which aims to increase transparency by requiring public officials to cooperate fully with public inquiries, is a response to long-standing campaigners, notably families affected by the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, where 97 Liverpool fans died. The bill, supported by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and passed by MPs shortly before the last general election, seeks to end cover-ups by public authorities.
Baroness Manningham-Buller, who led MI5 from 2002 to 2007 and oversaw counterterrorism efforts during the Northern Ireland conflict, acknowledged the importance of protecting sensitive intelligence through “need to know” restrictions. She described the safeguards built into the bill as adequate but cautioned that compliance would place additional operational strain on MI5, MI6, and GCHQ without increased resources.
These views were echoed by several other peers, including former ministers. Labour’s Lord Rooker urged the government to allocate significant funding to enable the security services to manage the additional workload, warning that without proper resourcing, families seeking answers in future inquiries might be let down. He criticized the broader trend of underfunding in areas of national importance. Lord Wills, another Labour peer, highlighted the potential financial implications, noting that providing legal aid for inquiry participants could cost hundreds of millions of pounds, potentially burdening departmental budgets.
Government officials acknowledged the concerns but indicated there are no plans for additional funding specifically earmarked for meeting the new legal obligations. They noted that the overall budgets for MI5, MI6, and GCHQ are increasing from £4.6 billion to £5.4 billion by the 2028-29 fiscal year, a decision made during last year’s spending review, predating the bill’s introduction.
A government spokesperson emphasized that extensive consultation had taken place with families, campaigners, and the security services to ensure the legislation balances transparency with national security safeguards. They stated the approach was designed to avoid jeopardizing intelligence operations.
During the bill’s second reading in the Lords, parliamentary debate underscored broad support for the law’s objectives but highlighted ongoing concerns about the practical impacts on the intelligence community. The legislation’s future progress will likely depend on addressing how to manage the responsibilities it imposes on security agencies amid resource constraints.